Learners in the Gert Sibande District in Mpumalanga are being exposed to career guidance, subject choices and the skills-development opportunities in a new drive which has taken off at various schools in the area.
The initiative starts this week and runs until 11 September, and is managed by the Mpumalanga Department of Education.
The drive is being hosted by Services SETA, AgriSETA, Tshwane University of Technology (TUT)’s Department of Water and Sanitation, Mondi Science Centre and Statistics South Africa.
Collectively, the different players are helping learners to gain an insight into their careers, education and skill-set needs.
Helping learners to make informed choices
A learner’s choices at school can set the tone for their future.
The subjects chosen can determine which further-education options are available, and an early introduction to different sectors can help learners to understand the full range of career opportunities open to them.
That is the philosophy underpinning a career-development drive currently targeting schools in Gert Sibande, which aims to expose learners to the different career paths available to them, and help them to understand the subjects and other learning opportunities they may need to pursue their interests.
It is a process which can be extremely helpful to learners as they make important decisions about their post-school options.
Services SETA takes part in the career development programme
Services SETA is one of several agencies participating in the current drive.
The SETA’s inclusion adds another element to the process: an understanding of the kinds of skills which are being developed, through further education, occupational training or other means.
The guidance offered to learners can help them to see the full range of options for continuing education, training or skill development.
For younger learners, being introduced to these different possibilities can help to ensure that they make the most appropriate choices at the point where they need to select their subjects.
The players behind the support initiative
The programme is run by the Mpumalanga Department of Education, and has attracted support from a range of different agencies and sectors.
Supporting the programme are:
Services SETA
AgriSETA
Tshwane University of Technology (TUT) Department of Water and Sanitation
Mondi Science Centre
Statistics South Africa
The broad representation from different sectors helps to expose learners to the full range of possible career paths, which cut across education, skills development, water and sanitation, science, agriculture and public-sector information.
Agriculture, water, science and statistics open new vistas to learners
The agencies which have joined the programme also provide learners with an insight into how different subjects fit into a wide range of different careers.
Agriculture, for example, opens up a range of opportunities in farming, agricultural science, environmental management and related fields.
Water and sanitation is a specialised area which requires a range of technical and scientific knowledge, and science centres can provide learners with an introduction to understanding science, technology and innovation.
Statistics and data-skill development is another key area where learners can gain an insight into the application of their abilities, both within government and in related fields.
Services SETA’s involvement adds a particular value to the programme, by showing young people the skills-development opportunities which exist behind their chosen career path.
Why is career guidance important?
Without the right information, learners can find it extremely hard to make choices about their post-school options.
A career-guidance programme helps to address that challenge, by introducing learners to the different career possibilities which are open to them.
It can also help them to make choices about the further-education and training options they will need to pursue their chosen path.
The right guidance can also help learners to understand that there is more than one route to a successful career.
For example, university is one option, but depending on their choices, learners can also enter a university of technology, a TVET college or other avenues of occupational training and further education.
What do learners need to know about their options?
A key part of the guidance offered to learners is the relationship between what they are studying and the future careers that they are considering.
This is an area of special importance for learners who are considering subjects such as science.
In fact, science has a broad number of career options, ranging from engineering and environmental sciences, to health, research and technology.
Other learners, considering agriculture, business, data analysis, water and sanitation or a technical career, can begin to do research on the kinds of subjects, qualifications and institutions which can help them to pursue their interests.
The earlier they can receive that information, the better.
Understanding what learners can achieve
The programme has a particular importance in enabling learners to make choices about the subjects they wish to study, and the institutions which they will attend.
The earlier learners can make those choices, the more time they have to prepare for the further education which will set them on their chosen path.
The inclusion of organisations such as Services SETA and AgriSETA also help to open up the choices available to learners, by exposing them to some of the sectors in the economy which are currently in need of skilled people.
Why the week is important
The career-development drive for Gert Sibande District will be held until 11 September.
As learners interact with education, SETA and science organisations, they will be gaining an insight into different kinds of further-education, training or occupation.
The immediate benefit to learners is the understanding that they will receive about the options open for them.
The benefits to students who participate in the programme will be determined by how they apply that information as they make choices about their post-school options.
To the organisations taking part in the programme, it is an opportunity to introduce young people to the world of work at a time when they are contemplating their own futures.
Source and reporting note
This article is independently written from information supplied about the career development programme which will take place at various schools in the Gert Sibande District, managed by the Mpumalanga Department of Education.
The participating agencies are reported as stated: Services SETA, AgriSETA, Tshwane University of Technology’s Department of Water and Sanitation, Mondi Science Centre and Statistics South Africa.
Editorial policy
We aim to provide readers with clear, factual reporting about education and career guidance information, distinguishing between programme activities and possible future outcomes.
Disclaimer
Participation in a career-guidance programme does not imply acceptance into a particular institution, qualification or occupation. Learners should confirm entry requirements and information directly with the relevant institution or organisation before making decisions about education or career choices.
