The Ultimate Career Guide 2021

Your Future | Your Choice

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CONTRIBUTORS CREDITS PUBLISHER Jacques Breytenbach EDITOR Madelaine Page SUB EDITOR Tristan Snijders HEAD OF DESIGN Beren Bauermeister PRODUCTION & CLIENT LIAISON MANAGER Madelaine Page Freelance writer and editor

Phakamile Khumalo Public and media skills development manager Media Monitoring Africa

Margarethe Booysens Freelance writer, leadership and research coach

Jamaine Krige Author, freelance writer and medic

Jahni de Villiers Director at Labour Amplified

Antois-Leigh Nepgen GROUP SALES MANAGER Chilomia Van Wijk KEY ACCOUNTS MANAGERS Elri Klee, Candy Mukhwa, Lynda Kapsimalis RESEARCHER Margaret Callado BOOKKEEPER Tonya Hebenton DISTRIBUTION COORDINATOR Asha Pursotham DISTRIBUTION: ON THE DOT Melt Van Der Walt, Category Manager: External

Dr Morne Mostert Director of the Institute for Futures Research Stellenbosch University

Dalaine Krige Freelance writer and teacher in South Korea Master’s in Political Science

Anne Schauffer Freelance journalist and copywriter

Delia Krystal Hamlett Writer and teacher Master’s of Educational Psychology student

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NOTICE OF RIGHTS AND DISCLAIMER Mia Jansen van Rensburg Writer and teacher Master’s of Anthropology student

Lungi Langa Organisational psychologist and career counsellor

Zakiyya Ismail Essa Counselling psychologist and lecturer

4

Dr Sandra Roberts Academic head and researcher Fray College

Amanda Chembezi Governance and policy sector lead African Leadership Academy

Nicolene de Wee Freelance journalist and writer Master’s in Journalism student

Karen Gray Learning and training consultant CEO of Gray Training

Dr Sara Black Postdoctoral fellow at the Centre for Education Rights and Transformation University of Johannesburg

Monique de Klerk Counselling psychologist Centre for Health & Human Performance, North-West University

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Raj Naran Career development educator Wits Counselling and Careers Development Unit

Paula Fray Entrepreneur, media expert and business consultant CEO at Fray Intermedia

Professor Simphiwe Sasanti Author and academic Department of Language Education, University of the Western Cape

THE ULTIMATE CAREER GUIDE Information and statistics have been taken from publicly available documents, research as well as interviews that may or may not reflect the absolute correct numbers and statistics applicable at the time of going to print.

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CONTENTS 09

Editor’s Notes The future is yours for the taking… and the shaping

10

The Gen-Z Effect Greta Thunberg – Leading the game-changers of the next decade

12

Internet and Social Media Savvy Becoming a digital citizen – Build your future in the digital world

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Love What You Do and Call It Work Choices, choices, choices

23

Preparing You For The Workplace Of Tomorrow – Today Society 5.0 – Making the 4th (and the 5th) Industrial Revolution work for you

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Soft Skills – The Trampoline To Propel You Higher Communication is key – what you say is as important as how you say it

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COVID Vaccination and Your Rights How Covid-19 vaccination policies will affect you

18

39

Are You Getting The Education You’ve Been Promised Alive with possibility and inspiring new ways – Focusing on your rights as a learner

44

Your Brand Can Make Or Break You Building a brand that sets you apart – Your brand – your reputation

44 6

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Don’t Panic – Nail That Interview Prepare; Don’t panic – Don’t lose your nerve; nail that interview

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When Your Best Just Isn’t Good Enough Resilience in the face of rejection – Turning your failures into stepping stones

85

Entrepreneurship It all starts with an idea – How to make money on your own terms

93

University Isn’t Your Only Option Gather your skills in a suitcase

100

60

Test Drive Your Career Finding out what you really want to do – Boost your CV while gaining real-world experience

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A Year On; Not A Year Off Becoming a gapper

100

Work Could And Should Be Fun Your greatest adventure ever

69

Cashing In The Bursary Chips Footing the education bill – Get the financial support you need and deserve

105

The Education King Who Fell In Love With His Statue King Pygmalion goes private – The perfect storm has arrived

112

Immersive Learning Practical skills for any occasion – Learn the right thing… the right way

114

Last Word The efficacy of interdependence

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82 75

So You Want To Study Abroad It all starts with a dream – Pursuing your passion overseas

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each English Abroad T A new world of opportunities – Becoming a global citizen while earning a living

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Student Exchange Beyond the classroom – Learn a foreign language to enjoy the benefits of a student exchange programme THE ULTI MATE CAREER GUI DE SP R ING 2021

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EDITOR’S NOTES

The future is yours for the taking...

and the shaping

The world around us is changing, and no generation is more uniquely prepared for these changes than yours. And perhaps, no generation is more equipped to change the world for the better than yours is right now.

Y

ou are young and outspoken, digitally smart and technologically savvy. You know what you want for the world you live in, and you’re prepared to fight for it. You’re pragmatic, resilient and adaptive.

Expectations have shifted Previous generations have seen climate change as a far-off threat in the distant future. You know that they were wrong – it’s on our doorstep. You’re willing to step up and be the change you want to see in the world. After all, if you don’t do it, who will?

Because you expect the same from the brands you support and the leaders you follow, you won’t hesitate to call them out when they don’t behave in an authentic and transparent way.

Your generation, Gen Z, identifies strongly with characteristics like loyalty, thoughtfulness, determination, compassion, open-mindedness and responsibility.

Research has also shown you to be eager, hardworking, creative and motivated.

Unlike the Millennials that came before you, your primary motivations are not positive

Madelaine Page

feedback or financial rewards. Instead, your generation strives to make a difference in the lives of others, and follow through on commitments as to not let others down.

Studies show that Gen Z’ers are motivated by being able to tap into their passions to advocate for something they believe in, as well as see the progress of their own work.

Z’ers were quick to adapt and embrace this new way of living!

It was just a matter of time before entrepreneurs and universities, like the University of Cape Town, would take the gap in offering online learning for high school learners. No longer a forced option, but one of choice.

It’s your future

Gen Z – the world is your oyster With your tech-savvy skills and personcentred approach, you’re perfectly positioned to step into not just the Fourth Industrial Revolution, but also the Fifth Industrial Revolution – a new phase of industry and work where technology will be redeployed with a focus on making the world a better, kinder, safer and more equitable place for all who live in it.

While previous generations were made to believe that work – or learning – can only happen in an office or classroom, the Covid-19 pandemic has changed the nature of work and learning. And of course, the Gen

You’re in a unique position. Experts say that more than half of school students will one day work in jobs that don’t even exist yet. This means the world is your oyster, and the future is yours for the taking… and the shaping.

You can decide what you want to do, and how you want to do it. You can start working for the future you want, and the future you know you deserve. And you can start today!

I hope our Ultimate Career Guide will help steer you in your choices as you enter this new phase of your life, and open your eyes to the exciting world of possibilities – some, not yet even imagined – that lie ahead for you and your peers.

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THE GEN Z EFFECT

Greta Thunberg Leading the game-changers of the next decade

Young, outspoken, internet and social media savvy. More aware of social injustices, more inclined to take a gap year and often bullied online. Worried about the future and more concerned with academic performance and job prospects. Does this sound familiar? It should. If you’re finishing up with school and starting this new phase of your life, this should speak to you.

You are Gen Z, writes Madelaine Page.

We talk about our future, they talk about their present.”

Y Environmental and climate-change activist Greta Thunberg

10

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our generation wants real change, and you want it now. You and your peers won’t hesitate to call out politicians, companies and brands when they do not behave in a transparent and authentic way. You’re pragmatic, resilient and ready to adapt to change. You have to be… at the speed the world around you is changing. But your generation is also likely to suffer more from mental disorders, ADHD, anxiety disorders, behavioural disorders, depression and sleep deprivation. Maybe because you are more inclined to talk and be open about it. The social media you’re exposed to daily may make you more likely to have body image and selfesteem issues.

Also called the iGen or Centennials, your generation was born between 1996 and 2010, following on from the Millennials, and you’re about to enter the workforce and change the way things were done before.

THE GEN Z EFFECT

The Greta effect

Greta Thunberg, 18, has for many become the face of Gen Z. Whether you like her or not, she is steadfast in her quest to challenge world leaders to take immediate action for climate change mitigation.

It started in 2018 when she staged a solo protest during school hours outside the Swedish parliament, advocating a “school strike for climate” after the heat waves and wildfires. It was Sweden’s hottest summer in almost three centuries. She demanded that the Swedish government reduce carbon emissions in accordance with the Paris Agreement. Internet and social media savvy, she posted on Instagram and Twitter, setting the ball rolling for others to join her cause. One of her tweets was retweeted by someone with more than 200 000 followers, and the next thing her message was being shared on social media, along with her photo, and YouTube channels were dedicated to her story. In the days that followed, she wasn’t alone outside parliament – she was joined by others, making first national and then international headlines.

Two months later, she joined protests across Europe, inspired by her initial stand, and gave speeches urging world leaders to take climate change seriously. She continued to grow and mobilise followers on her social media platforms from all corners of the world. After being invited to speak at the 2018 United Nations’ Climate Change Conference, her presentation went viral. Following this, student strikes took place every week somewhere in the world.

In 2019, there were scores of coordinated multicity protests, with more than a million students at each one!

Greta says she heard of climate change when she was eight years old and was so depressed about it three years later that she stopped eating and speaking for two months. Her activism started when she convinced her parents to change their own lifestyles and reduce their carbon footprint. Her mother, an opera singer, gave up her job as it depended on flying all over the world.

When Greta went to speak at the 2019 UN Climate Action Summit in North America, she decided to sail from Europe instead of flying, which is very energy-intensive and bad for the environment.

I want to feel safe. How can I feel safe when I know we are in the greatest crisis in human history?” – Greta in her winning essay on climate change

Diagnosed with Asperger’s syndrome, depression, obsessive-compulsive disorder (OCD) and selective mutism, she chooses to see every condition as a superpower and not something to hold her back.

She usually starts her speech in every city by acknowledging the indigenous people whom the land originally belonged to: “In acknowledging the enormous injustices inflicted upon these people, we must also mention the many enslaved and indentured servants whose labour the world still profits from today.”

When the Covid-19 pandemic hit, she responded: “In a crisis, we change our behaviour and adapt to the new circumstances for the greater good of society.” A virtual strike followed in September, because “the climate crisis doesn’t pause”, even while the world is in lockdown.

Praised by many, she was also cyberbullied, even by adults who should know better (including former US president Donald Trump), and called “obese” by a Chinese newspaper after she said that China’s carbon emissions exceeded those of all developed countries combined. The photograph they used was digitally altered.

Greta took a sabbatical year from school to meet like-minded people from the climate movement in the USA. A year later, she was back at school, getting excellent grades while still inspiring people everywhere to take action and protect the planet.

At the UN Climate Action Summit, New York, 23 September 2019: ‘This is all wrong. I shouldn’t be up here. I should be back in school on the other side of the ocean. Yet you all come to us young people for hope. How dare you!

‘You have stolen my dreams and my childhood with your empty words. And yet I’m one of the lucky ones. People are suffering. People are dying. Entire ecosystems are collapsing. We are in the beginning of a mass extinction, and all you can talk about is money and fairy tales of eternal economic growth. How dare you!’ @gretathunberg

|

@GretaThunberg

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INTERNET & SOCIAL MEDIA SAVVY

Becoming a digital citizen Build your future in the digital world Web Rangers is an international digital literacy programme, implemented right here in South Africa to help young people navigate the digital challenges and grab online opportunities. It aims to improve digital literacy skills, helping you develop your own capabilities and become an active digital citizen who contributes to the development of this country. Phakamile Khumalo is the Web Rangers public and media skills development manager. She share some tips to help you navigate the ever-changing digital landscape, empower you to use the internet and social media safely and responsibly, and help you build your future in the digital world!

T

he world you live in isn’t the same one that your parents grew up in, and while this means you’re faced with challenges that they never had to deal with, it also means you have opportunities that they never dreamed of!

Becoming a digital citizen

Phakamile Khumalo

12

As you prepare for your future, it’s important to understand that there are ways in which you can use the internet and social media to further your passion and your dreams, while promoting the advocacy work of keeping other young people safe online. You can do this by being a digital citizen!

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Web Rangers, in partnership with Media Monitoring Agency (MMA), Google South Africa, the Film and Publications Board (FPB), MTN, DTPS and Diana Schwartz Attorneys, is designed to empower the youth to become digital citizens who know how to use the Internet responsibly and encourage others to do the same.

It is a digital literacy programme designed to allow young people to gain critical skills and knowledge around online safety.

This is used to create innovative campaigns that promote safe internet usage and champion their rights in the digital world.

The Web Rangers programme is open to South African school learners between 12 and 17 years old.

INTERNET & SOCIAL MEDIA SAVVY

Let’s get started!

Digital citizenship is made up of two words: ‘digital’ and ‘citizenship’.

Digital means the use of digital technology. Citizenship means being a member of and supporting one’s community and country.

Digital citizenship is using the internet and social media platforms in a way that is ethical and reflects your rights and responsibilities. Active digital citizens have online social skills that allow them to use technology in a fun, safe, responsible and respectful way within the digital community.

The story of your digital footprint Almost everything we do communicates a message, whether it’s on WhatsApp, Facebook, Instagram - even the videos you upload on YouTube or TikTok. When we look at all these messages, it all tells the story of your DIGITAL FOOTPRINT!

Managing your digital footprint • Pay careful attention to what you say in your email, texts and social media posts.

• Pay careful attention to what you ‘like’ or ‘share’ on social media and online.

• Before you post, think about what information to share, where to share it and how to share it (what platform, what medium, what format, what tone?).

• Read the fine print (privacy policies and terms) before clicking ‘agree’.

Personal information you should never share on social media: • • • • • •

Your name Race Gender Identity number The school you attend Where you live

Personal Information and Privacy Online As a young person online, there is a certain pressure to be visible and have your information out there so people can get to know you better. This can be a problem when you put your safety at risk by not protecting your privacy on the internet. Below are ways you can protect your privacy online. Identity thieves, scam artists, debt collectors, stalkers, and corporations looking for a market advantage are using social networks to gather information about consumers.

The Protection from Harassment Act provides protection to those who are victimised or harassed, both offline and online. You can go to court and get a protection order under this law, even if you don’t know who the person that is bullying you is

Remember the following 3 Ws:

Your digital footprint is the mark that you leave behind when using the internet and it can shape your online reputation

1

WHO?

Who is asking for this information?

Do you really know them or could they be pretending to be someone else?

2 WHAT? What are they asking foar?

STOP if it is your personal information.

3 WHY? Why do they need it?

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INTERNET & SOCIAL MEDIA SAVVY

Important resources

• The film and publication board has a hotline that you can call anonymously to report child pornography, sexual abuse & exploitation on the internet.

Phone 0800148148.

Cyber ills and their impact on youth Cyberbullying is bullying that takes place online using electronic technology, like cell phones, computers and tablets, as well as communication tools like social media sites, text messages, chats and websites.

While cyberbullying is similar to ‘real life’ bullying it differs in the following ways: • I t can occur 24/7 and you can be targeted even when at home.

• I t can involve harmful material being widely and quickly sent to a large audience. For example, rumours and humiliating pictures can be posted on public forums or sent in group chats.

• I t can provide the bully with a sense of relative anonymity and distance from the target. So there is a lack of immediate feedback, consequences or accountability.

Online stalking should be referred directly to the police

Cyber stalking is just like stalking in real life - someone watches your actions on social media and can see where you are going or find your location. They may even create a fake profile to become your friend on social media.

Online grooming is when an adult forms a relationship with a child or younger person with the intent of later having sexual contact or committing other crimes. This can take place in

The Films and Publications Act 1996 regards sexting as a serious sexual offence, and classified it as child pornography when minors are involved

chat rooms, on instant messaging platforms or on social networking sites.

The ultimate goal of the ‘groomer’ is to arrange an in-person meeting to engage in sexual relations with the child or teen!

Sexting is the act of sending sexually explicit images, text messages and videos of either yourself or other people.

We encourage people to use the term Child Sexual Abuse Material (CSAM), instead of child pornography A catfish is someone who creates a false online identity. Catfishing is common on social networking and online dating sites. Sometimes a catfish’s sole purpose is to engage in a fantasy, but sometimes the catfish’s intent is to defraud a victim, seek revenge or commit identity theft.

• Hashplay online game. Hashplay (https://game.hashplay.co.za/) is designed to help people make informed decisions online and provides guidance on ways to protect yourself online.

• Auntinet. MMA’s social media agony aunt, otherwise known as Auntienet, was created to listen and help you. #Auntienet is here to lend an ear and assist you with all the problems and challenges you encounter online.

You can access it here: https:// hashplay.co.za/info/social-mediaagony-aunt-2/

So you have sent nude pics.

What now?

Try having an honest conversation with the person you sent the image to. Ask them to delete the pictures. The quicker you’re able to do this the better. You can’t control what someone will do with an image, but having an honest conversation can help to prevent the picture being spread further.

• To find out more about how you can stay safe, visit our Web Rangers website on www. webrangers.co.za or chat to our Web Rangers team on webrangerssa@gmail.com

INTERNET & SOCIAL MEDIA SAVVY

Potential employers as well as bursary institutions might reference public information across social media platforms for a background or consistency check. You need to ensure that your social media footprint strengthens your personal brand instead of causing damage and questioning your ethics and integrity.

Effective navigation of social media can and will open up a magnitude of career opportunities.

I

t all starts by executing a safe, effective and consistent digital presence. Personal and professional barriers are blurred on a daily basis when it comes to our personal brands vs professional careers, when we interact in the digital space. It is crucial to start building a professional digital presence as well as be digitally active in order to establish an online personal portfolio and brand. You need to ensure that your integrity and ethics are maintained, protected and promoted across all the integrated digital applications, tools, platforms and networks. The ultimate outcome is to establish digital credibility that would operate similar to real currency.

Purposefully managing your digital footprint establish a secure and credible network of connections and content to drive, steer and grow your career.

It is critical to start establishing a credible network as early as possible and continue to nurture and expand your digital social network. It is through this network that you will engage regarding bursaries, internships, learnerships, volunteer work, extra credit field projects, student exchange programmes and yes, your first job. This network of professionals can

AND YOUR CAREER How can social media promote my personal brand? include teachers, mentors, life coaches, sport coaches, study groups, sports clubs, family and friends. For example, when you join a volunteer group for a project, ensure that you share social media contacts with same minded individuals in the project.

Be active in your digital community. You’ll be surprised how many doors community members can open for you.

One of your most significant digital networking applications to utilise would be LinkedIn. You need to join this networking application as soon as possible. It will guide you through a magnitude of business and professional information, potential employers, mentors, study and career growth opportunities.

The networking pool for LinkedIn is sitting at 750 million members. It allows business professionals access to insights, share business ideas, networking groups and career opportunities. Job seekers create and post their digital CV’s whilst employers are posting job opportunities.

It is considered more professional to send a personalised introductory note with your LinkedIn Connect request.

Once the person accepted your request to connect, you should send a followup message to start networking or

connecting. You can also use LinkedIn to follow companies and brand ambassadors, thereby learning from them but also getting exposed to a wider networking pool. If you are not a LinkedIn member yet, please click visit https://linkedin.com to sign up and follow the prompts. You can also download the LinkedIn app from the Play Store or Apple Store on your smartphone.

Twitter is another useful social media tool for job seekers as well as recruiters.

Twitter is not just about the latest social scene trends. It’s a professional network giving you direct access to many career opportunities. This includes topics such as bursaries, volunteering, internships and learnerships. You can search for tweets promoting job vacancies, follow industries of interest or preferred employers, even mentors and industry captains. Common hashtags that can be used for job hunting are: #jobs #jobsearch #vacancies #hireme #jobhunt #internship #bursaries.

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LOVE WHAT YOU DO AND CALL IT WORK

Choices, choices, Find what you love, love what you do… and let the money find you Your career defines what you do and, to some extent, who you are.

Ideally, your job should be financially and emotionally rewarding and make your life more meaningful. In essence, career decisions matter, writes Margarethe Booysen.

S

teve Jobs – former chairman, CEO and co-founder of Apple Inc – said: “You’ve got to find what you love. Your work is going to fill a large part of your life, and the only way to be truly satisfied is to do what you believe is great work. And the only way to do great work is to love what you do.”

An inspirational and moving sentiment, but how realistic and attainable is Jobs’ view in a country with a staggering unemployment rate? Between the idealistic view that anything is possible and the pessimistic view that nothing matters, there might just be an attainable middle ground.

Finding this point of agreement starts with the way we think about careers.

Raj Naran, a career development educator at Wits’ Counselling and

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Careers Development Unit, says: “It would be useful to come to some understanding that careers are usually developed rather than chosen. When looking at career development this way, it would usually be good practice to think of career development as a series of goals that one sets throughout life.”

As such, career decisionmaking is an ongoing process. The first goal is to decide what to do after completing your secondary education.

How do I go about choosing a career?

1. Know yourself The starting point of choosing a career is YOU. When considering your career

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LOVE WHAT YOU DO AND CALL IT WORK

options, it is important to know who you are. What are the things you need to know about yourself?

Your values: What is important to me?

The answer to this question is probably the most important and complex.

Renowned occupational psychologist Edgar Schein referred to ‘career anchors’ as those things in life that motivate you and that you value. When we understand what our career anchors are, we have an internal compass that can assist us in making important decisions that will be aligned with our values. This is because our values are the driving force behind our actions and motivations, and help us to achieve our goals.

Our goals are what we want to be, where we want to be, and what we want to achieve in the future. Knowing this helps you to make decisions and set your priorities.

Other important factors you should consider: Your interests: What do I enjoy doing?

Your skills and abilities: What am I good at?

Your strengths: What comes easily to me?*

Raj Naran

Your motivators: What am I passionate about?

Your assets: What experience or qualifications do I have? What languages do I speak? *Psychometric tests conducted by a psychometrist will also give you an idea of your personality type and your aptitude.

2. Know your options In the past, career expos were popular go-to places to explore potential career paths and get to know the companies who were hiring. Due to the Covid-19 pandemic, however, many of these events have been cancelled, or are not being held on the scale they used to be. Some

have moved online. Luckily, there are many other avenues you can follow, says Lungi Langa, organisational psychologist and experienced career counsellor.

Lungi says that one of your first stops is your school career guidance counsellor. If this is not offered by your school, you can also make an appointment with a counsellor at a university’s career guidance centre.

Raj suggests visiting organisations’ websites, which provide useful information about the fields in which they operate and the opportunities they offer. In organisations that permit this under Covid-19 regulations, you can also job-shadow someone to see what their job entails. Virtual internships also open up a new spectrum of opportunities.

What remain key is that you continue to learn. LinkedIn Learning, for example, offers more than 16 000 free, up-to-date and expert-led online courses.

3. Which occupations are in high demand?

Your third step is to research what occupations are in high demand.

You can consult

To know thyself is the beginning of wisdom.” – Socrates

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LOVE WHAT YOU DO AND CALL IT WORK

the National List of Occupations in High Demand in South Africa, which is available online.

The job market of the future will require four key work skills:

Here are a few links to explore: Department of Higher Education and Training: tinyurl.com/zyzpfv3s or tinyurl. com/eamcbewa Skills Portal: tinyurl.com/458266pe GCIS: tinyurl.com/3ub8eaks Green Gazette: tinyurl.com/3jnckmjn

Lungi Langa

1

Digital tool savvy and technological skills – the ability to learn new systems and to configure and customise these tools.

Bear in mind that these demands change continuously and that you need to be able to adapt and retrain to stay relevant in today’s workplace.

Raj’s advice to young people entering the workplace is to develop career resilience. This entails being comfortable with taking risks and understanding that it is necessary to be adaptable and flexible in this rapidly changing world. Learning and training should further be seen as something you would usually need to engage with throughout your life.

2

Comfort with analytics and data – including interpretation, visualisation and communication of data analytics.

3

Business, leadership and management skills – will be required irrespective of the position or field of expertise.

4

Design and creative skills – an essential part of the future of work in all areas, from business analysis to finance and manufacturing.

4. Find the overlap Ideally, you should find the overlap between who you are, your personality, your attributes, the type of job that suits you best, and a job for which there is (or will) be a demand. It is helpful to develop a scorecard of the various factors that will influence your career decisionmaking process.

