Some 450 learners from the Mkhambathini area of KwaZulu-Natal took part in an education-focused engagement aimed at addressing reading, career guidance and skills development at Esidadeni.
Organisations involved in the engagement included Services SETA, the RedBookshelf Foundation, Durban University of Technology (DUT), Nedbank, Mangosuthu University of Technology (MUT), Icebolethu Group Foundation and Berea Group of Colleges.
The theme of the engagement extended beyond standard academic support, with an emphasis on understanding the relationships between reading, education, career choices and skills development.
Reading as a pathfinder for education and career options
Reading was one of the central themes of the engagement for the learners taking part.
Reading helps build vocabulary and comprehension skills, both of which have application for learners at school and when they go on to apply for further education, training and employment.
The Esidadeni engagement used reading as a tool for learners to think more widely about their educational and career options.
Especially for learners who are taking their first steps in the world of work, the opportunity to engage with reading, career guidance and further-education matters is a valuable introduction to the world outside school.
Career guidance provides learners with more options to consider
Career guidance was an important element of the engagement.
Learners had the opportunity to learn more about a range of career options and the processes for gaining further education and training to enter those areas.
For a Grade 9 learner thinking about subject choices, for example, it is important to understand the links between their choices at school and the options available to them when they leave. Likewise, Grade 12 learners need to know what support is available if they are considering university, university of technology, college, or vocational training.
Career guidance can give learners the information they need to make the most of the opportunities available to them.
Higher-education and private-sector partners bring unique insights
The range of partners at the engagement ensured that learners were exposed to a range of options for further education and career development.
Durban University of Technology and Mangosuthu University of Technology represent the higher-education sector, while Nedbank and the foundations provide guidance from the perspective of employees in the workplace.
Services SETA, meanwhile, speaks to the role that skills development plays in post-school options for learners.
The value of providing learners with career guidance
For learners, it can be overwhelming to consider options for study or further education without adequate insight into what each option entails.
A learner knows that they want to pursue a career in business, healthcare, technology, finance, education or another field but may not have a full understanding of what subjects, qualifications or institutions they need to follow that ambition.
Career guidance can be a way of turning broad interests into a pathway of action.
It does not mean that learners should lock themselves into an education path while still at school, but it does mean that they can get clarity on the options and investigate those that most interest them.
Preparing learners for skills development opportunities
Skills development often takes place through learnerships, internships and other workplace-based programmes, but the groundwork can start much earlier.
The development of communication, reading, problem-solving and information-processing skills while learners are at school can prepare them for further education and the world of work.
The engagement at Esidadeni reflects these connections between reading, career choices and skills development.
Learners should ask questions during career engagement events
Students who attend career guidance events such as the one at Esidadeni can get more out of the experience by asking specific questions.
Important questions to ask include:
What subjects are best to take at school for a certain career?
What qualifications does one need for the desired career?
What are the entry requirements to study at a certain institution?
Are there bursaries or financial aid available?
What are the alternatives if one cannot get into university?
Are there TVET or occupational qualifications for the desired career?
What skills does one need for a certain profession?
Are there skills that can be developed while still at school?
What workplace experience is available while still at school?
Writing down the answers and doing further research after the interaction can help students turn a one-day experience into a programme of study and development.
Partnerships create far-reaching opportunities for learners
The engagement at Esidadeni reflects the value for learners of partnerships between education institutions, businesses, foundations and skills-development bodies.
Each partner contributes unique resources to the table, giving learners a greater understanding of the range of options available to them.
For the learners, the value of such an engagement is in the exposure to these varied opportunities.
The challenge is to make sure that the opportunities are continued after an introductory event such as the one at Esidadeni.
Learners need ongoing access to career guidance, application support and skills development as they move through school and beyond.
Taking the next step with career guidance
The key message from the Esidadeni engagement is that there is more to getting ready for life after school than choosing a career name.
Learners need to build their capacity to read and understand information, investigate their options and make choices about further education and skills development.
For the approximately 450 learners taking part in the engagement, the opportunity was to link those ideas to actual further-education and career opportunities.
The long-term value of the engagement will be in how learners use the information to make decisions and take the next steps in their post-school journey.
Source
This article is based on information provided about the Services SETA partnership with the RedBookshelf Foundation, Durban University of Technology, Nedbank, Mangosuthu University of Technology, Icebolethu Group Foundation and Berea Group of Colleges at Esidadeni in KwaZulu-Natal.
Editorial policy
This article has been independently written for South African readers with the aim of explaining the significance of the initiative and providing practical context for learners.
We distinguish between reported facts and editorial context and do not present participation in a career or reading initiative as a guarantee of admission, funding, employment or any other future outcome.
Disclaimer and reader awareness
Career and education requirements can change. Learners should confirm admission requirements, bursary conditions and programme information directly with the relevant institution or organisation before making decisions.
Participation in a career-guidance event does not guarantee a place at a university, college, learnership or employer.
Reader awareness: Learners should be cautious when providing personal information at events or through online application forms and should verify organisations and opportunities before submitting sensitive documents.