Who are you?

What occupations match who you are?

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What occupations are in high demand?

GO TO:

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For more information to help you on your journey of career decisionmaking, have a look at Deloitte’s ‘Welcome to Generation Z’ report about the future of work: tinyurl.com/62w7vysd.

CASE STUDY From selling burgers to CEO/PhD Lungi Langa completed her BA Psychology degree at one of the top universities in South Africa but was unable to find a job in her field. She spent five years working for a fastfood chain as the restaurant’s admin assistant. Her shift was from 08:00 to 17:00, but she always completed her tasks by 11:00 each day. To keep busy, she would leave her tiny office and sell burgers with the rest of the staff.

Finally, in her sixth year of working this job, she got her foot in the corporate door as an HR assistant. She got this breakthrough by persistently seeking suitable opportunities in line with her career aspirations. She applied for hundreds of jobs before she finally secured an interview. While she was working, she continued to further her studies.

Today, after many promotions, Lungi is a seasoned corporate executive.

She owns a company with top local and international clients, and is in the process of completing her PhD in Consulting Psychology.

Consulting psychology is a branch of organisational psychology that is focused on empowering clients and improving workplace functioning.

Lungi’s advice to the young people of South Africa is to know yourself and what is important to you, set your goals, work hard, and take pride in any work you manage to find. The rest will follow.

PROFILE | GLOBAL EDUCATION

Have you ever wanted to study abroad?

Global Education is more than just a business. It’s a family!

Do you want to earn an international degree?

Our team value is to expose interested students to a world of opportunity, and we are here to guide and assist you through the entire process

Not sure how and what to do?

Are you looking to study abroad?

Global Education: the study abroad experts in South Africa & Zimbabwe For over 15 years, we have been the home of overseas university applications, assisting self-funded students through the entire university application process. Our services include direct access to hundreds of our university partners, providing all the necessary information and documentation to ensure your successful application to study abroad.

G

lobal Education is your ‘incountry admissions’ team to over 300 directly contracted world-class universities and colleges. We represent universities and colleges across the United Kingdom, Ireland, the Netherlands, Sweden, Spain, Germany, Greece, Switzerland, Cyprus, the United States of America, Australia and New Zealand. Whether you wish to study for a diploma, undergraduate or postgraduate degree, Global Education will find the right international college or university for you.

Prospective students are empowered with all the knowledge required to begin

their studies in a new country with ease and confidence. This is all part of the professional and personal service offered by the company, including individual counselling and student advice.

In short, leave the worrying, chasing and sorting out of all paperwork to us.

We are your direct link to the universities worldwide and handle everything without intermediaries. We aim to ensure the application process to study abroad is as stress-free as possible.

Our services include: Application Advice Guiding students on exactly what

documents are required to apply and how they need to be verified, and assisting with admissions and placement at international universities. We also assist high-achieving sport and academic students to connect with the top institutions and ensure you have the comprehensive support to make a successful application.

Student Visas We assist you with your student visa by providing all the necessary information and checking through all documentation to ensure a successful study visa application.

We have a 100% track record for student visas.

Campus Accommodation We guide and assist students with securing their on-campus accommodation.

Pre-departure & Arrival Events We coordinate pre-departure and arrival events to help our students connect with the university and other successful applicants to ensure that they are prepared and have all the knowledge necessary to have a successful start to their new adventure.

Start your journey with us today!

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21

Your Journey to Study Abroad Starts Here!

For over 15 years, we have been the ‘home’ of overseas university applications, assisting self-funded students through the entire university application process. We aim to ensure the application process to study abroad is as stress-free as possible.

Global Education is your in-country admissions team to over 300 world-class universities & colleges.

Global Education is more than just a business. It’s a family!

Our team value is to expose interested students to a world of opportunity, we are here to guide and assist you through the entire process.

Whether you wish to study for a diploma, undergraduate or postgraduate degree, Global Education will find the right international college or university for you. Prospective students are empowered with all the knowledge required to begin their studies in a new country with ease and confidence. This is all part of the professional and personal service offered by the company, including individual counselling and student advice.

Application Advice

Student Visas

Pre-departure & Arrival Events

We guide students on exactly what documents are required to apply, how they need to be verified with admissions and placement at international universities.

We assist you with your student visa by providing all the necessary information and checking through all documentation to ensure a successful study visa application.

We coordinate pre-departure and arrival events to help our students connect with the university, ensuring you are prepared for a successful start to your new adventure.

HEAD OFFICE CONTACTS: Contact: Nico Eleftheriades Tel: +27 (0)11 268 6545 Email: nico@global-education.co.za

DURBAN OFFICE CONTACTS: Contact: Miguel Rodrigues Tel: +31 (0) 830 5556 Email: miguel@globaleducation.co.zw

PREPARING YOU FOR THE WORKPLACE OF TOMORROW - TODAY

Making the 4th (and 5th!)

Industrial Revolution work for you

The world around us is changing, and if you don’t change with it, you will get left behind, writes Jamaine Krige. So, what can you do to prepare yourself for the workplace of the future, today?

B

y now, you know that the world you live in isn’t the same world your parents grew up in, and the nature of work is changing rapidly. It can be hard to plan for the future when none of us really knows what that future holds. Even experts who make a career from predicting future trends based on current trends admit that it’s hard to know what we don’t know yet!

A couple of years ago, nobody would have known what you were on about if you said you were an Uber driver, a drone pilot or a blockchain engineer. You would have gotten funny looks if you told someone you were considering a career in virtual reality design, while artificial intelligence (AI) was something from sci-fi movies where machines take over the world.

You couldn’t consider a career as a social

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23

PREPARING YOU FOR THE WORKPLACE OF TOMORROW - TODAY

Jobs that existed 12 years ago but are now gone or disappearing

Jobs that weren’t around 12 years ago but here today

Jobs we can only imagine being around 12 years from now

Meter reader

Blockchain engineer

Quantum programmer

Switch board operator

Mobile App developer

Climate change scientist

Electronics assembler

Sustainability manager

Rocket design architect

Assembly line worker

Cloud compuing specialist

Space craft pilot

Video store manager/clerk

AI/Big data analyst

Blockchain crypto specialitst

Dictaphone operator

Autonomous vehicle designer

Cultured meat farmer

Film projectionist

YouTube contnent creator

Hazardous waste engineer

37% of businesses and organisations employ AI today.

The robot revolution will create more jobs than it will destroy

However, for 28% of people, the human touch is still needed to get the job done.

So how can you prepare yourself for an uncertain future, and ensure that you will thrive in a job that might not even exist yet? media manager or influencer in the year 2000 because MySpace hadn’t even been invented yet. Facebook also only came along in 2004!

Today, however, these are all viable career options that seemed unimaginable just a decade ago. So how can you prepare yourself for an uncertain future, and ensure that you will thrive in a job that might not even exist yet?

The automation of work will no doubt bring new levels of efficiency to all sectors and industries, which makes people worried that this could destroy a number of jobs.

PricewaterhouseCoopers predicts that within the next 15 years, 38% of jobs in the USA and 35% of jobs in Germany will be lost to automation.

The future of work is already here Saadia Zahidi, managing director of the World Economic Forum, says the future of work is no longer something that we can expect 10 years from now – the future of work is already here! The arrival of the

More than 46%of Americans use voice-controlled virtual assistants.

Two in three Americans believe self-driving cars are safer than regular cars.

The AI industry will be earning $118 billion a year by 2025.

Source: DataProt

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The illiterate of the 21st century will not be those who cannot read and write, but those who cannot learn, unlearn and relearn.” – Alvin Toffler

PREPARING YOU FOR THE WORKPLACE OF TOMORROW - TODAY revolution’ will actually create more jobs than it will destroy!

Unfortunately, the individuals and communities who will be most negatively affected by the changes to the world of work are likely to be those who are already most disadvantaged. If we don’t act quickly and equip people with the skills needed to survive in the workplace of the future, the inequalities in our country and in the world will be made worse by the impact of technology and the Covid-19 pandemic.

The job landscape of the future By the year 2025, around half of all employees in the workplace will need to reskill in order to keep doing their jobs, and the core skills needed to do the job will change for at least 40% of workers. Around 94% of business leaders say that employees will be expected to pick up new skills on the job.

top

• technology use and development.

10

SKILLS OF 2025

nalytical thinking 01 Aand innovation ctive learning and 02 Alearning strategies

03 Complex problem-solving

Job landscape

04 Critical thinking and analysis

By 2025, new jobs will emerge and others will be displaced by a shift in the division of labour between humans and machines, affecting:

reativity, originality, 05 Cand initiative

Decreasing job demand

echnology design 07 Tand programming

06 Leadership and social influence

01 Data entry clerks Source: Future Jobs Report World Economic Forum

The top 10 workplace skills of 2025 can be divided into four categories, namely: • problem-solving • self-management • working with people

dministration and executive 02 A secretaries ccounting, bookkeeping and 03 A payroll clerks 04 Accountants and auditors 05 Assembly and factory workers usiness services and 06 B administration managers lient information and customer 07 C service workers 08 General and operations managers 09 Mechanics and machinery repairers aterial recording and stock 10 M keeping clerks

Growing job demand 01 Data analysts and scientists 02 AI and machine learning specialists 03 Big data specialists igital marketing and 04 D strategy specialists

echnology design 08 Tand programming esilience, stress tolerance, 09 Rand flexibility easoning, problem-solving, 10 Rand ideation

05 Process automation specialists 06 Business development professionals 07 Digital transformation specialists 08 Information security specialists

Problem-solving Self-management

09 Software and application developers

Working with people

10 Internet of things specialists

Technology use and development

THE ULTI MATE CAREER GUI DE SP R ING 2021

Source: Future Jobs Report World Economic Forum

workplace of the future was accelerated by the Covid-19 pandemic and the impact it had on the way businesses operate.

According to the World Economic Forum’s 2020 Future of Jobs report, around 65% of children who are in primary school now will end up working in a job that doesn’t exist yet! In many industries and countries around the world, the 10 most in-demand occupations today didn’t even exist 5 or 10 years ago. Also, the changes that lie ahead are expected to happen even faster than before. That is why they say it’s important to be able to anticipate and prepare for the jobs and the workplace of tomorrow.

The WEF also estimates that by 2025, around 85 million jobs will be displaced or lost because of automation and the increasing capabilities of machines to do certain tasks. Despite this, they say there will be around 97 million new roles in the workplace that will emerge that are more suited to a workplace where humans share the workload with machines and algorithms. This means that the ‘robot

25

PREPARING YOU FOR THE WORKPLACE OF TOMORROW - TODAY

1ST

18-19th Century in Europe and North America, featuring steam engines

2ND

1870-1914, featuring steel, oil, electricity, and combustion engines

The Industrial Revolutions What is the Fifth Industrial Revolution / Society 5.0?

While you’ve no doubt heard about the Fourth Industrial Revolution, experts now say it’s time to start preparing for the Fifth Industrial Revolution, or Society 5.0. But what does this mean? One definition is this: “a human-centred society that balances economic advancement while resolving social problems by a system that highly integrates cyberspace and physical space”.

During this industrial revolution, machines and humans will work together, transforming industry, accelerating technological advancements, and hopefully making the world a better place! This will be different from the industrial revolutions we’ve seen in the past. In the past, the trends leaned towards dehumanisation, technological advancement and innovation best practices.

During this one, those advancements will be bent back towards the service of humanity, towards solving social problems, and building a more inclusive and prosperous society.

While technology and AI will help us, this new revolution places greater importance on human intelligence than ever before. We may see less repetitive and mundane tasks or jobs, but this will pave the way for curiosity, empathy and creativity. We will, therefore, need a special type of problem-solving judgement to ensure a balance between people and machines.

In Society 5.0, the way we look at work will change. It’s already changing! Companies are increasingly making use of freelancers and contractors, and it’s rare for an employee to work at one company for 40 years. The way employers look at their workers will also change, with a greater focus on humanity in the workplace and employee

26

3RD

1880s Digital Revolution, featuring personal computers and the internet

4TH

21st Century advance of AI, big data, robotics, IoT, blockchain and crypto

wellness, mental and physical health taking centre stage.

We know today that work isn’t something you go to every day; it’s something you do

5TH

Responsive 21st Century connection of innovation to purpose and industry

from wherever you are. People who will do well in this society are those who realise that while there may be fewer jobs, there will be more work to be done than ever before!

These jobs don’t exist… yet!

While it’s impossible to say for sure what the future will hold, we know that the world of work is changing quickly and drastically. If current trends hold, experts say these career paths are examples of what you could be doing in the future – if you start preparing for it today!

1

Human-machine integration specialist In this role, you’ll be a team manager in charge of making sure the human employees and AI employees of a company communicate and work well together. This means you’ll need to understand both AI systems and human psychology to make sure that the office interactions and work relationships run smoothly.

2

Drone professional Drones aren’t just popular for aviation enthusiasts or filmmakers anymore – they are used to deliver medicines and food, count livestock on farms, and can be integrated into security systems. And there won’t just be opportunities for drone operators or pilots – there will be a need for drone fleet managers, drone mechanics and repairmen, as well as air traffic controllers.

3

Augmented reality journey builder Augmented reality (AR) customer experiences are no longer a distant dream. Gone will be the days where you shop online while cursing the fact that the website doesn’t have a fitting room. AR

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journey builders will work to make it possible for customers to enter a virtual shopping world, walk around stores, and try on new clothes – all from the comfort of their home!

Not into shopping? That’s okay. There are also options in this field for travel and tourism. You can create journeys to help people make a decision before booking a specific hotel room, or even allow them to virtually visit a country before booking their plane ticket! You could design visual museum tours that people can do from their living rooms. There are several avenues into the field of augmented reality because it is not only about the technical skills – it incorporates elements of design, psychology and art. If you’re thinking about a career in AR, then a background in audio technology, engineering, applied mathematics, user experience design, and customer experience will help you get a head start.

4

3D-printed food chef 3D printing is one of the technologies experts predict will creatively disrupt how we live and work in coming years.

Engineers are creating biomeat products in labs and 3D printers can be loaded with these organic materials. If you’ve got a passion for food, coupled with technology, you could find yourself working in a 3D-printing restaurant as a chef! A number of restaurants around the world already serve 3D printed food.

PREPARING YOU FOR THE WORKPLACE OF TOMORROW - TODAY

top10

IN-DEMAND JOBS IN SOUTH AFRICA RIGHT NOW

In November 2020, the South African government launched the National List of Occupations in High Demand and identified the top 10 occupations currently in demand. They are:

01 Agricultural scientist 02 Food and beverage scientist 03 Web designer/developer 04 Multimedia designer 05 Software developer network and 06 Computer symptoms engineer eographic information 07 Gsystems technician

08 Biotechnologist 09 Registered nurse afety, health, environmental and 10 Squality (SHEQ) practitioner HIGH-PAYING HEALTH JOBS… WITHOUT A MEDICAL DEGREE When we think about careers in health, we often think about doctors. But you don’t need to go to medical school to land a top-paying job in the healthcare field. Here’s a list of 15 jobs to consider if you want to help people towards better health but don’t want to become a doctor: • Nurse anaesthetist • Physician assistant • Nuclear medicine technologist • Speech-language therapist or pathologist • Genetic counsellor • Radiation therapist • Occupational therapist • Nurse midwife • Orthotist and prosthetist • Magnetic resonance imaging technologist • Medical sonographer • Dental hygienist • Respiratory therapist • Dietician and nutritionist • Biomedical engineer

CASE STUDY I deal with investigations not even the police can do Thabo Mahlangu is a senior artificial intelligence (AI) researcher at South Africa’s Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR). He is part of an elite team that is tasked with defending the country against cybersecurity threats and attacks.

He says that, since the start of the Covid-19 pandemic, South Africa has seen a sharp rise in ransomware attacks on hospital systems and medical facilities. During this type of attack, cybercriminals infiltrate networks and then lock legitimate users out of a system, demanding large amounts of money before they release access back to the rightful owners.

None of the attacks in South Africa have been successful, with Thabo and his team stopping them all before they were even launched – saving both money and lives. Thabo provides cybersecurity awareness training and develops cybersecurity tools to make threat hunting and detection quick and easy.

“I use AI to solve a variety of problems in various domains, specifically in the cybersecurity domain,” he explains. “At the CSIR, we make use of huge datasets to build AI models that can predict threats in cyberspace and give insights into how to best fight these threats.”

The cybersecurity space is an exciting one to work in. “As a cybersecurity engineer, you get to deal with investigations that not even the police can do, because it’s very difficult to get tangible evidence in cybercrime cases,” he says. “You are forced to constantly learn new things because the cybercriminals are always trying new ways to hack and attack digital spaces. We have to be on the top of our game to ensure that we are always one step ahead.” He says technology should be embraced. “Many people fear that technological advances and AI will take away their jobs, but I see AI as having given birth to data science,

Thabo Mahlangu

machine learning and deep learning engineering… all fields that did not exist 10 years ago.”

Technology may have changed certain jobs, but it hasn’t stolen them.

According to a non-profit IT security organisation, ISC², there are currently 2.93 million cybersecurity positions open and unfilled globally. Data scientists are in short supply. “This is exciting,” Thabo says. “When these numbers are considered, the problem is not creating jobs, but rather bridging the skills shortages needed to access opportunities and keep up with an ever-changing world. ” Technology, he says, can make the world a better place.

His film hero, Tony Stark (and his Iron Man persona), uses knowledge and technology to solve problems.

He inspires me because he is a superhero without superpowers, which shows that anyone can be a hero.

You don’t need special abilities to make the world a better place. Science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) fields can empower a generation to solve its current problems, while making it easy for future generations to continue advancing

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SOFT SKILLS – THE TRAMPOLINE TO PROPEL YOU HIGHER

Communication IS KEY

What you say is as important as how you say it

A critical skill is a skill you need in order to do a specific task; a soft skill is what will set you apart from everyone else who can do the job as well as you can. Regardless of where you end up in life and what career you decide on, communication skills will remain key to your success, writes Jamaine Krige.

T

he real benefit of doing a short course or qualification in journalism or communication, regardless of where you see yourself in 10 years, is that by the time you’re done, you should be able to communicate clearly and effectively – a must in any job and every workplace, says Dr Sandra Roberts.

Sandra is the academic head of fraycollege, which provides communications training that focuses on writing, speaking and presenting, social media, and audiovisual communication skills like making videos.

In short, she says, this is everything you need to get your message out there in a clear and confident way.

These skills, she says, are crucial in every industry and sector, regardless of your job title or role. “Communication skills are desperately needed in the current world of work, or what we call the ‘knowledge economy’. It is not only about the product we sell, but also what is said about it that matters!”

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It’s not enough for a company just to produce a product, they also need someone who can write or speak about that product in a number of different ways, and on a number of different platforms. Communication between the different people building the product is also important for the production process.

“Even something as simple as a stapler comes with writing and instructions that tell you it is a good product and how to use it safely and correctly.”

She says every person at every company, and even entrepreneurs, must be able to communicate what they do, why they’re doing it and why others should care.

if you can’t write clearly and if you can’t speak clearly.”

Communication is about much more than just speaking and writing properly and having a good vocabulary. It must also be targeted, effective and tailored to the specific context of the situation.

“It’s about choosing the right medium.

So, if everyone in your organisation uses email or WhatsApp to communicate, that’s fine. You, however, need to use the correct tone of language and at least be able to punctuate correctly so that your message comes across clearly and you are understood. When it comes to verbal communication, your job might not entail public speaking or large presentations,

Targeted, effective and tailored Karen Gray, a training and learning consultant, is the CEO of Gray Training.

She agrees that communication skills – or rather communication skill sets – are important for the workplace of the future.

“These skill sets are obviously the bedrock of everything, because you won’t get far

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Everything you need to get your message out there in a clear and effective way

SOFT SKILLS – THE TRAMPOLINE TO PROPEL YOU HIGHER

but you probably need to communicate with your colleagues and give instructions.

All these scenarios require a cluster of spoken, written and maybe even graphic communication skills for you to communicate effectively.”

If a civil engineer can’t write a clear sentence, then the bridge they’re building could fall down and we will have a disaster on our hands This, says Karen, is why she’s so passionate about teaching business writing. She was working as a lecturer in communications when she went on an outing with a group of engineering students: “It opened my eyes, because for the first time in my life I realised that if a civil engineer can’t write

a clear sentence, then the bridge they’re building could fall down! If they’re not reporting clearly and accurately, or not communicating instructions properly, then we could have a disaster on our hands!” It was during this revelation that she decided to take her academic skills, which were grounded in linguistics and literature, into the real world and help people communicate in the workplace.

In her business writing training, Karen doesn’t teach you the boring theories that underpin the rules of grammar; she teaches you how to apply those rules in real-life situations. “That’s the difference, and that is what you get in short courses. You learn the value of the skill you’re learning, and how to actually use it in the workplace,” she explains. “The learning is outcome-based, which means you learn how to put your knowledge into Karen Gray practice, and the knowledge

Advice for entering this new phase Karen’s advice as you enter this new phase of your life: “Each of us has such a unique skill set and talent set, and we’ve got to push ourselves. It’s not going to come to us – we’ve got to go out there and shine. We’ve got to seize every opportunity that we can and make the best of it.”

Her second piece of advice: “Never close a door! Keep them open, because if you’re surrounded by open doors, you can go through them – but more importantly, other people can come through them towards you. As you leave school, you’re not sure what you’re going to be doing in 10 years. You’ll probably have various jobs or occupations, possibly in several different fields, during the span of your working years. Every experience leads to new opportunities and the chance to take your career in a new direction.”

And remember your skills are transferable, because you can take your suitcase with you wherever you go. Once you’ve got a skill or skill set mastered, Karen adds, another door opens for you – and that’s the door of teaching others.

and theory just supports the practical application – as opposed to university, where theory is usually the foundation for everything.”

Soft skills will set you apart Communication, in this regard, is a soft skill. Karen says soft skills refer to skills that you need to succeed in the workplace that aren’t directly related to the work you are doing. Stress management is another example of an important soft skill, and so is time management. These skills are not only relevant to a specific job or industry; they’re necessary whether you’re a doctor, an engineer, a project manager or a hairdresser.

These are the skills that set people apart and can be the difference between thriving and just surviving in the workplace.

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SOFT SKILLS – THE TRAMPOLINE TO PROPEL YOU HIGHER At Gray Training, Karen teaches a number of short courses that help hone these soft skills. “A good way to understand soft skills is to think about them as the foundation that you stand on before you jump,” she explains. “Without soft skills, you’re jumping from a cement surface – but with soft skills, you’re jumping on a trampoline that gives you life, vuma and allows you to go even higher! Your soft skills give you that lift, even when applying your practical and vocational skills. That is why they’re so important for you to develop.”

Learning isn’t confined to a classroom though. “You can develop and hone these skills in or out of school, in or out of university, in and out of a classroom, and in or out of the workplace.” Karen says every skill you acquire through life can be tucked away in your suitcase of life, and can be applied to a number of different situations and occupations. “Like many other skills in your suitcase, you don’t need a piece of paper to prove you can do them; just being in a situation where you are negotiating, facilitating, presenting ideas… you collect experience that you can use again and again. No skill is ever wasted.”

Perhaps you were part of the debate team at school, or captained a sports team, or really shone in mathematics.

“We tend to move on and maybe in your next life, at varsity or in the workplace, you don’t use that particular skill every day,” she explains. “But that skill is still with you, and it never really goes away, especially if it is something you developed as a young person.”

It’s not that companies will look at applicants and specify that they are looking for someone who was a prefect in high school, or who played netball or field hockey. “What they’re looking for is the underlying skills that are implied – a prefect usually has leadership and organisational skills, and if you played

group sports then you’re likely to be a team player in the workplace too,” she explains.

Soft skills can be the difference between just fulfilling your duties and getting promoted to manager These skills are not officially taught in the school curriculum, but are vital for success in life and in the workplace. “What we grow up learning outside of a classroom – teamwork, respect, sharing and leadership – becomes a part of us,” she says. “We might not always realise how important they are, but these soft skills end up transferring into critical skills as we grow older and progress in life.”

A soft skill is what will set you apart from the crowd Karen says a critical skill is something that will render you inadequate in the workplace if you don’t have it. A soft skill, however, is what will set you apart from the crowd.

Soft skills will give you the extra lift that will set you apart 30

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“You can be a functioning cashier or waiter at a restaurant, and you can perform all your work duties,” she explains. “But if you have good people skills and a strong sense of respect, you might pick up that an older person needs some extra assistance.If you are honest, you may notice that a customer has left something behind and return it, because that is just who you are.” It’s when you dig into your suitcase and pull out these skills that you will really shine as an employee. “Doing this puts you one step ahead, and can be the difference between just fulfilling your duties and getting promoted to manager.”

Learn how to learn Sandra also has a word of advice for you as you embark on your next adventure, regardless of whether you decide to study at a university, complete a short course or qualification, or jump head-first into the world of work: learn how to learn. “I think the most valuable thing to know is how to teach yourself to do things. Through the internet, you’ve got the entire world of learning at your fingertips.

Empower yourself!”

UNIVERSITY OF PRETORIA

The new JuniorTukkie e-learning platform The JuniorTukkie (JT) Online platform at the University of Pretoria was established to provide Grade 10 to 12 learners with a host of key learning resources that will enable them to prepare well for their examinations in Mathematics, Physical Sciences, English, Accounting and Life Sciences.

T

here are a range of enrichment programmes, which include life skills sessions in creativity, critical thinking, decisionmaking, mathematical reasoning, time management, communication skills, as well as community engagement opportunities, which will enable learners to prepare for their academic career and entering the world of work.

JuniorTukkie Online allows you to work at times that are convenient for you in the comfort and safety of your home. This flexibility allows for you to study on your own terms but leaves you with the knowledge and peace of mind that what you are learning

REGISTER NOW • Register at juniortukkie.online • You will receive an email that confirms your registration • Go back online and log in with the username and password you created • Gain access to all learning content on the JT Online platform • Notifications will appear on the home page when new learning content is uploaded

is impacting positively on your study preparation and future career goals.

Direct enquiries can be sent to Mr Themba Maluleka: studentsupport@juniortukkie.online.

Grade 9 to 12 learners: Become a JuniorTukkie member!

• Go to www.up.ac.za/apply, select ‘JuniorTukkie’ OR • Go to www.up.ac.za/juniortukkie, select ‘Become a JuniorTukkie’ OR • On the JT App, select the ‘JuniorTukkie’ tile, then ‘Become a JuniorTukkie (Gr 9-12)’ JT members who qualify will be invited to attend the following events (adhering strictly to Covid-19 protocols): • Preparation Conference for Grade 12 learners • Faculty information sessions for learners and their parents offered

by Health Sciences: Grade 12 and Veterinary Science: Grade 10, 11 & 12 • Grade 10 Walk-the-Talk Day • Information sessions for Grade 9, 10 and 11 learners and their parents Enquiries: studentsupport@juniortukkie.online Download the JT App: juniortukkieapp.co.za Enquiries: Enquiries martie.kilian@up.ac.za Make an appointment with a Specialist Senior Student Advisor if you want to discuss the following: • Grade 10 subject choices • Study and career options • Your UP online application Email: carol.bosch@up.ac.za

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31

COVID VACCINATION & YOUR RIGHTS

Schools, universities, job hunting and the workplace The Covid-19 pandemic isn’t going anywhere, and more decisive action is needed to keep South Africa – and the world – safe. One way to do this is for government and private companies to implement mandatory vaccination policies.

But how will these policies impact on your Constitutional right to freedom and security? And how do your individual rights measure up when compared with the best interest of the public at large? Can schools and universities make vaccines mandatory? Madelaine Page reports.

How Covid-19 vaccination policies

WILL AFFECT YOU

T

he South African Constitution makes provision for only one absolute right and that is the right to life. All other rights fall under Section 36 of the Constitution, which means that they may be limited by a generally applied law that is ‘reasonable and justifiable in an open and democratic society based on dignity, freedom and equality’.

When we talk about our human rights, the burning question right now is whether government, institutions or private companies can force people to get Covid-19 vaccines. The easy answer is no, but, according to Jahni de Villiers, director of Labour Amplified, it’s more complicated than that. While nobody can force another person to be vaccinated, government and private companies can implement mandatory vaccine policies.

Government Gazette No. 44 700, published on 11 June 2021, gives employers the power to decide whether or not they want to make vaccinations mandatory in their workplace. “This must be done in accordance with the employer’s own risk assessment. It means the employer must identify those employees that must be vaccinated, taking into account the risk of transmission through

their work or their risk for severe Covid-19 disease or death due to their age or comorbidities,” says Jahni.

The Government Gazette is free online at www.gpwonline.co.za Jahni makes it clear that mandatory vaccination to perform certain tasks is not the same as forcing someone to be vaccinated, because employees still have a choice. And employers, when doing the risk assessment, must first try to find other ways to accommodate people who don’t want the vaccine, like moving an employee to a different workstation or a different role with lower risks for contracting the virus. If, however, this can’t

COVID VACCINATION & YOUR RIGHTS

What counts more? ‘Me’ or ‘us’?

Many employers feel that a mandatory vaccination policy is necessary because too many people refuse to be vaccinated voluntarily. This can be because of something called vaccine hesitancy, maybe due to fear, vaccination disinformation or fake news. “That is why decisive action needs to be taken,” Jahni says.

be accommodated, a worker will have to choose: get the jab or find a new job where vaccines aren’t required.

Universities and schools What will happen at schools, universities and colleges going forward? This is a question you might have asked yourself as you enter this new phase of your life, especially if your parents or friends don’t want to be vaccinated. Will students be forced to present a vaccination card in order to enter the study halls or sit for exam sessions?

In the USA, many universities and colleges like Harvard and Columbia have made full vaccination mandatory for students who want to live and study on campus. They argue that it will create a safer environment for in-person teaching and that it is the only way to return campus to ‘normal’ again.

At the universities in the USA, the same rules apply for international students (including students from South Africa), who are applying from all corners of the world to study at these prestigious institutions.

An education lawyer says as long as universities keep the students’ data secure, there is no legal issue with asking for proof of vaccination. Nobody is forcing anybody; but if you decide to study at any of these universities, you must be vaccinated¹.

Students now have an extra admission criterion to worry about! You still have to stress about whether your grades will be good enough to get accepted to your

dream university and whether you will be able to afford the fees. You might, however, now also have to consider what you’ll do if you are asked to present a vaccination card stating that you’re fully vaccinated against Covid-19 as part of your admission requirements.

Jahni says that, at this stage, the mandatory vaccination policies allowed by the Occupational Health and Safety Act (No. 85 of 1993) in South Africa only applies to employees. At universities, this means educational staff, like lecturers.

“It is unlikely that universities will make vaccinations mandatory for students,” says Jahni.

Within a week of the start of the Department of Basic Education’s massive education sector vaccination roll-out programme, almost 10 000 teachers in Gauteng alone refused to sit for their jabs.

Despite this, the Department has as yet not indicated whether it will implement mandatory vaccination for governmentemployed teachers.

“Right now, I am not aware of any private schools making vaccinations mandatory either,” says Jahni. “Given what we have seen of Covid-19, children may pose a larger risk to teachers than vice versa. But it remains to be seen how many teachers decide to get vaccinated, whether the Department of Basic Education or individual private schools decide to make the vaccinations mandatory or not.”

While the Department of Basic Education has said that no learner will be forced to take the Covid-19 vaccine, it has clarified that the vaccine would be made available to all learners eventually.

Campaigns will be undertaken ahead of a scholar vaccination roll-out to support learners and their families to make informed choices about their health and well-

being, considering their right to healthcare and health education.

Is there a difference between companies making it mandatory and the government doing the same?

Jahni explains: “Yes, there is a difference.

Government has the jurisdiction to enforce vaccinations. It can be argued that, except where an individual’s medical conditions would make vaccination life-threatening, rights can be limited in terms of Section 36 as argued above. It would need to be a law of general application. Many Jahni de Villiers

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COVID VACCINATION & YOUR RIGHTS

different jurisdictions have gone this route, including Russia and Pakistan. Employers are limited to making rules for their own workplace and cannot enforce vaccination, but can make it mandatory for certain positions and individuals, in accordance with the employer’s risk assessment.”

If you apply for a job or internship, can a vaccination certificate be a requirement (like having a valid driver’s licence)?

Jahni says that if an employer has made vaccination mandatory for a specific job, then it would make sense that an applicant who isn’t vaccinated can’t be appointed in that position. It all depends on the employer’s risk assessment. “Good examples are customer-facing jobs or jobs where social distancing isn’t possible,” she says.

Afriforum says it will defend anybody who decides to exercise their right to freedom and security and not be vaccinated.

“That would be highly irrelevant in this case,” Jahni argues, adding that Afriforum isn’t a registered trade union and has no locus standi in workplace disputes.

This is not the same thing as forcing someone to get vaccinated. Employees have a choice.”

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When comparing the rights of one person with the rights of the majority, Jahni explains that rights in the Constitution are not absolute and can always be limited. “In this case, an employee’s rights will not be limited, as they will have freedom of choice – knowing full well what the consequences of the choice would be.”

She is confident that this mandatory direction will withstand legal scrutiny as it was agreed on by government, business, community and labour after long talks, considerations and arguments.

Protection by the Constitution A lawyer and human rights activist disagrees. “Although it may be true that by vaccinating enough people herd immunity is created, there is no guarantee or certainty about the effectiveness of the vaccine, its long-term effects on people, and whether social solidarity trumps individual or patient autonomy. It is still possible to contract Covid-19 after having received a vaccine.”

She believes that the Constitutional rights in South Africa would protect employees against mandatory Covid-19 vaccination. “Is it reasonable to expect that those who do not wish to be vaccinated should sacrifice fundamental human rights in order to accommodate the wishes of another group of people in favour of vaccination? The simple answer is no.”

The government can certainly change its stance if the safety of the population becomes more important

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than individual autonomy and rights, she writes. “Workplaces and employers will still be in a position to adopt policies in line with employment legislation and the Constitution to make vaccines mandatory for employees if such policies do not infringe the right to bodily and psychological integrity.”

Can I be vaccinated against Covid-19 without permission from my parents?

You are only legally considered an adult when you turn 18, but that doesn’t mean you aren’t recognised as a person with rights, agency and autonomy before then!

There are laws in place that allow you to make your own medical decisions from quite a young age.

According to the Children’s Act (No. 38 of 2005), children may consent to their own medical treatment provided that they are over the age of 12 years and have the maturity and capacity to understand the implications of a specific treatment, including its risks and benefits.

References 1 https://www.ft.com/content/906bf795f413-43cf-9811-83c4bc1fc49a If the Covid-19 vaccine becomes available to your age group and you want to get vaccinated without parental consent, you can approach a doctor, teacher, nurse, social worker or another trusted adult to help you explore your options.

PROFILE | SAICA

What kind of tomorrow do you want to shape?

A connected world, working together to prosper and thrive?

By Karin Jacobsen

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BECOME A DIFFERENCE MAKER: Become a Chartered Accountant

f you want an exciting career where you can contribute to something bigger than yourself, becoming a Chartered Accountant (CA[SA]) puts you in a position to make a real difference. Giving you the skills and perspectives to build the tomorrow you want. How?

Here are some compelling reasons to consider this as YOUR career path: The CA(SA) designation is your passport to: • Changing the world – As difference makers, CAs(SA) have the skills, knowledge and insight to drive business decisions that help create better societies, economies and communities –

for a more prosperous future for us all.

• Being the head and heart of a business – CAs(SA) are not only able to run companies (74% of the JSE’s Top 200 company chief financial officers (CFOs) and almost a third of the JSE’s top 40 CEOs are CAs[SA]), they’re able to start their own companies and be their own boss too. And that means you can make your passion a reality.

• A highly promising and varied career – as a CA(SA), you can work in just about any industry of choice – in all fields of business and finance and, more specifically, in auditing/assurance, tax, financial management, information technology, management accounting, forensic accounting and insolvency – as well as academia, the public and private

If you pass everything first time, the entire qualification process takes about seven years from the time you enter university.

That may sound like a long time, but it’s worth it! sector, NGOs and more.

• An internationally recognised career.

• Improving your chances of being headhunted by top employers throughout your career.

• Holding prestigious positions in the private and public sector and in academia.

• Contribute to making South Africa a

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PROFILE | SAICA

better place through giving back in a number of different ways.

Exceptional CAs(SA) like Zanele Maduna have escaped the poverty cycle through SAICA’s Thuthuka Bursary, which helps academically talented but financially disadvantaged African and Coloured learners pursue their dreams of becoming CAs(SA)

How do you become a CA(SA)?

The minimum requirements for university admission to a CA-stream BCom degree are a Level 5 pass in Mathematics, together with a National Senior Certificate with matriculation exemption. You need to take pure Mathematics (not Mathematical Literacy) as a subject and you need to pass it well. That means achieving 60% or more.

You also need a good grounding in English, as it will help you to understand the concepts you will study.

Many learners believe that having accounting as a school subject is compulsory to study towards your CA(SA).

While it can help you in your studies towards your degree, it isn’t necessary.

Now let’s talk universities…

If you want to be a CA(SA), you need to ensure that the university you’re applying to offers a BCom qualification/ programme that is accredited by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA). A full list of the universities that offer SAICA-accredited BCom Accountancy programmes can be found at www.saica.org.za.

Once you’ve completed the three-year degree, you’ll need to obtain a Certificate in the Theory of Accounting (CTA or honours equivalent). This is a post-

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About SAICA

graduate course – your fourth year at university – and focuses on Accounting, Auditing, Taxation and Financial Management. It takes a minimum of one year to complete and must be completed at a SAICAaccredited university.

Once you have your BCom, it’s time to get real-world working experience.

Following your CTA, you’ll enter into a three-year training contract with a SAICAregistered training office.

During your training, you must pass two Qualifying Examinations: the Initial Test of Competence (ITC) and the Assessment of Professional Competence (APC).

If you pass everything first time, the entire qualification process takes about seven years from the time you enter university. Now that may sound like a long time, but it’s worth it.

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The South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA) is the leading accountancy body in South Africa and one of the prominent institutes globally.

SAICA is at the forefront of developing, influencing and leading the highest standards of ethics, education and professional excellence in the delivery of quality accountancy skills. This is achieved by safeguarding the professional standards of the designations on offer; advancing and maintaining the relevance of the profession; and by regulating the members’ and associates’ professional conduct against the SAICA Code.

For more information, visit www.saica.org.za.

PROFILE | SAICA Where can you make a difference as a qualified CA(SA)?

The CA(SA) journey equips you with exceptional commercial acumen, professional scepticism, critical thinking, and the ethical framework you need to shape your world.

And that means that you don’t just have to do traditional accounting work.

Studying to become a CA(SA) opens up a LOT of doors here in South Africa and internationally, including: • Auditing: CAs(SA) generally audit financial statements and provide tax or financial planning advice. They also offer consulting and advisory services in a variety of fields such as corporate finance, management accounting, information technology, and general financial and business management.

• Business: CAs(SA) can specialise in management accounting, financial management, taxation, corporate governance, internal auditing and many other fields. Many lead major companies as chief executive officers, chief financial officers and managing directors.

• Government and the public sector: CAs(SA) hold top-notch positions (like the AuditorGeneral or Head of National Treasury) and are widely recognised for effective financial management, leadership and providing services to their country.

• Academia: Become a lecturer and develop the next generation of CAs(SA) by lecturing

at universities and providing training through professional programmes.

• E ntrepreneurship: Follow the entrepreneurial route and become your own boss!

The bottom line is: if you choose well and work smart, you too can be a difference maker because you’re a CA(SA)!

Today and tomorrow Responsible leadership is a keystone of the SAICA philosophy today.

The Institute speaks with a single voice on behalf of accountants, involves all stakeholders in decisions and maintains exceptional professional standards.

In a changing world with new demands imposed by politics, new media and ways of communicating, climate change and changing corporate structures, SAICA stresses the skills and abilities demanded of the modern accountancy and management professional. However, through SAICA’s vision of responsible leadership, we will continue our efforts to elevate the value and impact of SAICA in transforming society and empowering others to create value.

The ability to create a profession of national value will ensure our history is kept, states Freeman Nomvalo, CEO of SAICA.

SAICA’s Mission Our purpose is to develop responsible leaders for a changing future, while our main objectives are to promote the interests of SAICA members and support the development of the South African economy and society.

SAICA’s strategy supports the achievement of its purpose and has six pillars: 1. Continued relevance of the accountancy profession.

2. Delivering better member value and offerings that will see our members remain relevant and in high demand in the marketplace.

3. Growth and transformation of the accountancy profession in terms of race and gender and in line with the overarching national agenda.

4. Growing the Institute’s thought leadership standing, both locally and internationally, through technical excellence and a more robust stakeholder engagement focus.

5. Making a quantifiable social contribution through nationbuilding initiatives, thereby contributing to the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals.

6. Sustainability of the profession through the attraction and retention of new members.

In addition to academic support, SAICA’s Thuthuka programme also guides talented learners with life skills such as setting goals, building their confidence and counselling them through hurdles at home or school

WHATEVER YOU MAKE...

...MAKE A DIFFERENCE. By training as a Chartered Accountant, you’ll gain the skills and perspective needed to make something tangible and enduring: a difference.

BECOME A DIFFERENCE MAKER. BECOME A CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT.

ARE YOU GETTING THE EDUCATION YOU’VE BEEN PROMISED

CHECKBOX Your right as a learner must always be the focus Fall in love with learning and be curious Facebook Zero Social media Opportunities for Africans Opportunity Desk for You

ALIVE WITH POSSIBILITY & INSPIRING NEW WAYS Focusing on your rights as a learner The number of children enrolled in primary school is at an all-time high, while 36.4% of last year’s matriculating class obtained a National Senior Certificate with bachelor’s exemption. Despite this, the education system still comes under fire. Delia Hamlett looks at what is being done – and what should be done – by government to ensure that you receive the best education possible.

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live with possibility’ or ‘South Africa: Inspiring new ways’. Both the old and new tourism slogans could work when applied to education.

South Africa boasts some of the most inclusive education policies in the world, with your rights as a learner always at the focus.

But what does ‘quality education’ mean?

Since 1994, the South African government has been working towards developing quality education that is accessible to all South Africans. Quality education means that – regardless of your race, culture, gender, age, disability, sexual orientation or

Characteristics of quality education • Accessible to all.

• Affordable.

• Representative. The school curriculum should reflect the experiences and frames of reference of the learners.

• Caters to the unique learning needs of each individual learner.

• Adopts a learner-centred approach, which places the focus on the strengths of each learner and helps them address and bridge their challenges.

• Offers a healthy, safe and secure environment where learners feel protected while at school.

• Ensures learners are healthy and able to participate fully in the teaching-learning partnership.

• Facilitates quality teachers who encourage and help learners to develop a lifelong love of learning.

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ARE YOU GETTING THE EDUCATION YOU’VE BEEN PROMISED Amanda Chembezi

socio-economic background – you have the right to high-quality, equitable education. But what does this look like in practice?

Amanda Chembezi is a governance and policy sector lead at the African Leadership Academy. She says that, in its most basic form, quality education should be accessible and equitable. You, as a learner, should be able to see yourself in the curriculum that you are being taught.

That, she says, is quality. It goes far beyond just ensuring that you attend school every day. It means that you are taught in a way that meets your specific needs and circumstances. You don’t have to conform to and be disadvantaged by a one-sizefits-all approach. This also means that your teachers approach their lessons in a way that makes you feel represented, included and empowered.

Dr Sara Black is a postdoctoral fellow at the Centre for Education Rights and Transformation at the University of Johannesburg. She says an important question being asked today is whether your education should prepare you to live in the world as it is now or for a different future. “When we ask what we are preparing our children for, this rests heavily on how we understand the world: what is going on at the moment, how we got here, and whether this is the kind of world we want to assimilate our children into,” she says. She believes that, as a young person, your education should

rather equip you to repair the damages of the past and build a new world. “I don’t think teaching children to continue doing what we’ve been doing is a wise idea... because, let’s be honest, we’re making a mess.”

Quality education is the starting point for young people to become educated adults who are creative, analytical and compassionate contributing members of their community

Closing the gap: What is being done?

The Department of Basic Education says some of its key focus areas to ensure equal and quality education for South Africa’s learners include: • Improving the foundational skills of numeracy and literacy, underpinned by a ‘reading revolution’.

• Implementing a curriculum with skills and competencies for a changing world in all public schools.

• Completing an integrated infrastructure development plan, informed by infrastructure delivery, regular maintenance and resourcing.

• Continuing to improve and strengthen provision of education for learners with special needs.

• Gradually increasing the number of workbooks available in interactive formats.

•E quipping all students with the skills they need to survive and thrive in the Fourth Industrial Revolution.

•P roviding end-to-end ICT solutions for schools by developing and distributing digital content for online and offline learning – this also means providing connectivity and hardware to schools.

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ARE YOU GETTING THE EDUCATION YOU’VE BEEN PROMISED

Fall in love with learning and be curious

Education is not only the government’s responsibility – and if we want to see real-world change in the near future, then we need all hands on deck. That means you too!

Education expert Amanda Chembezi says you should invest in your own education: • Fall in love with learning and be curious. “Ask questions about anything and everything, and then look for people who can help you to build knowledge in those things; that’s something you can’t always get in a classroom setting.” There has never been more information available to you than right now.

Social media can be an asset if you use it correctly.

Facebook Zero is also a helpful resource – a data-free version of the social media platform that allows you to access educational pages to help you in your studies.

• Search for Facebook pages like Opportunities for Africans and Opportunity Desk for You. “These pages post educational content, scholarships and other opportunities for young people, especially in Africa, to tap into.”

Dr Sara Black

You cannot learn on an empty stomach!

It’s no secret that the education system was a disaster when South Africa first became a democracy in 1994. The impact of the apartheid education system – which largely excluded children from accessing quality education because of the colour of their skin – is still felt today and has an impact on the type of education you receive. There is a lot of work being done to try to right the wrongs of the past and fill the gaps that exist in the South African education system.

This, however, is not a small task!

Dr Black says, despite the problems that many learners face, it is important to acknowledge that the government does take education seriously. A significant portion of money and resources is dedicated towards improving the quality of education for young South Africans. South Africa has one of the highest enrolment

rates for a country of its level of economic development, and nine million of South Africa’s 13 million learners receive a meal at school every day.

Despite the large investment to reform and transform education in South Africa, there are still deep-rooted inequalities that add to the obstacles and challenges numerous scholars face each day. Many schools in the world are moving towards the Fourth Industrial Revolution of education. However, in South Africa, real quality education is still available mainly to those who can afford it. The majority of South African learners don’t even have access to water, toilets, food, classroom furniture or textbooks – let alone a computer lab or tablet for e-learning and computer literacy.

This gap became very noticeable as the Covid-19 pandemic invaded the country and the world. Some learners and teachers

• Education is not a theoretical concept. The education you receive today directly impacts your life – today, tomorrow and for the rest of your life.

• Government has a duty to ensure that you can access quality education, which will empower you to pursue your dreams and live your potential.

Education is everything – education is your power, education is your way in life for whatever you want to do.”

– American singer and songwriter Ciara THE ULTI MATE CAREER GUI DE SP R ING 2021

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ARE YOU GETTING THE EDUCATION YOU’VE BEEN PROMISED

were able to move learning to online platforms, and apps like Zoom, Teams and Discord became new classrooms – to those who could afford it.

The biggest problem with learning during the pandemic was that some learners had access to resources like computers, smartphones and the internet, while others did not. You might have heard the phrase ‘digital divide’ being used, and this situation is what it refers to.

Development is not supporting families.

Schools check children’s eyes, ears and get them dewormed... this is a public health function.”

She says schools need to be supported so that they can do what they are supposed to: teach you and help you develop a knowledge base that will carry you through the rest of your life.

Bridging the digital divide is important but, as a learner, your basic needs should be met first. “Going direct to technology, digital or the Fourth Industrial Revolution is like trying to run the 100 metre sprint in under 10 seconds before you can walk. Access to online materials is not going to improve education for the vast majority who need it,” Black explains.

Focus on bread and butter basics…

The contribution of the private sector

Dr Black feels that government should focus on what she terms ‘bread and butter basics’ – you can’t learn on an empty stomach!

She says a focus should be placed on fixing infrastructure, improving basic numeracy and literacy skills, and ensuring children learn on a full stomach. A school should be able to focus on being a school, and not a one-stop fix shop for all of society’s problems. “Schools have to organise transport for students because public transport is failing. Schools have to feed children because the Department of Social

Inequality in South Africa’s education system is not something that the government can tackle alone; help is needed from the private sector. This means individuals and companies need to step up and help by investing time and money in initiatives that address socioeconomic challenges.

Chembezi says the South African government has put a lot of money towards education. But so has the rest of South Africa. Between 2005 and 2012, education constituted about 35% to 43% of corporate social investment initiatives in South Africa.

This digital divide became very noticeable with the Covid-19 pandemic

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The private sector can help by focusing on issues like: • infrastructure • learner safety and security • teacher development • social welfare • extracurricular activities • additional support in subjects like maths and science.

Chembezi feels this should be encouraged and incentivised by government. “Where the government fails to meet all the needs and demands of learners is where the gap can be filled by the private sector,” she explains.

Malerato Majara (18)

CASE STUDY NSFAS not enough “I am studying towards a BSc Property Science at the University of the Witwatersrand. I receive funding from the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS).

The amount covers my tuition, residence fees, textbooks, and a monthly allowance.

Now that we’re working online, they’ve offered the option of getting me a laptop as well. The money for the textbooks enables me to buy all of my books, but the allowance they’ve given this year is not enough. Things are way more expensive now. I have to ask for money from my mother to buy extra things I need, but I try to limit myself to buying the necessities first, putting luxuries aside.

I applied for the data option from Wits so that I am able to attend online classes.

When applying for NSFAS, you have to be patient while waiting for a response.

My mother and I also spent a lot of time applying for other bursaries so that we could be sure I would be able to attend university. “

PROFILE | VAN SCHAIK BOOKSTORE

LEADING THE WAY Established more than 100 years ago, Van Schaik Bookstore is one of the leading academic bookstores in Southern Africa, with more than 70 stores in South Africa, as well as two in Namibia, one in Botswana and three in Eswatini.

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an Schaik also offers seasonal sales points, an online store and a library service. Our extensive experience in servicing institutions and students through appropriate sales channels, customised selling platforms and excellent resources has helped us to deliver a world-class service to institutions, staff and students.

Accordingly, Van Schaik was awarded the Sefika Academic Bookseller of the Year Award from 2012–2017.

Bookstores We have more than 70 retail bookstores in South Africa, including two in Namibia, one in Botswana, three in Eswatini, and five

under the Bookmark brand. Our bookstores are conveniently situated on campuses or in the vicinity of tertiary institutions.

Call centre We have a national call centre to assist with general enquiries, such as book availability, costs, quotes and store details.

Our national share-call number is 08600 STUDY/78839.

Online Our website – www.vanschaik.com – extends our services to customers who prefer the convenience of online shopping.

Corporate social investment

Library Division The Library Division is a dedicated national supplier focusing on the library market across Southern Africa, servicing school, TVET, university, municipal and provincial libraries.

Van Schaik Bookstore is committed to responsible corporate citizenship and community investment. Our key focus areas are education and literacy projects and programmes in institutions, organisations and communities.

Leading the way with

Leading the way with

Leading the way with

Leading the way with

Van Schaik provides academic textbooks to the South African higher education market. Our self-help and counter stores are either situated on or within walking distance of local campuses.

Van Schaik supplies school textbooks and other learner and teacher support material to schools.

Van Schaik offers textbooks and learner support material to nursing students and institutions.

The Van Schaik Library Division services GET, TVET, HET, corporate and government libraries and resource centres within Southern Africa.

ACADEMIC TEXTBOOKS

STUDENTS • Our account system assists parents and students with the book-buying process.

• We work with other payment methods such as Fundi, Intellicard, sBux and other bursaries in our neighboring countries.

• Our rewards programme offers students discounts, promotional giveaways and partner deals.

BURSARY ADMINISTRATION Van Schaik works closely with institutions regarding the disbursement of bursaries and loans.

SCHOOL TEXTBOOKS

Buy directly from our stores or buy the books online and have them delivered directly to your home, school or office.

Our website and contact centre can host customised schoolbook and stationery lists.

Learners can log onto www.vanschaik.com, order off the school booklist, pay online and get the order delivered.

NURSING TEXTBOOKS

The perks of shopping with us include: • Students can buy directly from our stores.

• The Nursing Colleges can buy in bulk and supply their students.

• Parents can buy books on online or in-store and have them delivered directly.

Our stores can stock a full selection of nursing college prescribed textbooks based on the estimates and advice of the institution. Bulk orders can be arranged and be distributed directly to students by the college.

SERVICES FOR LIBRARIES

We assist libraries with all their book, subscription and media acquisition requirements. Our services include: • Submissions of selected titles based on requested subject areas.

• Sourcing product and quoting based on title or subject specific requests.

• Coordinating book exhibitions.

• Supplying the latest printed and electronic catalogues.

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YOUR BRAND CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOU

Building a brand

that sets you apart Your brand, your reputation When we think about brands, we often think about companies or businesses and how they present themselves to the world. Brands, however, are important for individuals too, and the way we present ourselves to the world can make or break our careers. Jamaine Krige speaks to businesswoman, media expert and business consultant Paula Fray about building a personal brand that works for you.

W Paula Fray

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e live in an era where everyone is visible, as we present ourselves to the world on a range of platforms.

A personal brand really starts by knowing who you are, what you want and where you want to go. What drives you, what contribution do you make or want to make to society? This is according to Paula Fray, who says her own brand is heavily determined by her beliefs and values. “And yours should be too,” she advises.

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She says she is passionate about social justice and the role the media plays in achieving social justice through democracy.

“For me, that means my personal brand is about promoting journalism as a public good, fighting for press freedom, and advocating for freedom of expression.

These values are represented on all my social media platforms, for example.”

And while she doesn’t shy away from taking on projects that fall outside these strict parameters, her values are always at the

YOUR BRAND CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOU

My values are my North Star and guide me home forefront of everything she does. “My values are my North Star and guide me home,” she says.

Her own brand has continued to change and evolve. “Early in my career, my personal brand was really focused on what I would not stand for but, as I grew professionally, my personal brand evolved to encompass what I do stand for,” she explains. “The internet’s short attention span often fools us into believing that it is fleeting, but being careless about your personal brand when you are young could have an impact in later years.”

When is the right time to start establishing your brand?

It is worth thinking about what your public persona and online interactions say about you as soon as you start engaging publicly.

Establishing your personal brand isn’t just important if you want to start your own business. Your personal brand can open and close many doors along your career path. Your personal brand guides you through the mine field of career decisionmaking. Your digital and social footprint showcase your personal brand, your reputation, your values, your image, and your attitude towards life. It is a CV of your personal brand.

“Having an established brand and profile when you are looking for a job can be the difference between making the interview shortlist or not,” Paula explains. “It gives employers early insight into whether or not you would fit into the organisational culture.

It’s an easy ethics checkpoint. It can also give you the edge in showing a rounded personality that does not emerge during a strict and formal interview process.”

Your professional identity may change many times throughout your career, but your personal brand travels with you Your professional identity may change many times throughout your career, as you

enter a new role within a company or start a new job, but your personal brand travels with you wherever you go and whatever you do. It is this brand that impacts and shapes the professional opportunities you might have, she says.

Your personal brand is also directly linked to your personality type. This also plays a role in your career decision-making process.

It’s important to remember that as you grow and evolve, so will your brand. The brand you establish today as you enter this new phase of your life isn’t set in stone. “Allow yourself to explore your own value systems,” says Paula. “And remember that brands are dynamic, and should respond to the environment around you.”

A good personal brand starts with understanding yourself, your own ambitions and values She says we exist in an era where our lives, even our private lives, are much more visible than ever before. “A personal brand really starts by knowing who you are, what you want and where to go,” she says. “We must ensure that we begin to build a profile that leads towards where we want to go.

Even if we don’t know our final destination, we should consider what that direction might be.”

This means you must consider how you present yourself to the world. “Every interaction on a public platform – whether in person or via the internet through social media – is an opportunity to establish a personal brand.” Or, Paula says, it’s a

chance to hurt it. It has become vital to make new connections and cement existing connections through the current virtual world we operate in. Covid-19 has permanently changed the way we form, establish and nurture our network.

The do’s and don’ts of building your brand Paula advises that establishing your brand should really start with clarity about what you want to show the world. “This means deciding what you want to engage on and how you want to engage with that.”

A comprehensive CV that highlights key information beyond your studies is also important – not only in showcasing your brand but in helping you establish it. Make sure to include volunteer work, social groupings, hobbies and part-time work.

“Preparing your CV also enables you to see if there are any age-appropriate gaps in your experience and whether your peers have

WHO ARE SOME CELEBRITIES WITH WELLESTABLISHED BRANDS THAT WORK? “Some local celebrities with really good brands are Trevor Noah, Nasty C and Sho Madjozi,” says Paula.

“Even South Africa’s rugby captain, Siya Kolisi, has a brand that works well.” Internationally, she says Taylor Swift also has a great brand. “These brands work because they are distinct, authentic and consistent.”

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YOUR BRAND CAN MAKE OR BREAK YOU experiences that might give them an edge in the job market, or even when studying,” she explains.

Next, she recommends carefully considering what you post publicly across all social media platforms such as twitter, Facebook and Instagram. Do these posts represent who you are or who you want to be? “It is possible that external pressures lead us to establish a brand based on what others want for and from us, rather than what we believe in.”

This is one of the common pitfalls that young people, and even working professionals, step into when trying to build and expand on their personal brand. “That is why a good personal brand really starts with understanding yourself and your own ambitions, so that your public profile is aligned to your own values,” Paula explains.

It is of utmost importance that your personal brand aligns with your personality, your outlook in life, your ethos, your ethics and your values Identify what motivates you. Be honest about your abilities. Be self-aware but also be clear how you want others to see you. It is of utmost importance that your personal brand aligns with your personality, your outlook in life, your ethos, your ethics and your values.

This misalignment also links to another pitfall – inconsistency. “While it is good to

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have a brand that evolves and grows with you, you do not want to have inconsistency between what you say you believe in and what you show the world through your brand,” she warns. “For example, if you believe in social justice, you can’t post racist, sexist or homophobic statements – not even in jest.”

At the same time, she says, you can’t have a brand that says ‘I am reliable’ and then post status updates about missing deadlines or work commitments to your friends.

Your brand in relation to others “You are constantly building a network… at school, at sport, during your tertiary studies, and even when you start out in the workplace,” Paula says. “Having a strong brand helps you stand out in a crowd of applications and sends a clear message of what you stand for – your values and beliefs.”

Knowing who you are and conveying it in a clear way can also help you join networks of like-minded individuals. “I encourage everyone to find a mentor at every stage of their career. Most importantly, getting out of the starting blocks of your career. Your values and beliefs will guide who you connect with, and who helps you facilitate your growth and development over the years.”

Unpacking your EQ (emotional intelligence) and identifying role players that influence it are critical steps towards positioning your brands among the crowd of other brands and noise. Remember that EQ is a skill. This means it can be developed and mastered through hard work, honest and integrity.

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HOW TO MAKE A GOOD BRAND EVEN BETTER You brand should:

01 Be focused and purposeful 02 Be genuine 03 Be consistent 04 Represent your values and beliefs 05 Tell a story 06 Be adaptable and dynamic 07 Create a positive impact 08 Follow a successful example 09 Be a vision you live 10 Leave a legacy Relying on a coach or a mentor “A good mentor can support you in starting or growing your own career, and building your own networks, as well as identify your strengths and weaknesses as you progress. A suitable mentor also plays a critical role in making appropriate career decisions. Coaching, however, fulfils a more specific need. When you are trying to build a specific skill, for example, then a good coach is useful. I have had both coaches and mentors over the years – and I still rely on both!” Paula explains.

Mentors and coaches can include teachers, your parents, family members, sports coaches, religious leaders, and so forth. Trust yourself when identifying a coach or mentor. You need to select someone significant that shares your ambition to succeed and grow.

Paula says your brand can help set you apart as you embark on this new phase of your life: “I think it is important to do what you love and to love what you do. But while I encourage people to have fun, I want to advise you to be proactive, rather than reactive, when building your career.

Don’t be ruled by fear – go out and strive for what you truly want.”

At Rhodes University we believe in infinite possibilities. That’s why we give you the option of making up your own degree by choosing two majors across faculties. #RU interested in studying Chemistry and Music, OR Environmental Science and Law, OR Human Kinetics and Ergonomics and Psychology? If so, apply to Rhodes University today! Not only is Rhodes University ranked as one of the top 10 universities in South Africa, but also ranks #801-1000 in QS Global World Rankings 2021. Rhodes University is globally respected for research, acclaimed for academic excellence and will guide you to real success.

T: 046 603 8276 | F: 046 603 8300 | E: registrar@ru.ac.za | W: www.ru.ac.za/admissiongateway

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5 T

PROFILE | VEGA SCHOOL

CAREER TIPS FOR GRAPHIC DESIGNERS STARTING OUT A career in graphic design can unlock a world of opportunities, placing designers in the driver’s seat of creative brand design and visual communication. The industry is ever-changing, so those who see the world through a creative lens need to stay abreast of the latest developments.

he role of a graphic designer has shifted over time beyond designing innovative solutions. Graphic designers need to be flexible, well-rounded and creatively differentiated individuals

capable of working within this rapidly evolving discipline.

For this reason, here are five career tips graphic designers entering the workforce should know to stay on top of their game.

APPLY CREATIVE THINKING AND BE CURIOUS 01 Designers are known for their out-of-the-box ideas. By adopting

strategic thinking, designers can develop visually innovative ways of producing concepts and apply complex problem-solving to overcome business challenges with creative flair. Never be afraid to try out new ideas and always be eager to learn something new.

BE VERSATILE AND FLEXIBLE 02 Today, graphic designers need to be versatile and flexible

due to the ever-changing nature of the discipline. Designers need to understand how to design for different media such as print, motion and screen by using the latest software and technologies.

BE A TEAM PLAYER 03 Make sure you can work collaboratively with other team members of

the same and other disciplines. In today’s world, the ability to work with others is a very important skill, whether it is in person or virtually. Make sure that you can demonstrate this ability to your future employer or on your first job.

BE ENTREPRENEURIAL AND THINK ‘STRATEGY’ 04 The world is full of potential and opportunities. You can start out

on your own as a designer or team up with others who are looking for opportunities. You can also make use of freelance opportunities that know no borders. To remain competitive in the market, designers need to understand users to produce design work that not only delights but also persuades.

CARE FOR PEOPLE AND THE PLANET 05 Your work can also make a difference to society and the environment.

Make sure you understand the world you plan to design for and the people in this world. Learn how to research the different audiences you are going to design for.

To find out more about IIE Graphic Design qualifications available to study at Vega, visit www.vegaschool.com

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DON’T PANIC - NAIL THAT INTERVIEW

PREPARE; A DON’T PANIC! Don’t lose your nerve; nail that interview!

An interview isn’t an interrogation or an audition. It is a two-way conversation. You have made the shortlist.

These helpful tips for jobseekers can be applied to any interview situation you might find yourself in, and will help you prepare and ensure that you shine head and shoulders above other applicants, writes Mia Jansen van Rensburg.

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s you’re entering this new phase of your life, you may be invited for interviews. These can be organised by university departments as part of their selection criteria for a course you applied for, or because you’re hoping to land a job to help foot your bills.

Regardless of the circumstance, there’s nothing quite like the elation and terror of being invited for an interview. This means you’re on the shortlist! They liked your CV, and now they have to decide whether they like you. Preparation and confidence are key. You’ve probably heard something like this before but turning that sentiment into an actual plan can be challenging.

Although navigating this can be daunting, especially if you’re new to the interview process, it doesn’t need to be. The good thing is that you’re not alone.

It will also be valuable to get feedback from your peer group on their recent interview experiences.

DON’T PANIC - NAIL THAT INTERVIEW Before the interview At least a week before the interview (preferably longer), you should start doing some research. Here, you have a huge advantage over applicants and jobseekers of the past – the internet makes it easier than ever to learn more about the people, company or institution you’re planning to impress.

Start with the basics • What does this organisation actually do?

• In which sector do they operate?

• Who are their major competitors?

• Triple-check the skills and qualification requirements of the vacancy.

• Make sure that you understand the detail within the listed job description.

• Who are their clients?

• What are their values and goals?

• Can you find information about some of their recent projects?

• Who will represent the company and conduct the interview?

• If you’re interviewing as part of your university application: who are the people likely to be on the panel?

• What research areas does the department focus on?

• What do they expect from prospective students?

• Do you know yourself well enough?

The most common interview introduction would be to tell the interviewer about yourself. Prepare for this answer.

Remember, the context is a professional working environment, not becoming their new friend. It is important that you rehearse common interviewer questions, such as: Why do you want to work for us? Why do you think you are the best suited candidate for this job? What is your greatest strength and weakness? Share a past experience with us during which you showcased creative problem-solving or leadership? How do you handle conflict?

Once you’ve answered these questions, you can start thinking about the details of how to put this information to constructive use during your interview. Stumbling unprepared through these answers will indicate that you do not know yourself well, nor are you well prepared for the interview. Neither will play in your favour for nailing the interview.

While there are some rules that apply across the board, knowing your audience will make the difference between a good first impression and a great one.

Think carefully about who you’re talking to Are you applying to a hip start-up or an established firm? If it’s the former, you might want to emphasise qualities like flexibility and creativity – and maybe you’ll drop the sirs and ma’ams to fit in with their more laid-back workplace culture.

Conversely, if you’re entering a more traditionally professional environment, you might want to highlight your reliability, present yourself in a more formal manner, and adopt a more reserved demeanour.

CHECKBOX Don’t panic; nail that interview!

Manage first impressions to wow any interviewer Prepare Do your homework Know your audience An interview is a two-way conversation You have made the shortlist How to outshine competitors

If possible, schedule a practice interview with a mentor, family member or friend, and practise your interviewing skills.

Be careful, however, not to give overly practised answers.

If it’s a face-to-face interview, confirm the physical street address. Check and confirm the interview time to determine required travelling time and the impact of traffic, including parking.

Plan your outfit the night before the interview, once again keeping the specific work environment in mind. Don’t go to a law firm in torn jeans. Be 100% comfortable with the outfit you selected, including your shoes, any accessories, your haircut and style.

HOT TIP Most organisations have a presence on social media. Studies show that nearly 90% of South Africa’s biggest brands are active on Facebook, twitter and Instagram, while LinkedIn has seen a marked influx of small-to-medium enterprises represented on the platform.

Take a look at your prospective employers’ social media feeds and use this to help you figure out their brand identity, strategic priorities and goals, as well as their workplace culture.

Even the smallest of businesses might have a digital footprint – check it out and let your research shape how you present yourself in the interview.

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DON’T PANIC - NAIL THAT INTERVIEW

CONFIDENCE IS KEY!

During the interview

• In a recent study, researchers at the University of South Africa found that students’ self-esteem had a significant impact on their employability. Confident students were not only more likely to find work, but also more likely to be adaptable in their careers. Agility is a crucial quality in the job market of today.

• Rejection doesn’t need to destroy your confidence. It can do quite the opposite, according to psychologist Carol Dweck and her colleagues at Stanford, as long as you don’t take it too personally. They call it a growth mindset – the refusal to see rejection as proof that there’s something wrong with you.

• If you struggle with low selfesteem or persistent self-doubt, you may benefit from the resources available on the South African College for Applied Psychology webpage (www.sacap.edu.za/blog/).

It’s important to dress for the job you want. This includes a positive attitude, a healthy posture and sincere interest The definitions and requirements for business casual dress and professional vary from one industry, as well as one company, to the next. In general, professional dress code include neutral, solid colours.

Online interviews If the interview will be taking place over Zoom, Skype, Teams or any other online platform, there may be a couple of other things to take into consideration. Make sure the camera and speaker on the device you’ll be using are in working order. Test the link and your connection before the time. Decide where you’ll be

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taking the call. The area should be well lit and you should be clearly visible in front of the camera. Make sure the light is coming from in front of you and not behind you.

Double-check that the space you’ve chosen has a strong internet connection and isn’t too noisy. Ensure you close all other applications and programs on your computer to avoid pop-ups and other notifications during the online interview.

The angle of your webcam should be set just above eye level.

Remember, you are showcasing your personal brand Tidy the area that will be visible.

Indeed, 90% of the same rules and preparation apply for online and faceto-face interviews. You need to consider and pay careful attention to your outfit, posture, body language and articulation.

It’s much harder to build a rapport via online interviews, so additional focused energy has to be channelled in this direction to ensure a favourable outcome.

Lastly, if the online interview will be via your laptop or mobile device, ensure that the battery is fully charged or the device is plugged in.

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It’s the morning of the interview and you’ve done your research. You look fantastically employable. You’ve arrived at the interview venue 10 minutes early, just to be safe – or you’ve positioned your webcam just right. What next?

Being nervous is normal. Use this energy in a positive manner. Do not let your nervous cripple you.

You know yourself best; practise your go-to relaxation ritual – breathe, relax and shake it off. It is important to sit up straight, speak in a clear voice, and lean slightly forward.

Positive body language conveys a sense of confidence.

Focus on establishing and maintaining a healthy level of eye contact While it might seem trivial, the small talk you start off with is actually a crucial part of the interview process. This rapportbuilding stage is when your prospective employer cements their idea of who you are.

Studies have shown that interviewers tend to stick to their first impressions of candidates, and that those who know how to engage and make light conversation are more likely to receive job offers. Avoid one-word answers during the interview, as it breaks the flow of rapport and often prevents the interview from moving to the next level.

When it comes to preparing for the actual conversation, it may be tempting to look up common questions beforehand and memorise your responses. The foundation of a good interview isn’t an arsenal of rehearsed responses. It’s really about understanding yourself and the job description well enough to explain how

DON’T PANIC - NAIL THAT INTERVIEW

Knowing your audience will make the difference between a good first impression and a great one the two match up. If you know why you want this job and why they should choose you to do it, the rest will come naturally.

Listen. Be sure you understand the questions and, most importantly, ensure that you successfully answer the questions.

You should also prepare a list of questions you would like to ask and what you would like to clarify. Remember, this is a conversation, and an interview is a twoway street. In the same way that they have to decide whether you would be an asset to them, you also must decide whether they are the right fit for you. You should ideally only work through your questions once prompted to do so by the interviewer.

Do not start off by interviewing the interviewer. Allow them to talk while you listen. Read the conversation.

It’s a good idea to ask about their expectations, and take the opportunity to find out how they would describe the workplace and the company culture.

Near the end of the interview, you can ask when candidates should expect to hear back from them, or whether they need you to further clarify anything on your CV. Do not ask the interviewer questions that would be answered by their corporate website or Google. It sends the message that you are ill-prepared for the interview.

Consider asking questions such as: How will your performance be reviewed?

Who can you go to for feedback on your work? What does an average day in this workplace look like?

Never be late for an interview, whether face to face or virtual. Should you have

After the interview

with a false impression of how much the other party enjoyed their company. We tend to underestimate ourselves! Take this time to reflect on how the interview went, making mental notes of what you did well and what you may want to do differently in future.

Try not to let the doubt creep in.

Scientifically speaking, there’s a good chance that they like you more than you think. No, really. Erica Boothby and a team of behavioural scientists recently demonstrated that the average person will walk away from an introductory chat

Interviewing is a skill that you can develop, and each interview you attend makes you better prepared for the next one. It’s a learning curve

an emergency, contact the recruiter or interviewer within sufficient time, explain your situation, and request to reschedule.

Never cancel an interview from your side, if possible.

CASE STUDY Be confident; ask relevant questions Cy Cachapero, a junior designer working in the tech industry, says job hunting has taught her that a job interview is as much about what a prospective employer can offer you as it is about what you can offer them.

When Cy was first invited for an interview at the company she now works for, she was transparent about her personal values, her thoughts on the design process, and her approach to getting things done.

She wanted her prospective employers to have the information they would need to determine whether or not she would be a good fit for their team. But this wasn’t a one-way street. She asked questions about the kinds of work the company did, what the working environment was like, and paid special attention to how they treated people. This facilitated her decision to accept the job, but asking questions also made her come across as confident and engaged.

At the time, Cy was still finishing up her studies in information design. Like most young people, she didn’t have professional experience yet. “I did a quick one-page CV document. As I was still a student, I didn’t have much meat to work with on a CV. I was able to list a few relevant volunteer projects.” But, she adds, being new to the working world isn’t something to be ashamed of – your age isn’t a reason to be self-effacing or to avoid speaking up for yourself. Being young gives you an edge, a different perspective, and there’s a lot of value in that.

“I think you should give yourself a lot of credit,” Cy advises. “There is a reason why they invited you for an interview. So be confident!”

If you know why you want this job and why they should choose you to do it, the rest will come naturally

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Ayanda Kanana, CA (SA) Difference Maker

TO LEAD IN A CHANGING WORLD, ONE MUST LEAD WITH PURPOSE AND PASSION #DifferenceMakers

Ayanda Kanana has merged his passion as a farmer and his professional acumen as a CA(SA) to lead the change at the Land and Agricultural Development Bank of South Africa. By drawing on his professional and leadership expertise, he has accelerated positive change throughout the agricultural sector. As a CEO, he has strategically enabled farmers to profit equitably from their knowledge and passion, demonstrating that when you lead a business, achieving financial results is as important as making a lasting impact.

AYANDA KANANA IS A DIFFERENCE MAKER AYANDA KANANA IS A CHARTERED ACCOUNTANT. #DifferenceMaker

WHEN YOUR BEST JUST ISN’T GOOD ENOUGH

RESILIENCE IN THE FACE

of rejection

Turning your failures into stepping stones A rejection can feel like the end of the world.

Maybe you didn’t perform as well as you had hoped in your final exams, or maybe you didn’t get accepted to the university or academic programme of your choice. While it’s okay to feel sad or despondent when things don’t go the way you planned, you should never lose hope!

Jamaine Krige gains some insights into turning your failures into stepping stones for your future.

T Zakiyya Ismail Essa is the founder of The Career Guidance Company.

She has a Master’s in Communitybased Counselling Psychology and is a lecturer at the South African College of Applied Psychology (SACAP). She specialises in career counselling, employability training, and psychometric assessments for school students

he older we get, the more we realise that disappointment and rejection are just a part of life.

Things won’t always work out the way we want them to, regardless of how well we plan or how hard we work. Zakiyya Essa, a counselling psychologist who specialises in career guidance and youth empowerment, says the first step to survive and thrive is to change your mindset. Reframe how you see failures and disappointments. “Great people fail at things all the time, but they use the opportunity to re-strategise and look at how they could do things differently!”

She says it’s completely natural to feel sad when things don’t work out. You may even feel angry or despondent, but you should never lose hope!

CHECKBOX Taking the scenic route when Plan A does not work out Resilience as a life skill Tips to manage stress and anxiety Getting knocked down doesn’t mean staying down Don’t let disappointment dim your light

“Things don’t always pan out the way you expect but it’s okay – there’s always a Plan B, C and D to get to where you need to go. Let’s call it taking the scenic route!”

She says it’s important to acknowledge the disappointment and the hurt, but not to let it define or trap you in a negative space. “Life may not take us the route we planned to go on initially. Our ‘GPS’ might get mixed up or go off-road, but it’s taking us on a journey of discovery and growth, potentially opening up new opportunities and doors we didn’t even think would exist.”

But it’s not always as easy as that, and it might be hard for you to see the silver lining when it feels like your entire world is crashing down around you.

WHEN YOUR BEST JUST ISN’T GOOD ENOUGH

Ask for help when you need it When this happens, Essa suggests reaching out to the people around you for help.

Making an appointment with a career counsellor can also help you to plan your next step, so that you are better informed and prepared going forward.

“If you are feeling very overwhelmed or stuck, then enlisting the assistance of a professional can also help you redirect yourself and realign your goals,” she says.

“Professional help can be an essential part of the process when you are starting out.

This way, you are armed with the most updated resources and tools to help you make good decisions. Seek the services of a counsellor or psychologist who can assist you with your personal development and career concerns.”

If you don’t perform well in matric, or don’t get accepted to the university or study programme of your choice, it’s easy to think that it’s the end of the world – but it’s not. “Think about your life when you were a kid – you climbed, laughed, fell down, laughed again, got scratches, dusted yourself off, and did it all again the next day! And if something seemed too simple, you’d get bored,” she laughs. “Shift your perspective!”

Getting knocked down doesn’t mean staying down

mental, physical and spiritual well-being. The knock-on effect will enable you to more optimistically engage your academic, occupational and social well-being.”

Zakiyya Essa says rejections and failures can be enriching experiences, if we just decide to see them through a different lens. Embrace them, learn from them, and let them shape you and your journey.

Rejections and failures can be enriching experiences, if we just decide to see them through a different lens.

Embrace them, learn from them, and let them shape you and your journey “You can run in a straight line on a track; but it’s more of an adventure to clamber over the rocks, crawl through the nets, dip your feet in the water and climb up the trees! ” She says successful people often fail. They, however, learn and grow from their disappointments, using their low points, side points and high points as markers on their journey, each offering a different view and a new perspective.

“You might never know what you are truly capable of if you just run in a straight line.”

Parents, teachers and the community need to step in to support students who are struggling to cope. She says making a career decision shouldn’t be a rushed choice. “It’s okay to take a year off after school to explore, experience what’s out there, upgrade or better your marks, and then apply for tertiary studies.” She says it might be easy for you, or even for your parents, to forget that you have the rest of your life to work and learn. “It’s okay to take some time out to just focus on your

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While it’s good to know that failure isn’t the end of the road, there are certain things you can do to help manage stress and anxiety as you prepare for tests, exams and university or work applications

tips

5 1

TO MANAGE EXAM STRESSES AND LIFE’S ANXIETY

‘ Failing to prepare is preparing to fail’.

Develop a good work ethic, limit your distractions, and learn how to manage your time.

Set goals and prepare as best you can at the beginning of the year.

sk for help as soon as you see 2 Ayour grades are falling.

Make use of resources such as teachers, study groups, online videos or private tutors for assistance with subjects you are struggling with.

3 Maintain a balanced lifestyle.

Remember to hydrate, eat healthily, exercise, and take some time out to relax and rejuvenate.

o breathing exercises and 4 Ddevelop a calming ritual for yourself before you write your paper.

5 Reach out to mental health

services and your support structures if you find yourself unable to manage your stress and anxiety!

WHEN YOUR BEST JUST ISN’T GOOD ENOUGH

RESILIENCE AS A LIFE SKILL Resilience is one of the character traits of happy, healthy and successful people – and a characteristic that employers look for in the people they hire. Cultivating resilience means you need to develop a strong sense of self-awareness, emotional awareness and good coping skills, as well as learn how to problem-solve.

“Developing a growth mindset will take you a long way!”

Resilience, says Zakiyya Essa, is the ability to adapt well to adversities and challenges that may come your way in life, and being able to cope with setbacks in a healthy manner.

If you are resilient, she says, you will also be able to handle the transition from school to university or into the world of work better.

“There’s a lot of uncertainty when you enter a new environment like university or college. You’re out of your comfort zone and have newfound independence. You are exposed to diverse people and experience much more than your safety bubble at home and school might have previously allowed,” she explains.

Students often struggle with anxiety, emotional regulation, and taking personal responsibility for themselves and their academic learning path. Some are subject to peer pressure and may have poor social support.

“Being able to succeed in the bigger ocean of life requires that you to develop a healthy self-esteem, emotional intelligence, good social network, organisational skills, adaptability and resourcefulness,” she says. Good financial

management habits are also important at this phase of your life. “Try to be open to the new experience, viewing it through a curious lens rather than seeing it as a tough road ahead.”

Try to be open to the new experience, viewing it through a curious lens rather than seeing it as a tough road ahead Ask for help if you are not coping. “There are ample support structures in tertiary institutions and in the workplace to facilitate a healthy adjustment,” she says. Resilience, tenacity, perseverance, self-regulation, as well as good social and communication skills are key. Having good emotional intelligence (EQ) is also important.

Her advice: “Start becoming more aware of how you feel, and how you feel in relation to others. Notice and write down how you deal with conflict, anger, how you respond to challenges or difficulties, what gets you excited and motivated, and what makes you upset and sad. Thinking about why you respond in this way will enable you to function better and excel in life regardless of what you end up doing.”

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WHEN YOUR BEST JUST ISN’T GOOD ENOUGH

Do not judge me by my success, judge me by how many times I fell down and got back up again

COMMON

– Nelson Mandela

Don’t let disappointment dim your light Disappointment is part and parcel of life. This, says Zakiyya Essa, should not overshadow the joy of living in such dynamic times that are bursting with exciting opportunities and advances in the world.

“There is so much room for creativity, innovation and collaboration in the world of study and the world of work,” she says. Being resilient means seizing these opportunities and looking ahead with enthusiasm and optimism.

“You are unique and the world needs your uniqueness. You’ve got what it takes to create a meaningful impact just by being who you are.”

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challenges WHEN LEAVING SCHOOL

It’s not uncommon for school-leavers to experience anxiety or struggle to adapt to a university or work environment.

Essa says many learners struggle with the following when making a career choice or deciding what to study: • Poor self-knowledge in terms of interests, personality strengths/ limitations and values.

• Poor career and study awareness in terms of career trends and what is actually out there, ill-informed about tertiary study options.

• Self-expectations vs parental expectations.

• Incorrect subject choice sets resulting in limited tertiary study options.

Career counselling can help you better understand yourself, your strengths and weaknesses and your motivations. It can also help you access information, skills and resources to help you on your journey.

If your child is struggling to cope emotionally and you are worried about their mental health, you can call one of the following 24-hour helplines for advice or assistance.

South African Depression and Anxiety Group: 0800 456 789 Lifeline South Africa: 0861 322 322 Childline South Africa: 08000 55 555 or 116

WHEN YOUR BEST JUST ISN’T GOOD ENOUGH

CASE STUDY

ADVICE FOR PARENTS • Empathise with what your child is going through Essa says it’s important to remember that the world out there is increasingly competitive. “Your child may have tried their best, but they cannot control the outcome of the process.”

She says you can support your child by showing them that it’s okay not to get things under way the first time, and by reassuring them that this is a part of growing up. Use this opportunity to let them learn how to make contingency plans.

• Empower them to look for alternatives and come up with creative solutions “There are other options out there,” she says. “They just need some help to see past the disappointment and find an alternative that works for them.”

Numbing disappointment that stung and lingered While I was studying for my BA degree at Stellenbosch University, I received a rejection letter after applying for a bursary to study journalism. I still remember the numbing disappointment. Then it stung and lingered. Suddenly, it was hard for me to focus on my studies while feeling uncertain about what I believed my career path should be.

As with disappointment in love, disappointment in life can throw you off course. I continued to study hard and, as time went by, I fell in love again. This time with a different world of stories – not real-life stories from the world of journalism - but fictional stories. I decided to do my Honours in Afrikaans and Dutch Literature. In the same year, there was a bursary opportunity for a Master’s study in Dutch Literary Studies at the Rijksuniversiteit Leiden in the Netherlands.

The emotions I felt upon receiving my acceptance letter dwarfed the disappointment I had felt a few years earlier. Since then, I pursued many different career paths and retrained numerous times (literary studies,

Margarethe Booysen

translation, business studies, marketing and leadership coaching) because I believe in lifelong learning. But every experience, with its disappointments and successes, has been a new building block on my path. And today, I am writing articles as a freelance journalist.

Who would’ve thought?

But every experience, with its disappointments and successes, has been a new building block on my path. And today, I am writing articles as a freelance journalist. Who would’ve thought?

• Help them to access information and provide network opportunities for them “Enlist outside help from teachers or professional counselling services if you aren’t able to access the accurate information and resources to assist them.”

GO TO: www.careerguidancejohannesburg.com

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TEST DRIVE YOUR CAREER

FINDING OUT

what you really want to do Boost your CV while gaining real-world experience There are many ways to boost your CV and gain real-world experience before you even write your final matric exam. Volunteering, job shadowing, internships and learnerships always look good on paper. They are, however, also great tools to help you decide what type of work you’d enjoy doing… and what you wouldn’t, writes Delia Hamlett.

Y

ou may have heard that you’re not ready to do the things you want to do but, at the same time, you are expected to choose a career before completing school. In fact, you hear: “You’re too young for certain decisions!” Yet you must decide now what you want to do for the rest of your life.

It is unlikely that you’ll end up working in one field, with one employer, for your entire working career. It would, however, be terrible to put in the hard work, complete a degree and start a job – only to find out that it’s not at all what you had in mind!

Luckily, options exist to help you gain some workplace experience in a field that you think you may enjoy, which can help you make informed decisions about your future career path.

pursue your early career dreams. Turn your dreams into tangible goals, then construct action plans to achieve your career goals.

This research phase is an important step in realising that there are more career options out there than you could ever have imagined. Becoming a teacher, a lawyer, a doctor or an engineer are not your only options!

Once you’ve found something that piques your interest, investigate opportunities for volunteering, job shadowing or learnerships in that industry or sector.

Making informed decisions; do research and take control A good starting point is to ask yourself: What do I enjoy doing? Think about hobbies, interests, school subjects, sports and extracurricular activities that you’re passionate about. Next, do some research.

Look into different jobs and different sectors that may interest you, and see if there are any job options that align with your passions. You need to take control and

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You can join professional organisations and gain exposure to a variety of field projects.

The impact of Covid-19 on work place experiences It is important to acknowledge the impact that Covid-19 has had on volunteering, internships as well as job shadowing. The foremost positive change is that virtual internships allow for an international platform, whereby students may work remotely from South Africa, completing a virtual internship in any other country

TEST DRIVE YOUR CAREER

Volunteering You freely offer your time and resources to help a cause or support an organisation Example Helping with cleaning, feeding or admin at the SPCA or at a wildlife rehabilitation centre.

Benefits Volunteering experience makes you more employable and looks good on university applications. When you volunteer your time, it shows that you are a pro-active team-player and that you care about the community and the world that you live

in. You gain real-world experience and have the opportunity to develop new skills, while interacting with people from different walks of life.

Studies also show that volunteers have improved physical and mental health, and higher levels of emotional intelligence and mental resilience.

volunteering opportunities. If you like children, find out about an after-school programme for younger kids where you can assist with homework or reading programmes.

Maybe the local community has a park clean-up every Saturday that you can get involved in.

Getting involved Decide what interests you and what you are passionate about and find an organisation in your area that supports a similar cause. If you enjoy working with animals, ask a local animal shelter about

There are so many great initiatives that would no doubt benefit from your involvement

in the world. Internship requirements differ from four or six weeks to six months! Selecting from a menu of international, accredited internships exponentially opens up the learning opportunities. Virtual internships could also be more cost-effective, as students do not have to spend money on transport, corporate clothing or lunches. Some work environments may also come across as intimidating or pressurised for young students, whereas virtual internships offer a buffer from these type of stress factors.

The counterargument also exists, whereby the intern does not get exposed to real face-to-face engagement and learning experiences with senior managers and mentors. Virtual internships will control networking and exposure more so compared to an office-bound internship programme. Software tools such as Microsoft Teams allow for effective team collaborations, document and screen sharing, live engagement and recording facilities (for reference) – making Teams the perfect platform to facilitate an effective virtual internship.

The career you choose is not your destiny; it is simply a part of who you are and who you will become

Learnerships and internships – not the same Learnerships Learnerships are programmes that are part of your journey to get a qualification, where you gain hands-on experience, put the theory into practice, and get paid. A learnership is usually an agreement between you, an employer and the training facility where you are completing your qualification. Learnerships are powerful tools offering young talent practical experience while studying.

Example: A hairdressing studio will train you in the practical work you are required to be able to do in order to get your qualification.

Internships The purpose of an internship is to ensure you get entry-level work experience in your chosen field after you’re qualified. This is usually an agreement between the intern and the company or employer.

Internships can be paid or unpaid, and can last anywhere from three to twelve months.

Example: Intern psychologists, with a master’s degree, are required to work for a year under the supervision of a qualified psychologist before they can register with the Health Practitioners Council of South Africa and practice on their own.

Benefits Both internships and learnerships help you gain experience while you start building your professional network. You also develop career-specific communication, problem-solving and teamwork skills – and you might even get paid for it!

Getting started The Department of Higher Education and Training has a website listing learnership and internship opportunities in South Africa.

You may also visit SA Learnerships: salearnership.co.za and tinyurl.com/GovtLearnerships.

Student Room also offers helpful tips, information and links to various internships, learnerships, apprenticeships and bursaries: www.studentroom.co.za/category/internships Careers Portal also offers information on internships: www.careersportal.co.za/internships-2021

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TEST DRIVE YOUR CAREER

Job shadowing

CASE STUDY

In pursuit of a dream…

Sisters Khadijah Daya, 17, and Ammarah Daya, 19, both spent some time exploring the careers they wanted to pursue to help them decide whether they were on the right track with their dreams and goals.

Follow and observe a professional working in your field of interest for a set time.

Example: Following a healthcare professional as they provide care to patients in a clinical setting, or spending a day at a law firm to observe the nittygritty aspects of the work.

Benefits You gain an insight into your field of interest and it helps you evaluate the perceptions you had about the job in question.

Khadijah Daya

Working in a hospital is not like an episode of Grey’s Anatomy, and shadowing at a law firm will quickly make you realise that the reality is far from what you may see in shows like Suits or Making a Murderer. You might realise it’s not all you imagined it would be, and you might decide to look at other options.

You may, however, discover that the job is everything you imagined it would be, and realise that it is indeed the right choice for you.

Regardless of what you learn while job shadowing, you know that the decisions you make are based on reality and not fantasy.

Getting started Start with people you know. Ask your family members or other adults who are working in the career you want to explore if you can spend some time with them at the office.

Prior to the Covid-19 pandemic, places like the Cape Town Aquarium, the SA Astronomical Observatory, the Sports Science Institute of South Africa, KPMG and even the Joburg Theatre all ran successful job shadowing programmes for learners.

A quick Google search will help you find opportunities near you.

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Ammarah Daya

Khadijah

Ammarah

I am currently in matric and I volunteer at a local children’s home where I help the children with their homework and we talk and play games.

I want to be a doctor and community engagement is a part of the requirements for most of the programmes I am applying for.

I wanted to experience what it would be like to work with children as it is my dream to specialise in paediatrics.

It has been a rewarding and challenging experience that has made me certain of my career path.

I did job shadowing on three separate occasions. I was set on becoming a Chartered Accountant and thought I knew exactly where I was going. But after job shadowing at two different accounting firms, I was no longer sure whether that was the right choice for me.

I then shadowed a quantity surveyor. I immediately knew this was for me.

Job shadowing allowed me to properly evaluate my career options. I made a choice based on what I observed and what I knew would make me happy in the long term. Everyone should job shadow if they can.

Giving back to a community of your choice Volunteering allows for someone to gain social and emotional soft skills. Academic hard skills are only part of the equation.

Volunteering teaches us continuous learning, thereby enabling us to enhance our interpersonal skills, our communication skills, our agility, negotiation skills and even leadership. It facilitates real connections from one human to another.

There are several volunteer programmes to select from. The recommendation would be to select an organisation or project that aligns with your personal values and ethics, as well as with your interests and potential career options.

Here are some examples of societies and humanitarian non-profit organisations to get involved with for volunteering projects:

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1. H abitat for Humanity South Africa – habitat.org.za 2. Greenpeace Africa – www.greenpeace.org/africa 3. Volunteer World – tinyurl.com/VWorldSA 4. Love Volunteers – tinyurl.com/LoveVoSA 5. SAVE Volunteering – volunteering.org.za 6. Giving Way – tinyurl.com/GWVoSA 7. United Nations South Africa – southafrica.un.org 8. International Volunteer HQ – tinyurl.com/VHQSA 9. Volunteer SA – www.volunteersa.com 10. Wildlife and Environment Society SA – wessa.org.za

PROFILE | RHODES UNIVERSITY

WHERE LEADERS LEARN Founded well over a century ago, Rhodes University has a well-established reputation for academic excellence, boasting among the best undergraduate pass and graduation rates in South Africa.

Why study at Rhodes University?

A RICH HISTORY Rhodes University was established in 1904 and is home to historical buildings such as the Clock Tower at the heart of campus and the Drostdy Arch, which is a national monument built in the 19th century.

A GLOBAL VILLAGE The university provides students with an international and cosmopolitan study environment – bringing the world to South Africa – as it boasts the country’s highest percentage of registered international students.

UNIQUE & FLEXIBLE QUALITY EDUCATION Rhodes University guarantees high pass and graduation rates, with the success of its students illustrated by the array of alumni holding key leadership positions and in a variety of careers.

The university offers a flexible degree structure that allows for individuality and diversity in degree content – e.g. a BSc in Computer Science and Law, or a BA in Environmental Science and Politics, or even a BEcon in Economics and Geology.

It also boasts some unique degree/study options: • Four-year degree in Journalism and Media Studies • Human Kinetics and Ergonomics • Icthyology and Fisheries Science.

SETTING & SUPPORT It is the smallest public university in South Africa and is situated in the small peri-urban student town of Grahamstown. As a research-intensive and residential university in a semirural setting, Rhodes University has the best-run residence system in the country, with all 54 of its residences situated on campus, within walking distance of all facilities and the town.

It also boasts a small lecturer to student ratio of 1:17 at most. As well as the benefit of an intimate setting, the university provides all undergraduate students with exceptional academic support through an extensive tutorial system spanning all students’ undergraduate years.

The university’s supportive Student Affairs Division offers free 24-hour confidential counselling and healthcare facilities.

CONTACT DETAILS: Sibongile Mkwetshana, Student Recruitment Officer | Email: s.mkwetshana@ru.ac.za | www.ru.ac.za THE ULTI MATE CAREER GUI DE SP R ING 2021

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A YEAR ON; NOT A YEAR OFF

BECOME A

gapper

Whether you want to take a breather after 12 years of schooling, get to know yourself better, explore the world, gain some work experience, or simply pursue your passion – a year after school can give you the gap you need to do this and more!

Margarethe Booysen investigates.

S

ome people believe a gap year gives you time to explore your options before exchanging the four walls of a classroom for the four walls of a lecture hall or office. The idea of spending time to get to know who you are in the world without the demands of formal schooling or a full-time job is appealing for many school-leavers. For others, it is a necessity to raise funds to further their education.

As with any decision that impacts your future, you should do your research, be realistic about your own circumstances, and choose what is best for you.

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What are the benefits of a gap year?

One of the reasons many school-leavers decide to take a break after matric is because they are not ready to commit to a dedicated qualification or a specific career. Rather than risk not completing their studies and wasting money, many school-leavers opt for a gap year. For them, a gap year is an opportunity to get to know themselves better and to experience more of the world in order to make an informed decision in terms of their studies and their future career choice. It is important to develop

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useful career-readiness tools during your gap year.

According to Pieter Gouws, who coordinates the Pneumatix gap-year programme (www.gapyearcapetown.co.za/ index.php), the importance of exposure to career opportunities during a gap year should not be underestimated. “That is why our programme is specifically designed to give the gappers exposure to at least 35 careers and more than 100 industry professionals during their year with us.”

However, a gap year is also an opportunity for self-growth and personal development.

“Every year, we see how our gappers become more mature and self-reliant, while their worldview expands,” explains Gouws.

“Their growth is truly holistic.” Finding yourself in an unfamiliar environment away from the structures and rules of school and parental presence, you are forced to make your own decisions and form your own values and principles based on personal experience. You will have more independence, and with that comes a

A YEAR ON; NOT A YEAR OFF different type of responsibility that can lead to becoming more self-sufficient and self-motivated.

Gouws says a gap year can be a catalyst for the rest of your life. “If you use a gap year to truly reflect on who you are, what motivates you, and what your values are, it can become a year of tremendous personal development that brings significant maturity and increased self-confidence.”

When the gap becomes too wide When you decide to take a break from everything with the sole purpose of acting without a care in the world, throwing wild parties and engaging in reckless behaviour, then chances are that your gap year won’t be the solid platform from which you launch your future. It is important to understand your reasons for choosing to take a gap year and to set goals for yourself during this time.

CHECKBOX Add a year; don’t take one off Explore your options Gap-year ideas Pros and cons 8 reasons to take a gap year

A gap year should not be seen as a ‘vacation’ or year off.

A gap year should be a year on!

Explore your options

When you know why you want to take a gap year and you know what your goals are, there are endless options to choose from, depending on the funds you have available.

• Make an impact When you work as a volunteer, you give your time and skills to a non-profit organisation without financial gain. At the same time, you gain valuable work experience and the opportunity to explore your interests. There are many volunteering opportunities available in South Africa and abroad, so there are options for most budgets.

• Explore the world Travelling can expose you to different cultures and, because you have more time, allow you to truly immerse yourself in a different way of life. If you decide to stay in a country for a while, you might

consider learning a new language.

Covid-19 has certainly clipped our wings in terms of travelling, but bear in mind how much of our own country there is to explore. You can also consider combining your travel plans with volunteer work.

• Structured freedom There are numerous structured gap-year programmes available. These are ideal if you want to have independence but prefer some structure as well. Some of these programmes are specifically tailored for self-development, so this might be for you if you have personal development goals on your list.

8 Pieter Gouws

• Fill the piggy bank For some, a gap year is born out of necessity – and might be an opportunity for you to raise some money to further your education. While some may opt to work while studying or take a student loan, others prefer to first build capital before they enrol for a qualification. However, finding a job straight out of school can be hard as most employers require some experience. Alternatively, you can consider the skills and resources you have and start your own small business. For those who have some funds available, another attractive option is to enrol for short courses at one of South Africa’s numerous colleges while working.

REASONS TO TAKE A GAP YEAR

01 Perform better academically.

02 Achieve language fluency.

03 Increase job satisfaction.

04 Get global citizenship.

05 Become more financially aware.

06 Cultivate priceless soft skills.

07 Become more employable.

08 Avoid academic burnout.

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A YEAR ON; NOT A YEAR OFF

DID YOU KNOW? The concept of a gap year is not a new phenomenon. In the seventeenth and eighteenth centuries, young people of sufficient wealth undertook what was known as ‘The Grand Tour’ – a year-long trip around the principal cultural centres of Europe.

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Why a gap year might be good for you

Why a gap year might not be good for you

• Structured volunteering, part-time work and language-based travel may help you develop skills useful for university study.

• Cross-cultural experience, language learning, real-life work, and volunteer experience can add to your skill set.

• When used constructively, a gap year should not slow down your academic momentum; instead, it can help you gain new skills and better your grades.

• It’ll look pretty good on your CV. Potential employers may be impressed by the skills you have gained, like cultural awareness, organisational proficiency, and an ability to work independently.

• The gap year will allow you to discover others, make new friends, and interact with people from all walks of life.

• You’ll have tons of stories to tell. These are great as conversation starters during job interviews, at parties, or when you look back and reflect on your life and the memories you’ve made.

• You may find that a gap year will be the best period of non-traditional life you’ll ever have. It’s often a once-in-a-lifetime experience and the chance to escape the daily grind.

• It will also be an educational opportunity of growth and other benefits, and not just a ‘vacation’ or a year off. A gap year should be a year on!

• Gap years do not just happen. They take a lot of planning.

• Gap years can be expensive and, depending on what you decide to do, can cost as much (if not more!) than your first year at university would.

• You may be totally on your own and find it difficult to make new friends.

• Taking a break can cause you to lose momentum.

• It’s easy to feel like you’re falling behind.

• It’s hard to keep in touch with friends and you will often find that you have grown in different ways.

• You’ll be a year ‘behind’ your peers if you decide to study again.

• You can become homesick.

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GAP-YEAR IDEAS

Adventure travel Au pair Camp jobs Experiential/hands-on learning Internships Work abroad Journalism experience Language immersion Medical gap year Music Scuba Teach abroad Volunteering

A YEAR ON; NOT A YEAR OFF

End extreme poverty by 2030 The Global Citizen organisation was co-founded by Hugh Evans, Simon Moss and Wei Soo in 2008. Their mission is to build a movement of 100 million action-taking global citizens.

This movement consists of engaged citizens from across the globe who are using their collective voice to end extreme poverty by 2030.

The Global Citizen Fellowship will give 15 young Africans who have exceptional potential the opportunity to participate in the programme.

These 15 young people will each engage in a paid, year-long fellowship aligned to one of Global Citizen’s four pillars of activity: creative, campaigns, rewards and marketing.

The multiphase curriculum will equip you with the skills and tools you need to excel - not only while you are in the programme, but in your future professional career as well.

Frank Karsten

CASE STUDY “My plans for the future are taking shape” Frank Karsten from Kathu in the Northern Cape is passionate about dog training and breeding, and always knew that he wanted to work with dogs. He completed his matric at Curro Kathu and was uncertain what the best path would be to pursue his dream career. He decided to become a gapper with Pneumatix in Somerset West while he contemplated his options. Frank says that he made the right decision and his plans for the future are taking shape while he is doing his gap year. He loves the fact that he is meeting new people and making friends.

Frank’s advice for those who consider becoming a gapper is that you need to have a plan for your gap year, and it has to fit in with your future plans.

• At Pneumatix, the focus is on spiritual, emotional and relational growth that enables young people to find purpose and influence in their communities and beyond. This organisation sets out to create life changes in young adults through training and community building.

Being part of the Global Citizen Fellowship will assist me in gaining skills and knowledge on how I can make my solutions sustainable. I also want to uplift communities.”

Additional resource links:

• Go Overseas – www.gooverseas.com/ • GoAbroad.com – tinyurl.com/ypv5vv3d gap-year or tinyurl.com/GoGapSA • International Volunteer HQ – • Oyster – tinyurl.com/3k24kdaf www.volunteerhq.org/gap-year-programs •P NX Gap Year – www.gapyearcapetown.

• GVI Africa – tinyurl.com/4cj28jxp co.za and tinyurl.com/59t4pba5 • Parents.com – tinyurl.com/655vxzwk • Eco Training – www.ecotraining.co.za/a• Gap Year Association – tinyurl.com/9krzcdb5 gap-year-in-africa

– Lerato Tsolo, Global Citizen Fellow

Scan here for more information!

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PROFILE / REGENESYS BUSINESS SCHOOL

EDUCATION FOR ALL New international approach to tertiary education brings studying within reach of all. South Africans can now achieve their educational dreams from as little as R500.00* a month, says Regenesys.

R

egenesys Business School is proud to introduce the EdForAll initiative to all South Africans and students globally.

We believe it will help solve many of the traditional issues that have beset the delivery of tertiary education for many years. These problems, which locally have included the cost of university tuition and pressure on the government-led student loan system, have combined to make it difficult, if not impossible, for millions of students from impoverished homes to realise their dreams.

By bringing education within the grasp of many more South Africans, we believe we will be enabling many people to escape the poverty trap. This will occur as educationally qualified family members begin securing higher-paying jobs that will enable them to help uplift their families.

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Naturally, a better-educated workforce will also have benefits for the wider South African economy. EdForAll empowers students to break out of the vicious cycle of poverty of no education – no job – no money – no education.

Through the EdForAll programme, students will be able to study for internationally recognised certificates, bachelors, postgraduate diplomas, and even MBA degrees. The new programme enables: • Students identified as financially disadvantaged or deserving to sign up for studies and pay a monthly portal fee from as little as R500.00* • Once they have qualified and are employed, they can then pay the outstanding tuition fees.

• If already employed, but not earning enough to afford studies, students can join the scheme and study now and pay later.

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“We have ensured that the programmes offered through EdForAll cover key areas such as business administration and management, project management, IT (including coding and AI, machine learning, cybersecurity and other disciplines), financial management and professional business writing skills,” comments Dr. Marko Saravanja, Chairperson of Regenesys Business School.

Regenesys is deeply committed to helping develop leaders capable of solving the current challenges facing the worldfrom unemployment and poverty caused by the COVID-19 pandemic to corruption and sustainable development.

“Our mission is to create a world in which higher education is a human right for all and not a privilege of the wealthy.

We are honoured to make this important worldwide contribution during the COVID-19 pandemic. We wish to wipe away the tears of parents who cannot afford to pay for their children’s higher education,” concludes Ms Indherani Reddy, Head of the Regenesys Foundation. *T&C’s apply. Available on our website www.regenesys.net

CASHING IN THE BURSARY CHIPS

FOOTING THE

CHECKBOX How to secure a bursary

education bill

Tips for your bursary application Securing your sports bursary 17 tips to write a winning résumé

Get the financial support you need and deserve

A gateway to a better world for all

Bursaries play a key role in helping students to access higher education by fully or partially funding their studies. Given the cost of education, it is always a good idea to see what bursaries are available at any given stage of your academic career, writes Margarethe Booysens.

B

ursaries are awarded to provide financial aid to students, but not all bursary applications are the same.

They are structured can differ significantly from one bursary to the next. In general, bursaries are either awarded

by companies or universities based on certain criteria. Bursaries are mostly awarded based on merit and the need for financial aid.

In some instances, companies or institutions simply fund

the qualifying student’s studies; in others, a company might expect you to work for them once you have completed your qualification. When applying for a bursary, make sure you do your research and read the fine print.

How to secure a bursary First, you need to establish which bursaries are available for your chosen qualification. You can search the internet and visit companies’ websites that are of interest to you.

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CASHING IN THE BURSARY CHIPS

Here are useful general website resources to visit: •G eneral Bursaries South Africa – tinyurl.com/pk5cswjd •C areers Portal – www.careersportal. co.za/bursaries-2021 • I ndustrial Development Corporation – www.idc.co.za/bursaries •B ursaries South Africa – bursaries-southafrica.co.za •B ursaries Info – bursariesinfo.co.za •G ift of the Givers – tinyurl.com/f64fj4wk Once you have identified the specific career option and choice, you will be able to target your bursary application per industry sector.

You can also ask friends and family whether the companies they work for offer bursaries. Each bursary will have its own criteria. Make sure you read the

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• Bursary Guide South Africa – www.bursaryguide.com • Bursary 24 – bursary24.co.za • All Bursaries – allbursaries.co.za • Student Room – tinyurl.com/2bzw27c8 • National Research Foundation – www.nrf.ac.za • Apply SA – tinyurl.com/2ze2t5m6 There are many more bursary resources available online. The above are only a select few. requirements carefully to ensure that you fit the bill. It’s also useful to search for bursaries long before you need to start applying. You don’t have to wait until you’re in matric to start looking for opportunities.

This is a process you can start in Grade 10 and continue throughout your studies.

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This way, you will know in advance what the requirements are so that you can work towards them to ensure you meet the standards when you apply.

Also, have a look at the application process.

It might be as simple as submitting documentation or you might need to go for an interview.

When the time comes, apply on time. Don’t wait until the last minute to submit your application. The last thing you want to do is miss the deadline – and the opportunity!

Uphold your end of the deal. Bursaryholders are required to sign a contract.

Read the fine print and ensure you abide by the terms of the contract, and that you are able to deliver what is expected of you.

CASHING IN THE BURSARY CHIPS

Tips for your application • Ensure that you know what you need to submit in order to apply for a specific bursary.

• Are online and email applications allowed or do you need to submit documents in person?

• What additional documents are required?

• Do they need financial statements, your matric certificate or a copy of your identity document?

• Do your documents need to be certified?

• Provide all the information that is required.

• Remember that the institution receives thousands of applications and your application will simply end up in a deleted folder or a bin if it is incomplete.

• Check if you need to write a letter of application and use the opportunity to clearly motivate why you are deserving of this particular bursary.

• Use the requirements of the bursary programme to highlight why you are the ideal applicant.

• Do research on the institution or company offering the bursary and make it clear in your application or interview that you understand their business.

• Be honest about your financial situation.

• Many bursaries are meant for those who are in financial need and companies may check your financial status before awarding you a bursary.

• Don’t risk your reputation.

• Submit a professional application.

• There are many templates available on the internet that you can use to guide you in terms of the layout and wording of a letter of application.

• Spell-check and proofread your application to ensure it is free of spelling or grammatical errors.

• Keep your letter of application concise.

• Short and sweet is key. It should preferably not be longer than one page, pending their stipulated requirements.

Some institutions offer an academic support programme to ensure that sport bursaryholders meet their academic commitments as well.

Uphold your end of the deal. Bursary-holders are required to sign a contract. Read the fine print and ensure you abide by the terms of the contract, and that you are able to deliver what is expected of you.

Securing your sports bursary Sports bursaries are usually offered by tertiary institutions and awarded to achievers in sport, rather than based on academic merit.

This affords those who do not necessarily perform well academically the opportunity to still access higher education funding opportunities.

However, this doesn’t mean that academic performance doesn’t matter!

You will still need to be accepted for the qualification you want to pursue.

Some institutions offer an academic support programme to ensure that sport

bursary-holders meet their academic commitments as well.

Tertiary institutions usually require you to commit to a sports code offered by the institution and applicants need to have competed on a national, regional or provincial level, or at first-team level at school.

After being awarded a sports bursary, institutions may require you to re-apply on an annual basis.

Visit the different tertiary institutions’ websites to see if sports bursaries are offered and what the requirements are. You can also speak to your sports coach.

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CASHING IN THE BURSARY CHIPS

17 résumé

TIPS TO 01 WRITE A WINNING

Include a link to your LinkedIn profile, a contact number and a professional email address.

Regarding your personal information, note that you are not obliged to disclose your date of birth, your marital status, nationality, your health status or your physical address. You are welcome to includes this information, but it is not a legal requirement for recruitment.

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Unless you performed top of your class, and you wish to include that achievement, it is preferred not to include your actual marks in your CV.

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Remember to include participation and achievements in sport, culture societies, clubs and community volunteer work.

Don’t simply use the same résumé for each job application. Tailor the CV and application according to the requirements of the job or bursary you are applying for. The same applies for your cover letter or letter of application.

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Read the advert carefully, use and repeat the same keywords that are used under requirements, qualifications, skills and experience. Use the P.A.R. approach - the Problem, Action Taken and Result (or outcome).

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Use accomplishment statements throughout your résumé. These showcase specific achievements and quantify results.

Use clear headings in your résumé and order the information you provide accordingly. You do not need to include a header or footer that says: Résumé or Private & Confidential.

Search online for relevant CV templates to download and personalise.

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Check what specific information is requested by the recruiter and include your relevant knowledge, skills or experience.

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Be selective in deciding what you include. While your debating team achievement might be relevant when you apply for university admission after school, it becomes irrelevant in later applications. Use action or power verbs and include as many measurable results and outcomes as possible.

Remember to use present tense power verbs for current positions and past tense power verbs for previous positions.

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Pay attention to the visual appearance of your résumé. Use a professional and clear font like Arial or Calibri and 1.5 spacing. Keep your font size between 10 and 12. Use only one font type throughout the document.

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Include at least two references in your CV. If you recently graduated, one of the references should refer to your academic performance. Ensure that you have obtained prior approval from the references to include their details.

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Proofread and edit your résumé to ensure there are no spelling, punctuation or grammatical errors.

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A résumé or CV is seen as a personal marketing document and is used throughout the application and selection process. Be concise but don’t leave out important information. Remember, as much as it’s a marketing document, it has to be functional.

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Try avoiding complexed templates including a lot of tables, images, graphics and columns.

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Submit your CV in Microsoft Word format, not PDF. Some automated Applicant Tracking Systems block PDF documents and might scramble your data.

CASHING IN THE BURSARY CHIPS CASE STUDY

Did you know?

Leonardo Da Vinci is credited with writing the first résumé.

(CareerOrigin.com)

It is critical that your CV application is accompanied by a cover letter or email, unless you are specifically requested not to submit a cover l etter. This forms part of the recruitment selection process and your personal brand.

A gateway to a better world for all Thembalethu Seyisi has first-hand experience of the impact a bursary can make on a person’s future, and how funding can make dreams and goals – that may otherwise be out of reach – more accessible.

Originally from Uitenhage, Eastern Cape, he was one of the first recipients of the Ciucci bursary awarded by the Stella Foundation. Thembalethu, who is registered for an LLB degree, says the bursary will enable him to pursue his passion.

Losing his mother at the age of 13 when he was in Grade 7, he had to move to Cape Town in 2014 to live with an older sister while completing his schooling.

He was inspired to study law after reading Long Walk to Freedom, the autobiography of former president Nelson Mandela.

“I believe that law is a noble profession and that a law degree will open doors for me to move into the public space where I can advance the Constitution and safeguard the rule of law,” he explains. “The edifice of (in)justice and delayed constitutional promises is quite disappointing at the moment and this motivates me to keep on going.”

He quotes Madiba: “It is in your hands to create a better world for all who live in it.”

Thembalethu Seyisi

He quotes Madiba: “It is in your hands to create a better world for all who live in it.”

For Thembalethu, the donors are a true embodiment of these words. “They’ve made the world a better place for me and for that I’m very grateful.”

The founders of the Stella Foundation, Giuseppe and Kathleen Ciucci, are both alumni of Stellenbosch University’s Faculty of Law and have supported the faculty for a number of years. The bursaries enable underprivileged students to obtain an outstanding academic qualification that will eventually lead to them making a positive contribution to society and our country in general.

Résumés are used to learn more about you and to evaluate whether you are the ideal applicant.

Did you know?

A CV is mostly used within the academic and research environments, whereas a résumé is more used in standard employment sectors. A CV is generally more comprehensive, while a résumé is usually a onepage summary with highlights.

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SO YOU WANT TO STUDY ABROAD

It all starts with a It is possible to study abroad, or to go work overseas – as long as you believe you can and put in the work to make your dreams come true. Dalaine Krige has been working in South Korea for the past year, teaching English at a private institution. In her third year, she also completed a semester abroad at a university in Paris, France. She shares tips on studying and working abroad.

Pursuing your passion overseas

W

hen I was 16, I fell in love. Not with a person, but with a city. It was while visiting Paris with my family, sitting on a bench in a park, wishing I could chain myself to it so that I would never have to leave.

I decided on the spot that one day I would return and study there. I didn’t know how. I didn’t know if we would be able to afford it. I just knew that I was making a promise to myself, and that one day I would return to that beautiful city as a student.

dream CHECKBOX Pursuing your dreams overseas A semester abroad can give you a taste of a different world Applying to do your undergraduate degree abroad New lessons in strange cities Summer and winter schools Postgraduate studies abroad Seven tips to help set your CV apart Don’t give up on your dreams

New lessons in strange cities Many people share this dream of studying abroad. Your dream city might be somewhere in the USA, or perhaps you’ve set your sights on a university in Japan. Wherever you decide to study, there are some practical factors to take into consideration, of which the most

When I was 16, I fell in love. Not with a person, but with a city

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important is your chosen degree. An education abroad is still an education, and you need to choose your degree and the school you attend wisely. Some countries have better programmes for certain fields than others, and some universities may not offer your specific study field to international students.

Applying to do your undergraduate degree abroad It can be difficult to get accepted into an overseas university with only a South African matric. Each country and degree will have its own unique set of requirements, so it is important to research your options beforehand.

If you want to apply for an undergraduate degree abroad from the get-go, you might want to consider attending a school that offers Cambridge International Examinations (CIEs). These are internationally recognised exams and will enable you to apply both in South Africa and abroad. You will need to complete both the AS (Advanced Subsidiary) and A (Advanced) levels. You usually start to prepare for these exams in Grade 11 and complete them after two years. This may often mean completing an extra year of schooling after matric.

If this is not an option for you, you can consider taking the US Scholastic Aptitude Tests, or SATs. These tests are written in the final year of high school and are used as an entrance exam by most colleges and universities. At an American university, this test will likely be one of your entry requirements. Like the CIEs, these results are internationally recognised and will help you gain access to a variety of universities.

There are many online resources to assist with the requirements and steps needed to register and take your SAT in South Africa: • Online GED – tinyurl.com/OGEDSA • Aspire Atlantic – tinyurl.com/AspireSAT • South Africa Education – tinyurl.com/SAEdSAT • Foot Prints – tinyurl.com/HoSchSAT.

A good place to start your research is by having a look at the South African Department of Higher Education and Training website. Here you can find information about programmes and funding available to South African students. Scan me:

A semester abroad can give you a taste of a different world If you, however, cannot complete your entire undergraduate degree overseas you might consider a semester abroad.

This gives you the opportunity to study abroad at one of the universities that have partnered with the South African university you are enrolled at. Partner universities offer the opportunity for you to study for a semester in a different country as a foreign exchange student.

You can find out what the requirements for this type of programme are by chatting to someone at your university’s international office.

In my case, I had to complete at least three semesters (half of my undergraduate degree) before I had enough credits to apply to Sciences Po, a university in Paris. Another requirement was that I could not complete my final semester abroad, meaning that I had to choose either the last semester of my second year or the first semester of my third year to study there. I chose the latter.

My decision to study in France was not the cheapest option available but, having French as one of my majors, it was the logical choice. If I had chosen a university

SO YOU WANT TO STUDY ABROAD

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TIPS TO HELP SET YOUR CV APART:

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Check your wording – Ensure that you are familiar with local terminologies when customising your CV for a specific country. This could refer to daily terminologies such as metro vs tube vs underground, or elevator vs lift robot vs traffic light, etc.

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Size and relevance matter – Do not submit a long CV. One page is more than sufficient for a university student. Stick to a maximum of two pages as an average. Some countries are comfortable with long, eight-page CVs, whereas others prefer a one-pager. Read the requirements provided by the university and adhere to them. They might request a clear head-and-shoulders photo. Having said this, do research to ensure what the unique CV expectations and format would be for the specific country. The UK and USA do not prefer photographs, whereas some Far East countries expect a head-and-shoulders photo to be included.

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Highlight your different strengths – Showcase who you are when not studying.

What else will you bring to the table? Identify your transferable skills.

Show off your volunteering or activism – This is something that will show that you will be a good ambassador for the university and that you are more than just your grades.

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Don’t lie; be honest – It might be tempting to embellish details of your academic and personal experiences, but this will count against you when you’re caught out.

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Personal information – It is critical to research the local expectation and laws regarding sharing some and the protection of certain personal information.

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Write in reverse chronological order – Start with your most recent work, experiences and achievements, and work your way back from there.

Proofread your CV – Always ask someone else to double-check your spelling, grammar and punctuation. The last thing you want is to hand in a CV that is full of mistakes. Do not use slang – it might be viewed as unprofessional. Be aware of software country settings relating to different spelling tools, such as colour and color.

Include your grades – Give context for your current grades and courses, and how these support your future study plans. Again, do your research. Some countries expect supporting documents of your grades, whereas others may not expect grades to be included at all. It is also to clarify the uniform standard of certain qualifications or the differences between them, based on the country.

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Add some references – Having at least two references who will vouch for your good character will help you secure the spot. Ensure that you gained permission from these references.

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Include your visa status – Many institutions and companies will require a valid work visa.

Partner universities offer the opportunity for you to study for a semester in a different country as a foreign exchange student in Germany instead, I would have been given accommodation. In Paris, I had to secure and pay for my own housing. Fortunately, I was provided with a travel bursary, which helped fund my move. I was also lucky enough to have made contact with someone who had been through this whole process before, and they were able to give me tips and pointers that made my life a lot easier. While very little of my exchange went the way I planned, it was a memorable experience and one I will always cherish.

Summer and winter schools If a semester abroad is too daunting, a summer or winter school may be the right fit for you. These offer unique opportunities to attend a special programme or short course at an overseas institution, and are often funded. Not all summer and winter schools will, however, cater for your degree or field of studies. It is important to do your research and use the resources offered by your university’s international office to stay fully informed. By doing this, you will also know when a funding opportunity becomes available.

Winter and summer schools are a great way to combine travel and education. Local winter and summer programmes are also available.

Examples include programmes offered

by Stellenbosch University (tinyurl.com/ SUIWS) or the University of Cape Town (tinyurl.com/UCTWinter).

Winter and summer schools may provide courses not on offer at your university, and may help you prepare THE ULTIMATE CAREER GUIDE SPRING 2021

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The CV you compile for a foreign exchange programme is not the same as the one you submit when applying for a job, so make sure you spend some extra time getting it right.

Don’t give up on your dreams

you for the upcoming semester.

These kinds of extracurricular activities and experience also look great on your CV. Students who studied overseas have a higher sense of maturity, responsibility and self-awareness. Often this is all that is required to set you apart. Global content and the exposure to international cultures establish an increased level of empathy, yet independence.

Here are a few additional resources available online: • S ummer Schools in Europe – www.summerschoolsineurope.eu • S outhern African Nordic Centre – tinyurl.com/SANord • S aint Petersburg Electrotechnical University – tinyurl.com/StPEU •K eystone Academic Courses – tinyurl.com/KeyAcCo •U niversity of Amsterdam – tinyurl.com/UVASumS • S cholarships 365 and Student Exchange Programs – scholarships365.info/ SummerSchools

Postgraduate studies abroad Funding for undergraduate studies abroad can be hard to come by, especially for South Africans. This changes, however, when you’ve completed your degree. Studying abroad becomes much more accessible once you pursue your master’s and PhD degrees. Many

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American and European universities will pay you a decent living stipend and provide you with work at their institution while you complete your PhD. The stipend varies from country to country and university to university. Typically, the stipends will allow you to survive but you may need to work for the university to make extra money. Since a PhD takes between three and five years to complete, this option will provide you with the most exposure to the country and culture you have chosen to immerse yourself in. It is also worth noting that there are several postgraduate courses available that are directly linked to research groups.

Pursuing this kind of postgraduate degree can be very competitive, so you will have to make sure you have the grades and the CV to impress the admissions panel and make sure you outshine other applicants.

I made myself a promise that I would return as a student Having a CV that sets you apart is a crucial step in your journey to study abroad. While your grades are the most important factor for any university, they also want to see that you will be a good ambassador for the institution once abroad. This brings us back to the alignment between their professional institutional brand and your personal brand. Having a CV that showcases your good character will help you secure the nomination to study abroad from your university’s international office.

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I kept my promise to myself and went back to Paris in 2016 as an exchange student. I spent five beautiful months exploring the city, the country and even some of the neighbouring countries with an incredible group of new friends.

While my French didn’t improve as much as I had hoped, those five months in Paris helped me become a more independent and spontaneous person.

Four years later, I packed up my life and moved to South Korea to teach English. I finished my master’s degree while earning money I could not have made had I stayed in South Africa. On top of this, I got to discover another country, another culture and meet amazing new people while doing it. International student experience increased my networking pool, which in return enables an increased number of career opportunities.

TEACH ENGLISH ABROAD

A NEW WORLD OF OPPORTUNITIES Becoming a global citizen while earning a living Many people dream of living and working outside of South Africa. Whether you’re planning on making a permanent move, or just hoping to earn some money while exploring a new country, there are many options available to young South Africans looking to take the leap. English teachers are especially in high demand, writes Dalaine Krige, who has been teaching in South Korea for the last year.

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iving overseas as a student can be difficult, as many visas do not allow you to work while you study. However, there are many opportunities for graduates looking to gain international experience by working abroad.

Be warned, however, the process can be time-consuming, pricey and filled with red tape. Visiting the immigration office website of the country you want to move to is a good first step in finding out what the specific requirements would be.

Working in your chosen career abroad It is possible to apply for a job overseas and get hired. However, requirements and application process for some countries are more complicated and onerous than others.

There are agencies that specialise in helping people make the move to a new country; if you’re hoping to go this route, it is worth considering making use of such a service. A work visa is required in most countries. While some companies may sponsor your work visa, others will not and will require you to apply for it on your own. Be prepared for the hefty fee that accompanies moving abroad.

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REASONS TO STUDY OR WORK ABROAD

You experience the local way of living It does not matter how many times you visit a country as a tourist, studying or working there will be different. You will be presented with the local customs, activities, outlooks and culture – getting a whole new perspective on your country of choice.

You will have more time to discover, revisit and learn about landmarks, museums and places. .

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Immerse yourself in new cultures One of the biggest benefits of living abroad is the chance to become immersed in a new culture. You’ll get to experience new perspectives, learn about new ways of doing things, and really embrace another country. From new foods and customs to traditional music and games, there will be a lot to learn and explore.

Top-quality education One of the most common reasons to study abroad is the high standard of education. Some of the world’s highestranking universities are found in Australia, Europe, the USA and UK. The education systems in these countries are highly regarded and their universities offer globally recognised degrees and courses.

Teaching or studying there will expose you to this quality education.

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Learn a new language It provides a unique opportunity to learn a new language.

It is challenging to learn a new language when you do not hear it every day. By immersing yourself in a new country and culture, you will be exposed to your target language daily. Routine functions, such as food shopping or meeting locals while out ordering coffee at your favourite spot, will fast-track your language skills.

An additional language on your CV will increase your career opportunities and add to your unique skill set.

Make new friends Spending time abroad is a fantastic opportunity to meet new lifelong friends from a variety of different backgrounds.

Chances are that your friends will be from all over the world and you will be a part of an organic cultural exchange. While abroad, you will meet new people in all of the different environments you put yourself into. New friends also result in a broadened network, creating new opportunities in itself.

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Find new interests You will be exposed to new activities and interests while studying or working abroad. You will be able to try new sports, foods and entertainment while exploring with your new friends. Part of these new interests also includes getting to know yourself better.

Personal benefits Living abroad will not only provide career benefits but will also help develop you as a person and prepare you for different obstacles in life. You will quickly become more independent as you are faced with unfamiliar situations and challenges. Chances are that you will also be responsible for yourself, with no parent there to help pick up the slack.

The exposure to a new environment and way of life will likely develop your critical thinking skills. You will be able to think more clearly and rationally. Opening yourself up to new ways of living and learning, and meeting a diverse range of people, will also help you become more open-minded.

Lastly, overcoming daily challenges and fears (like international culture and making new friends) will help grow and mature you as a person.

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Career advantages / resilience There are some clear career advantages that come with studying or working abroad. You will improve your communication skills by overcoming language barriers. You will create global connections – a valuable factor when it comes to networking. Living abroad will help boost your self-confidence and develop your resilience to new situations. Navigating the challenges that comes with living in a new country and learning a new language will help develop your ability to plan ahead and think logically – essential skills for project management. Lastly, some countries provide an opportunity to work after you graduate with post-study work visas. The Netherlands is an example of this.

Gaining work experience in one country may help you find a job in another, hopefully for more money.

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Build a global network Studying or working abroad will introduce you to people from all over the world. This means you will meet likeminded people as well as people that are very different from yourself. You will learn about culture and history, while learning to challenge outdated beliefs you might have.

It’s an exciting opportunity to build a network of people from different corners of the world as you start thinking about your future career goals and ambitions.

Travel the world You will get to know your host country best but this doesn’t mean you won’t get to explore the surrounding areas. If you choose to work or study in Europe, you will be able to explore new countries during your weekends and holidays. Thanks to the Schengen visa, you can visit 26 European states with ease. Seeing other parts of the world is an essential catalyst for broadening your world view.

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TEACH ENGLISH ABROAD

TEFL: 6 top tips

TEFL Teaching English as a foreign language (TEFL) is one of the most popular options for graduates – and even matriculants in some countries – who want to work abroad.

Requirements differ from country to country, as does the salary range. It is important to do thorough research before choosing to get a TEFL certificate. I shopped around before choosing my TEFL course and soon realised that the special ‘limited time only!’ sales advertised on many websites never go away. Most TEFL courses will cost between R2 000 and R5 000, depending on the package you choose.

In the end, my TEFL certificate wasn’t necessary to get a teaching job in South Korea, but it did help me to feel more comfortable in the classroom. Some countries only recognise your certificate if it includes a portion of in-person training, while some countries, like South Korea, do not always require a TEFL certificate but do require a degree.

Why do you go away?

So that you can come back.

So that you can see the place you came from with new eyes and extra colours. And the people there see you differently, too. Coming back to where you started is not the same as never leaving.” – Terry Pratchett Your options with TEFL are vast. You can teach anywhere from South America to Europe, the Middle East and East Asia. This is a great way to save money after studying, pay off student debt, and give yourself time to figure out what you want to do – all while gaining international work experience. The salary depends on the country you choose but it is usually enough to live very comfortably and save money while doing so.

For many people, TEFL is a gateway to another country. Teaching English as a foreign language to children (or adults) in other parts of the world has been a popular option for many native English speakers for nearly two decades.

English is considered a global language, with many considering it to be the official language of business, academia and diplomacy. It is for these reasons that qualified TEFL teachers are in high demand worldwide.

Choosing the right TEFL course is the first critical step of your journey to work abroad. This course will provide you with the training, certificate and job placement assistance you’ll need to get hired in your target country or to teach online.

There are a huge number of TEFL courses available. Here are a few trusted links to get you started: • Wits Language School – tinyurl.com/WitsTEFL • Go Overseas – tinyurl.com/GOTEFL • i-to-i – tinyurl.com/i2iTEFL • Go Abroad – tinyurl.com/TEFLAbroad • The TEFL Academy – tinyurl.com/JHBTEFL • TEFL South Africa – tefl-southafrica.co.za • UNISA – applyunisa.co.za/tefl-course-unisa.

With so many online and offline courses available, how do you know you’re choosing the right one?

Here are the top six things to look out for:

1

ob placement assistance: 5 JCourses that provide access to

Course accreditation: Do your homework before purchasing your course. Make sure your course is accredited.

job listings and advice about where to go can prove to be useful upon completion.

ead reviews and make sure 2 Rthat this certificate will meet international standards. Look at the requirements listed in TEFL job adverts to help guide you.

3

Practicum: It is beneficial if you have some live-practice teaching included in your course. While not all jobs will require this, it will help you to feel more comfortable once you start teaching. It is also a good networking opportunity.

Having a network of people to talk to once you complete your course will help provide assurance and guidance when you start. peaking to a representative: 6 SBefore paying a large sum of money, ask to speak to one of their consultants about the course.

This will help you identify and avoid schemes.

Some TEFL courses can 4 Cbeost:bought on sale. While this shouldn’t disqualify the course as valuable, make sure you read up about the school before purchasing it. It may be wise to spend a bit more money to make sure you are getting a legitimate qualification.

Remember, fortune favours the bold. Be bold, brave and purposeful when setting your goals and pursuing your dreams

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STUDENT EXCHANGE

Beyond the

classroom

Learn a foreign language to enjoy the benefits of a student exchange programme There’s so much more behind certain school subjects or even student exchange programmes than meets the eye – benefits we never ever dreamt of, writes Anne Schauffer

T

ake French. A seductively beautiful language to listen to, and useful in that it’s spoken on five continents by about 265 million people, and used by numerous internationally respected bodies like the United Nations. Similarly, Spanish, German and more. But there are layers upon layers of both visible and invisible advantages to learning a foreign language, and the practical aspect is just one.

Francesca Balladon, former UKZN Professor of French, has 36 years teaching experience in both

high and tertiary education: “Knowledge of a foreign language encompasses much more than a passing acquaintance with the grammatical system of the language.

Learning the language requires knowledge of the patterns of living, acting, reacting, seeing and explaining the world of the target country.”

She believes there are two compelling reasons around the value of learning languages other than your own country’s official ones: “Learning a foreign language has an educational worth which is pertinent in any geographical or social context, in

STUDENT EXCHANGE Bilinguals do not switch off their “other” language – their brains actually grow to be more adaptable than those of monolinguals – a vital asset in a complex business world” that it provides an opportunity for personal growth. Secondly, it has implications for the shaping of values vital in a pluralistic cultural context such as South Africa.”

Big, bold concepts for sure, but there’s an enormous amount of highly respected research to support her views.

It stands to reason that the worldviews of different language speakers are different, just as the concepts within which we all operate are culture-bound. Learning another language not only takes you beneath the skin of another culture, but opens you up to other ways of looking at the world.

Francesca says, “At a deeper level, the study of languages helps us understand that which we, as humans, have in common.

Learning French involves, to an extent, ‘becoming’ French. It’s a valuable means to enable us to reflect on humankind, on differences, to learn to be tolerant of these differences, and more importantly, to understand them. In this way, foreign language learning goes a long way towards promoting the values of tolerance and openness, and preparing learners to live in a pluralistic society.”

Bottom line, in order to speak another language competently, you are not only required to learn about “the other”, but also to restructure your view of reality, and learn to see the world differently.

Heather Peel is head of French at Hilton College, and a matric national examiner and moderator. Her research into the value of bilingualism has led her down many paths – the physiological one is powerful.

Essentially, there’s ample proof that multilinguals display detectable growth in the hippocampus, the part of the brain which helps govern memory and mastery of new material; likewise in three areas of the cerebral cortex, where higher-order reasoning is processed.

But it is the knock-on effects – not how the brain looks but how it functions – that argue

most for learning additional languages.

The bilingual brain is simply more efficient: “The constant toggling that comes from having to choose between two words for every object or concept in your world is a total-immersion exercise in what cognitive scientists call ‘task switching’ and what the rest of us call trying to do 17 things at once. The loss of efficiency when we rotate among tasks is called the global switch cost.

Everyone slows down some or makes more errors, but multilinguals in all age groups have less of a drop-off. That increased efficiency plays out in people’s lives outside the lab – and there is no reason to think it doesn’t – that would confer a real advantage over monolingual classmates, colleagues and others.” In short, the brain becomes more nimble.

Heather references a 2020 feature in The Financial Times, which explained: Research shows bilinguals have an enhanced awareness of other people’s points of view, born from their deeper understanding, from an early age, that some people have a different perspective. They are also better than monolinguals at giving selective attention to specific features of a problem, while ignoring misleading elements, and at switching between different tasks. Professor of Developmental Linguistics, and founder and director of the research and information centre Bilingualism Matters, Professor Sorace points out that bilinguals do not switch off their ‘other’ language – their brains actually grow to be more adaptable than those of

monolinguals – a vital asset in a complex business world.

Professor Sorace’s research shows speaking another language offers not only utilitarian communication advantages, but also cognitive benefits. Her message to business is: “Hire more multilingual employees, because these employees can communicate better, have better intercultural sensitivity, are better at co-operating, negotiating, compromising.

But they can also think more efficiently.”

Sensitivity to others, improved communication, adaptability, ability to compromise and more – all invaluable life skills, many of which Sue Meehan of Durban Girls’ College, pinpoints as benefits of their student exchange programme.

Sue has spent five years with the portfolio of

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STUDENT EXCHANGE Exchange and Global Initiatives. At 27 years old, the school’s exchange programme is probably the largest and oldest in the country, with 17 partner schools in over 10 countries, with capacity of around 30 girls in Grade 9 to apply for travel to another country in Grade 10 year. It’s not a one-way street either – the school/families reciprocally host those 30 partner girls from around the world. Sue’s passionate about the programme which has a quote by Gustave Flaubert as its motto: Travel makes one modest. You see what a tiny place you occupy in the world.

Sue says, “My absolute joy and passion is to see how the girls flourish when they are given these kinds of opportunities.”

For all the right reasons, the school has a very stringent application process: “We measure them on academics, peer and teacher relationships, general integration and engagement in school, whether it’s cultural, academic, sport, or more. Over and above those diagnostics, we interview the girls to find out precisely why they want to ‘go on exchange’.” Sue’s goal is to ensure the girls are going for the right reasons, and her experience in this field is reflected in what she’d describe as around a 96% success rate in the choice of girls, and matching them to a school and home/ girl in another country.

Sue says girls who go on exchange are often those who like to step out of their comfort

zone, and want to try something new: “They’re not always the most confident girls, but want to grow in confidence; not necessarily good communicators, but want to improve their communication skills.” She adds, “They often want to learn a new language – even if they don’t necessarily take French at school, they want to see what it’s like going to school in France.” They come with the right reasons.

For Sue, there are clear things children really gain from exchange programmes: “To fully benefit from the experience, girls need to be adaptable, be willing to compromise, and be flexible. If they can do that, they return having grown in confidence, with an ability to handle different or uncomfortable circumstances, with improved communication skills and an enhanced ability to compromise.

The friendships too, that they often forge with the girl they’re twinned with, can last a lifetime.”

It boils down to a single question: “How human are you?”

To fully benefit from the experience, girls need to be adaptable, be willing to compromise, and be flexible” 84

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asks Sue. All those “human” attributes like compassion, communication and compromise – these are put to the test on exchange programmes, and can be massively enhanced if you’re open to the experience.

When Sue initiates the year’s programme, she presents to parents and prospective exchange students, and is very clear on one thing: “Your girls will not just be receiving, they’ll be giving too. It’s an experience versus an expectation. And, importantly, your daughter is an ambassador for our school, and for South Africa. It’s a responsibility they need to honour.”

Travel in person, or travel through acquiring a foreign language, presents young people with opportunities to expand their worldview. Experiencing “differences” in global cultures, clearly fosters an understanding and willingness to embrace those differences. That sensitivity is certainly something of value, which the world needs today, and certainly will tomorrow.

ENTREPRENEURSHIP

idea

IT ALL STARTS WITH AN For the longest time, our schooling and university studies were geared towards making young people employable and giving them the skills needed to start at an entry-level position in a company or corporation.

Today, we know that working for someone else isn’t the only option! With South Africa’s rising unemployment rates, more young people are starting their own businesses. Entrepreneurship is one way to achieve personal success, but also to create more jobs and build a better society for all, writes Nicolene de Wee.

Be your own boss

CHECKBOX

Start making money Become an entrepreneur Tap into available resources Social media for business and brand-building Become a promotor or influencer Networking, support and transferable skills A failure is only a failure if you don’t learn from it Tips

How to make money - on your own terms

S

tarting a new business has never been easy. It involves start-up capital and becomes even more difficult when you don't have working experience or business experience in the field you’re hoping to branch into. It’s hard, but not impossible, and those who manage to make a success of it are quick to tell you that it’s worth the struggle!

Starting your own business gives you a sense of responsibility and ownership, but entrepreneurship may be risky and can be

My best advice to entrepreneurs is this: Forget about making mistakes, just do it.” – Ajaero Tony Martins THE ULTI MATE CAREER GUI DE SP R ING 2021

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ENTREPRENEURSHIP

Thrifting for funds Thrifting, which involves the buying and reselling of secondhand clothes at a profit, is a new trend that is shaping a lot of South African entrepreneurs, even at school level.

Some are even adding their own touch to the clothes by making alterations that add a new flair to an old item. While your friends may see this as a hobby, this could be your ticket to a steady income, and an opportunity to promote other eco-friendly businesses on a shared platform.

Before you know it, you have some money in the bank, an emergency fund for the future, start-up funds for a new endeavour, or cash towards furthering your studies – while promoting a culture of saving. Along the way, you might have honed your social media marketing skills, taught yourself selling and bargaining techniques, and figured out how to manage your projects’ finances. These are all skills that are transferable and will serve you in the long run.

Most entrepreneurial projects start with an idea and are often borne from a need to solve a real-world problem.

costly, especially if you are still at school.

It does, however, allow you to build and shape your own career, develop pathways to problem-solving and critical skills, facilitate innovation, and develop selfdiscipline. All of this in an exciting, selfpaced environment that can bring about real change for you and your community.

It also evolves from the personality type of an entrepreneur. They can and always will find the market in the gap, not just the gap in the market. A unique product and service offering forms the concept. It now has to be supported by a business plan foundation, followed by funding. And only then does the real hard work start.

While there is a lot of talk about the government and big businesses needing to do more to encourage entrepreneurial skills among young people in the country, at the end of the day, the entrepreneurial spirit starts and ends with you!

Tapping into available resources That doesn’t mean that you can’t tap into resources that are available – government and businesses do have financial aid available to youth start-ups. Your parents and local community may also be able to help you with money, contacts and networking with possible investors.

Support is key when looking to start your own business. Do you know other people who are also interested in becoming entrepreneurs? If you do, you can pool your resources and work together to take your business from idea to reality. Teamwork is a survival tool and provides cutting-edge product offerings and solutions, as collective honed skills and entrepreneurial spirits amalgamate into one business plan.

Networking, support and transferable skills These people may not be experts in the type of business you’re hoping to start, but may bring other skills to the table that could be useful to you and your project.

These are called transferable skills. If you’re thinking of selling baked goods, you may bring someone on board who can’t tell the difference between baking powder and baking soda, but who knows how to market a business on social media.

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ENTREPRENEURSHIP

A failure is only a failure if you don’t learn from it!

You may ask a friend who is very friendly and good at talking to people to sell your cookies at a neighbourhood market.

When starting a business, it’s good to focus on all the things you might need for it to be a success.

Monique de Klerk

Monique de Klerk is a counselling psychologist at the Centre for Health & Human Performance at North-West University. She says, luckily, technology can be used to express and share ideas for a business start-up. Your generation, she adds, is much more geared towards innovation and independence, and you

and your friends are a lot more likely to experiment with entrepreneurial ideas that allow you to portray your unique abilities and experiences.

Even if you don’t want to work for yourself and prefer a stable job and reliable income, Monique says these skills and your entrepreneurial mindset will still be an asset to your employer.

If, however, you do want to be your own boss, it’s good to start identifying your own strengths and skills – especially those in management, leadership and organisation.

You might not think you have formal skills yet, but don’t think inside the box. If you were a school prefect or captain of a sports team, then there is a good chance that you have leadership and organisational skills. If you’ve been babysitting for the neighbours, then you’ve already proved that you can manage and lead others, and that you’re responsible and reliable.

And if you excelled at debate, then you’re probably quite skilled at sales and negotiations.

Everything you’ve ever done has brought you to this point, and now it’s time to put those skills to use to start building your enterprise and shaping the future

you want. Not everyone can (or wants to) study further after completing matric.

Maybe you’re still deciding what to study, or maybe you can’t afford a university education at this stage in your life. Maybe you’ve decided to rather take some time to do your own thing before furthering your education, or maybe you just know that your business will be a success and don’t want to pursue anything else. For whatever reason, now is the time to start earning money – on your own terms.

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Where do I find the money for my start-up?

The first question you might ask yourself is how you can fund your entrepreneurial dreams. Even in these tough economic times, there are several organisations that can help.

You decide to start a business…

One of these is the National Youth Development Agency (NYDA). The NYDA has a grant programme that gives young entrepreneurs financial and non-financial support to help them develop their businesses. You can visit their website by scanning the QR code below.

If you’re over the age of 18, you can also apply for a business loan from, for instance: • Nedbank • Standard Bank • Firstrand Bank • Small Enterprise Finance Agency (SEFA) • Isivande Women's Fund (IWF) • Business Loans South Africa.

They may offer start-up capital to entrepreneurs with worthwhile ideas and a promising future. Some businesses might not need a lot of money to get started:

• A car wash, for instance, won’t require much more than cleaning supplies.

• Babysitting doesn’t have any expenses, although you may want to invest in a first-aid certificate to set the parents who want to hire you at ease.

• Writing a blog or starting a vlog online can also bring in money if enough people visit your site.

• Starting a baked goods business will only require the ingredients needed for your products, and a place to make them.

• Another way to make extra money is to develop online applications or mobile

apps. If you’re a tech-savvy innovator, search on social media platforms like Instagram and twitter to see what other young people are developing – and get an idea of what type of apps are popular at the moment.

• Crowdfunding is a way of raising sufficient capital investment in small amounts from a large group of people/investors.

So, you don’t have to approach a bank for funding; you could also ask your parents or other adults to invest and help you get started. Some might even grant you an interest-free loan to get you started. As you can see, the amount of money you’ll need and the best way to get that money differs from situation to situation, so think carefully about what you want to do and what the best way is to get the support you need.

Here are some useful links regarding entrepreneurship in South Africa, as well as investment support: • SME South Africa – tinyurl.com/SMESA • Thundafund – thundafund.com • Uprise.Africa – uprise.africa • Back-a-Buddy – www.backabuddy.co.za • The People’s Fund – thepeople.co.za • Jump Starter – tinyurl.com/JmpSt • South African Angel Investment Network – www.investmentnetwork.co.za.

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ENTREPRENEURSHIP and promote themselves on social media is their business. To do this, they are establishing themselves as brands in their own right, who then partner with bigger companies to promote products.

You may be approached by brands and companies if you have built a big enough following on social media. The more followers you have, the bigger your chance of being scouted as a promoter. On Instagram, for instance, small businesses may start approaching you if you have more than 2 000 followers and ask you to showcase their clothing or accessories.

Social media for business and brand-building Social media is a great way of marketing your business and reaching out to potential clients. But for thousands of young people, social media isn’t just a way to market their business; it is their business! Or rather, the way they market

Become a promotor or influencer As a promoter or influencer, you may be given a unique discount code for products and can even earn commission on every sale that comes from your account. Big companies recognise the power of social influence, and make use of young people whose personal brands are in line with their corporate values.

When it comes to social media, you and your friends have a distinct advantage. The generations before you didn’t grow up with the internet, smartphones or social media, and this puts you one step ahead. Digital engagement is second nature to you, and you can tap into this to promote brands for money or other perks, or to engage your own customers when starting your own business.

Remember that different social media platforms cater to different types of users.

Promoting a business on Facebook might be more targeted than promoting it on twitter, for example. Instagram is a great way to showcase your products and engage with your customers, and social media stories and live videos make people feel connected, while creating a sense of immediacy and accessibility.

Regardless of the platform you decide on, social media is about interaction, and allows for a sense of engagement that other advertising does not. This is especially important if your business caters to your local community.

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My first business idea didn’t work. What now?

Even with funding, many new businesses fail due to factors like lack of planning, poor marketing or insufficient research.

The chances of a start-up failing is quite high, but experts say a failure is only a failure if you don’t learn from it! If your first business didn’t take off in the way you wanted it to, it’s important to spend some serious time examining what went wrong. This means looking at the root causes of the problems, and analysing decisions that led to the business bombing out.

What could you have done better, and what will you do better in future with the information you now have at your disposal?

Another important analysis is a financial one, where you analyse your income and expenses, and see where you missed the boat.

Maybe you tried to expand too quickly, or maybe there were some hidden expenses that you didn’t factor into your initial calculations.

For your next venture, you might want to find a new or additional income stream that can add to the financial success of your business, or you might want to explore a completely new idea for making money. You might also decide to form a partnership with other young entrepreneurs, which will allow you to share resources and costs.

Reaching out to people who are successful in the field or who run their own businesses can help you to learn from their mistakes, and equip you with the knowledge to deal with problems that might arise. Networking is crucial, and growing relationships with other entrepreneurs can help you feel supported in your own projects.

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Tamlin Connolly

CASE STUDY From the sky to the beauty salon While some people believe a formal tertiary education is your ticket to financial freedom, you might not be convinced. Even if your parents or other adults in your life are encouraging you to attend university, you don’t have to lose your entrepreneurial spirit along the way.

Tamlin Connolly is 23 years old. After school, she studied at EPT Aviation, one of the country's leading aviation colleges that specialises in airline flight attendance, cabin crew training and air hostess courses. “I never believed that I needed a degree or diploma to be successful in life, but I didn’t want to disappoint my parents, so I enrolled for the course,” she explains. From a young age her parents taught her to save a portion of her allowance, and she continued this trend when she started earning a salary.

Her entire life changed when she applied for a job at a travel agency. Her work took her to a number of hotels, and they all had beauty spas, which she frequently visited for treatments. It was during this time that she fell in love with the idea of one day owning her own beauty salon. By this time, her sister had completed a year-long diploma through the Cape Town Nail and Beauty Academy and was a qualified beautician. “She often used me as a model for her practical examinations and in turn I helped her to make her bookings and start her own business,” she remembers.

Today, Tamlin owns and manages her own beauty salon in Johannesburg. Although she has no formal training as a beautician, she managed to tap into the entrepreneurial skills needed for success, with the knowledge and support of her father, sister and brother – who all run their own businesses too!

“Self-discipline is important, because you need to stay on top of what is happening as far as marketing, spending and profits are concerned,” she explains.

“You need to plan your income and expenditure, and ensure that you reach the goals you set in order for your business to succeed.”

ENTREPRENEURSHIP Tips to start your own business • Start at the beginning Before you get started, have a good idea about the product or service you want to offer your customers. Know your own strengths and weaknesses, and find something that you’re passionate about doing. It’s great to make money, but it’s easier to thrive when you’re doing something that you’re good at and something that you love.

• Consider a partner Pending several deciding factors, it is sometimes a good idea to get a mental or business partner. Get someone that shares your value system, ethics and, most importantly, your vision. It is good to have a cofounder that will keep you accountable, but also complement your skills and experiences. No need to duplicate skills.

• Do your homework!

Before you get started, do solid market research. This means looking at the product you want to sell or the services you want to deliver, and seeing who else is doing the same. How many people need or want what you are offering? What can you offer that your competitors aren’t already doing?

What are other businesses doing well when it comes to marketing – and what could you do better?

• Write a business plan This is a written document that should outline the goals of your business, how you plan on achieving these goals, and

the timeframe for achieving them. You can start with a basic business plan and expand it as your enterprise grows. Think of a business plan as a roadmap to help you get where you want to be. The good thing is you don’t have to start from scratch, as there are loads of templates available online that you can use to get started.

• Test your assumptions Your business, the business plan, your product or service are based on several assumptions. One of them is assuming that your business will be an overnight success, built on a great concept. There’s nothing wrong with that mindset, but you do need to find practical testing methods to check the various moving parts. Tweak and adjust as necessary. Learn, apply quickly and move along.

• Budget matters Part of your business planning should entail looking at what your start-up

costs will be, and how much money you must make every month to keep your business afloat. Think about all the possible costs involved in making your product or performing a service, and think carefully about hidden costs like registration fees, marketing fees, delivery costs and more!

• Be professional and presentable In the past, printed business cards might have been necessary, but today a welldesigned website or professional Facebook page can be used as a calling card. You can create a personalised email address for your business, and it doesn’t have to cost you a cent.

• Get the nitty-gritty right Decide whether you need to register your business and get advice on VAT registration and taxes. Talk to a tax consultant or a consultant who deals with business registrations, or ask someone you know who runs their own business for advice.

Protecting your intellectual rights might also mean copyright and trademark registrations.

• Don’t be afraid to ask for help Develop a network of entrepreneurs and business owners to lean on and learn from. The internet has great resources for new business owners, and social media platforms such as Facebook and LinkedIn have thousands of groups to help connect entrepreneurs to each other and helpful resources. Input and guidance from an experienced mentor are invaluable and could save you money and time.

You’re not in this alone!

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THE GEN Z EFFECT

In a world that is constantly changing, there is no one subject or set of subjects that will serve you for the foreseeable future, let alone for the rest of your life. The most important skill to acquire now is learning how to learn.” – John Naisbitt

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UNIVERSITY ISN’T YOUR ONLY OPTION

GATHER YOUR SKILLS

in a suitcase

Collect them one by one and take them wherever you go…

Work hard, complete matric, enrol at a university, get your degree, then perhaps a higher degree, then get appointed to a job, settling into the workplace and starting your career…

It’s easy to believe that this is the only path to career success. However, this is not the only way to further your education and climb the career ladder, writes Jamaine Krige.

Y

our parents and educators may be encouraging you to explore your options for pursuing a tertiary education after you complete your matric. But university isn’t for everyone, and a degree is not the only qualification that will help you find a job.

For some careers, university is your only option – but not everyone wants to be doctor, lawyer or engineer. Many others have found that a degree is no longer a guarantee to a high-paying job, or even employment!

In South Africa, there are many colleges and training institutions that can help you gain a recognised SETA- or QCTO-endorsed certificate, diploma or qualification that is NQF-accredited and unit standard-aligned.

It can be confusing when you first try to navigate the acronyms, abbreviations and terminology in the South African education and learning sector.

SAQA manages a register of all the qualifications available in South Africa.

Training institutions must, therefore, get themselves accredited and must

also get qualifications or programmes accredited if they want them to carry weight. A qualification that is not registered or accredited is not on the NQF. This means it will not be recognised nationally and you cannot get the credit for the qualification to study further.

NQF, SETA, QCTO, TVET… What does it all mean?

Here is a list of what you need to know: • NQF: National Qualifications Framework • SAQA: South African Qualifications Authority • SETA: Sector Education and Training Authorities • QCTO: Quality Council for Trades and Occupations • T VET: Technical and Vocational Education and Training

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UNIVERSITY ISN’T YOUR ONLY OPTION NQF at a glance Sub framework General and Further Education and Training Qualifications Sub Framework (GFETQSF)

Occupational qualifications Sub Framework (OQSF)

Higher Education Qualification Sub Framework (HEQSF)

So how did it all start?

The history of the NQF Karen Gray has been running Gray Training since 1987, but has been involved in the South African education space for much longer than that; first as a teacher and then as a university lecturer. South Africa’s journey to get to the current education and training system is a fascinating story, and one Karen loves telling.

To understand where we are today, Karen says it’s important to first understand where we come from: “We at Gray Training are privileged to have been a part of how the industry has changed and grown. If we think about

NQF level

Qualification types

1

Grade 9

2

Grade 10/National (vocational) Certificates level 2/Occupational Certificates

3

Grade 11/National (vocational) Certificates level 3/Occupational Certificates

4

Grade 12/National (vocational) Certificates level 4/Occupational Certificates

5

Higher Certificate/Advanced National (vocational) Certificates/Occupational Certificates

6

Diploma/Advanced Certificate/Occupational Certificates

7

Degree/Advanced Diploma/Post-Graduate Certificate

8

Honours/Post-Graduate Diploma

9

Masters

10

Doctorate

our country pre-democracy, so pre-1994, we were obviously still in an apartheid environment. We had a skills crisis, we had huge international competition, and we had a bad education system; an imbalanced education system.

To understand where we are today, it’s important to first know where we come from One of the most important issues was thus how we would right the scales and restore the balance for people who had been previously disadvantaged in education.

How could we get them some certification

or accreditation or a piece of paper that says that they may not have a formal education from a school or university, but that through the school of life they have developed certain skills and competencies that should be taken into consideration? Many other countries were in the same position.

One of the first big tasks was to get the Department of Labour and the Department of Education to reach some type of consensus. The legislation we have now was born from that.

In South Africa, we had to find a way to help people gain that parity and equality You may have left school in Grade 7, but you could read and write and had studied and learned other things on your own. You may have gained skills with a really good innate sense of maths. Therefore, there needed to be a way that you could actually receive some formal benefit for that life experience. And this was the concept that birthed the National Qualifications Framework,” she recalls.

What is the NQF? “Well, it’s basically a system that says we all know you can go the academic route – starting in Grade 1, going to university after leaving Grade 12 and earning your degrees all the way through to PhD level.

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UNIVERSITY ISN’T YOUR ONLY OPTION But there is another route for Joe, who left school in Grade 8, but applied himself and can read and write at a university level and can do a lot of other stuff because he’s taught himself how. He’d like to work towards having that acknowledged and work towards maybe getting a Grade 10 or even a Grade 12. So, to assist Joe and others like them, systems were put in place to help, but they needed an apparatus to make sense of it.

“Imagine a tower, which is your academic route. That tower is then divided into levels or floors. The first level was Grade 9 and the fourth was matric – so those first four ‘floors’ were the basic education or schooling system. Then there are other levels above it, going through the degrees all the way to the top level, which is a PhD. And the government said okay, you can go in through the front door and climb this tower, or you can put up a ladder and enter in a different way,” Karen explains.

Unit standards “You can come along with your workplace experience and apply to get the equivalent of a Grade 10 or Grade 12 education. But how could you do that? You weren’t at

school and you didn’t write exams. So, they decided to implement something called unit standards, which are based on tasks you perform in the workplace. And each task is set at a specific level, and depending on the difficulty of the task, it is assigned a certain value, known as credits. So, an easy task might get you two credits, while a harder one might get you more. And the idea is that with all the skills you’ve tucked away into your suitcase, you can go to a company that offers certificates at an NQF level 2, which would be at a Grade 10 level.

You have specific skills and won’t have to start from scratch because you can show what you have done and learnt. So, maybe

The different routes to a qualification

you can present them with the letters and emails you’ve sent, or with proof of the skills you already have, and you can get some credits towards the certificate they are offering. You won’t have to start at the very beginning. That is what we call recognition of prior learning or RPL,” Karen continues.

Climbing the education tower “So, if you go back to that image of the tower, it means that you as someone who has not learned within the academic environment can come along with your suitcase of life experience and skills and use it to climb your way up – making your way partially up another floor, or even gaining a level completely, depending on your suitcase.

Levels: 5-8 Tertiary and Research Research

Higher Degrees

Initial Degrees

National and Higher and Diplomas

Professional Employment

Levels: 2-4 to Higher National Certificate(s) CORE and APPLIED GENERIC and OPTIONS Senior Secondary Schools

Technical Colleges & Community

Private Providers & NGO’s

Industry Training

Labour RTC’s Market Schemes Colleges

Levels: 1 Compulsary COMPULSARY SCHOOLING: Level 1 or the General Certificate of Education

ABE & TRAINING: Level 1 of the General Cerificate of Education - GETC

Grade 9

ABET 4

Grade 7

ABET 3

Grade 5

ABET 2

Grade 3

ABET 1

Today, all education and training outside of school or university has a unit standard attached to it, and every qualification is made up of a number of these unit standards – little pieces of the whole that you can actually apply to have recognised towards reaching a higher level of education “If you’ve been working and have gained a lot of skills, you can even approach a university that offers a degree in your field or a company that offers a journalism diploma and ask them to consider giving you RPL credits for the experience you have. They can assess your experience and determine which unit standards you still need to do to fill the gaps and achieve the level.

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UNIVERSITY ISN’T YOUR ONLY OPTION it was sport or debate or chess – keep a record of that. In the future, there will be an opportunity to draw upon those particular skills.” University is just one of the ways to fill your suitcase.

In fact, some of the mostneeded skills in South Africa at the moment are skills you can’t get from a university degree!

help your chances of getting accepted next time,” she explains. “It is important to realise that university is not for everyone.” In fact, she says, some of the most-needed skills in South Africa at the moment are skills you can’t get from a university degree!

Karen Gray

What are my options?

Karen Gray, CEO of Gray Training, describes herself as a learning and training consultant. She is also well known as ‘the trainer of trainers’, both in South Africa and across the continent. This means she teaches other people how to conduct training and facilitate learning in their areas of expertise.

Dr Sandra Roberts is the academic head of fraycollege, an institution that provides communication training to individuals and corporate groups. “There are many qualifications you can pursue, even if you don’t get university exemption. You can also decide to do a bridging course to Dr Sandra Roberts

University: Knowledge vs skills

It’s important to realise that university is not for everyone...

“A trainer is someone who teaches others; within the workplace, that means it’s a person who actually teaches workplace skills,” she explains.

She says when you consider what you bring to the table, you should imagine your life and your life experiences in a suitcase: “You fill that suitcase with all the opportunities, qualifications and experiences you have gained through life.

So, whatever you did at school – whether

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Karen believes university is great for a number of reasons. It gives you a theoretical knowledge base and teaches you life skills like problemsolving, organisational and analytical skills. It further enables you to meet new people and expand your experiences.

“There are, however, other qualifications that offer a more practical approach to building skills,” she explains. This type of learning can be accessed through technical colleges or other smaller education and training institutions like Gray Training or fraycollege.

UNIVERSITY ISN’T YOUR ONLY OPTION

Ask yourself: What is the best way of achieving my goals?

Karen says it’s important to think about the specific career you’re considering. For instance, degrees do exist for graphic design, but some of the most amazing work and innovative, future-focused learning in this field is happening at small studios and design schools that offer unit-standard-based courses and qualifications. “That’s what you should be looking for. Instead of saying: ‘I want to study at a university,’ or ‘I don’t want to go to university,’ ask yourself: ‘What is the best way of achieving my goals? What can I afford? Will a degree serve me best or is a certificate or

diploma a better route? Can I take a gap year and actually work somewhere for a year, or spend some time as a volunteer?’”

Sandra explains that a university degree won’t help your career at all in some fields.

“For instance, if you want to be a craftsperson like a mechanic, electrician or machine operator, a university degree won’t really prepare you for your chosen occupation. You’ll just be wasting time and money.” She says there are lots of job opportunities when you’ve honed certain practical vocation skills, and many of these jobs are unlikely to be replaced by mechanisation in the near future.

It’s in these fields where short courses, diplomas and certificates come in handy, and where the TVET colleges have a role to play.

South Africa’s TVET colleges focus on vocational and occupational training, with the aim of preparing students to become functional workers in a skilled trade. You are likely to obtain your qualification quicker and at a much lower cost, and the focus is on getting you into the workforce faster, with all the skills you will need to function.

Some of these institutions might offer diplomas or certificates, or they might offer stand-alone short courses aligned to a specific unit standard at an NQF level.

“They offer a critical skill, or at least a part of a critical skill,” says Karen, adding that the good ones are always attached to practical experience.

University can give you a piece of paper, but it does not mean you can do the job “University can give you a piece of paper, but it does not mean you can do the job,” Sandra adds. “This is because university is supposed to build up your ability to see and understand the world by exposing you to different ideas and ways of thinking, with the ideal end result being that you end up with a set of tools to help you think critically and analyse knowledge.” This toolkit should hopefully also include the

ability to think and act independently, as well as figure things out for yourself, which is invaluable in the workplace. This is not always the case.

“Many people graduate with the idea that they can’t work things out for themselves, because they’ve been taught that there is a ‘right way’ and a ‘wrong way’ to think and go about doing things,” says Sandra.

In short, university education is geared

In short, education is geared towards the transfer of knowledge, and not necessarily the transfer of skills

towards the transfer of knowledge, and not necessarily the transfer of skills.

If your parents think university is the only option and you’re worried that prospective employers might not take your other courses and qualifications seriously, Karen has a suggestion for you. “Look at some of the vacancy adverts out at the moment for jobs you might think you’d like to do one day. On most of the ads out there, you’ll see they ask for a matric certificate or a degree of sorts – or an NQF-level equivalent. So, either route would be acceptable if you’re applying for that job!”

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UNIVERSITY ISN’T YOUR ONLY OPTION

Do I need a matric certificate to enrol for these courses?

When can I start?

The advantage of NQF-based learning and training is that you can start immediately. These courses are offered at a number of different NQF levels and that means you don’t need matric to do them. “Depending on the entrance requirements of the specific course, you can even start while you’re still at school,” Sandra explains, but cautions learners from taking on too much at the expense of other responsibilities.

Looking at your future needs and current interests Karen also says you don’t have to wait until you have your matric certificate in hand before you start focusing on developing these critical skills. “Every unit standard has an entry qualification.

Bridging the skills gap The problem with many university degrees, Sandra says, is that they don’t actually prepare young people for the world of work. “In some cases, going to university may delay your entrance into the workplace. If you lack work experience after school and don’t gain any work experience while studying, then you still won’t have work experience when you graduate! University studies and degrees don’t replace workplace experience, and

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That means some courses are set at level 5, which means you will need to have an NQF level 4 in communication and maths - in other words, you need matric to do that course.” But not all unit standards are set at level 5. “You can do courses in business writing, teamwork or negotiating skills at an NQF level 2 or 3, so you can start those even if you haven’t completed Grade 12.”

The trick, she says, is to choose something that will not only serve your future needs, but your current interests too.

“You might be a keen debater, so perhaps you can invest in negotiation skills by finding a training academy that offers a unit standard at an NQF level 2 or 3,” she suggests. “Go for it, but just make sure that there is going to be that practical application afterwards, and that you get to feel as if you’re learning towards something you can use.”

often won’t equip you with the workreadiness and network-building skills you’ll need to succeed at a job.”

She says universities also don’t test knowledge in a practical way, or in a way reflective of how skills would be tested in the work environment: “You’re not very likely to have to sit down to write a threehour test when you’re working and your employer wants something done!”

This disconnect is what is known as ‘the skills gap’ – the difference between

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the skills needed to do a job and the skills that employees actually possess.

“More employers are recognising that people often come out of university with a lot of book knowledge but without the practical skills to do the job,” Sandra explains. “For instance, in journalism and communications, you can learn about the history of the media and the different communication theories and other topics, but never get to practise what you should be doing – writing, filming, posting on social media and creating news stories or entertainment content.”

A skills gap is a skills crisis Short courses can help towards addressing the skills gap in South Africa. “A skills gap is a skills crisis,” says Karen. “This isn’t new – it’s been this way for decades! But what is happening now is that we’re seeing this crisis become more acute as the world around us changes.” The skills gap doesn’t mean there is a knowledge .” gap, but rather that people lack what Karen calls ‘fingertips skills’. “These are the skills you don’t have to think about, you don’t have to research or google before you do them, because you have practical experience and are so capable that the skills are literally at your fingertips when you need them.”

UNIVERSITY ISN’T YOUR ONLY OPTION

After all, she says, you don’t want a doctor who has to consult a textbook while treating you in the emergency room.

Employers don’t want to hire someone who first has to google professional email etiquette or how to use Microsoft Word before completing a task.

We have the knowledge, but a lot of people haven’t translated those theories into the fingertip skills needed to do the job yet This is why at Gray Training, Karen takes the concept of outcomes-based education and training very seriously. “What this means is that when we measure to see whether someone has acquired the unit standard or qualification skills, we don’t measure it in the classroom and we don’t measure them with a test or an exam. Instead, we measure and test their competency based on how well they actually perform the skill, and how they are putting it to use out there in the real world!”

But what if you don’t have a workplace or employer where you can put your training to use and show that you’ve mastered the skill in question?

“In practical terms, this means you attend a training session, you master the skill, and then you are expected to go out and actually put that skill to use outside the classroom, in your workplace. The portfolio

of evidence that you submit for the training shows how you have implemented your learning in the real world, and you are marked accordingly,” says Karen.

But what if you don’t have a workplace or employer where you can put your training to use and show that you’ve mastered the skill in question? “That doesn’t matter at all,” says Karen. “There are many ways that we can help you to find opportunities to put your new skills to use – you could do your practicals at school, at volunteer organisations, or in your church group.”

Part of implementing these skills outside the classroom means recording what you’ve done and how you’ve done it. “Only once we’ve seen you using these skills will we say that you have reached the outcome and are competent,” says Karen. “And that’s really the difference in what we do and what drives how we do it.”

Non-university qualifications and short courses, like those that fall under the SETAs and QCTO, are designed from the outset to get you practising and honing the skills you will need to do the job, says Sandra.

“We actually test what you can do, not just what you know.” This means that, after a unit-standard-aligned course, you are actually able to do the things you learned.

And because you develop a portfolio of evidence in the process, you also have the proof that you have the skill in question.

Don’t forget your suitcase!

And never forget your suitcase! “Do you volunteer with the church or an old-age home or animal shelter? What skills are you picking up? Put them in your suitcase

By the time you complete the fraycollege communication certificate, for instance, you will have a portfolio of written articles, photographs and video and audio content – not just a list of marks.

Adding to your skills suitcase The good news, Sandra says, is you don’t have to choose one or the other. Certificates and short courses can supplement a university degree and make you more employable – and more competent – in the long run. In the past, she says, fresh graduates would be expected to complete some practical, on-the-job, skills-based training when they first start at a new job as part of their orientation. Today, employers have done away with this and often expect graduates to already have all the skills needed to do the work. They don’t have the time or resources to show young employees the ropes and help them gain competency. “This is why more companies are offering internships,” she explains. “An internship is supposed to enable you to learn to implement your knowledge and gain the skills it underpins.”

Karen agrees that short courses can be a great way to supplement your university education and tuck different skills into that life suitcase you carry. “If you’re able to go to university and you’ve decided that’s what you want to do, then that’s great,” she says. “If you don’t want to go to university and you want to work on your practical skills, be sure to look for an organisation or institution that is going to offer you NQFlevel training that you can use towards a certificate, diploma or degree.”

because it all becomes relevant later.

Learning is never exclusive to one place, and all the learning you do throughout life is complementary and supplementary to your journey.”

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WORK COULD AND SHOULD BE FUN

A sliding scale from okay and good to even better

YOUR greatest ADVENTURE EVER One thing they never tell you in school – and rarely in university – is that your work life could and should be fun! The work you choose can be the greatest adventure you ever embark on, and is a constant challenge to improve yourself and the world you live in.

It is for this reason that career planning needs to take top priority. In life, unlike in school, there are often no right answers – it’s a sliding scale that goes from okay to good, better and even better. Dr Sandra Roberts, academic head of fraycollege of Communication, has some advice on how to go from good to better.

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P

erfection may not exist, but there is always the opportunity for more.

It’s up to you to better yourself and keep fighting to gain new skills and improve on the ones you’ve already got.

In fact, during our school years, we often learn the exact opposite. We’re taught that there is one right way to do things, one right answer, and that some people are smart (and others are not) based on the marks given to you. You’re taught that the teacher is the person with the authority to objectively tell you and others how well you’re performing and where you need to do better.

WORK COULD AND SHOULD BE FUN

fray fraycollege offers a number of short courses to get you communicating with confidence in a business environment. Whether you’re working in a team, writing emails, reports, press releases or e-newsletters, we can help you to build and expand on these essential communication skills that will make you more employable and ensure you’re an asset in the workplace. fraycollege.com or Visit www.fray scan the QR code for more information, and start investing in your future – today.

While you may not agree with this, it’s easy to find yourself believing this. The things we hear every day often shape the way we see ourselves, others and the world around us.

Those who have the marks and the means to do so are encouraged to go to college or university to further their studies. We’re told to just get on the treadmill and that, once you do, everything will be simple! The steps are clear. Get your diploma, your degree,

We all know of people with degrees – even advanced degrees – who are sitting at home, unable to find a job.

your honours, your master’s, and perhaps even your doctorate…

But what then?

A qualification (and then another, and another) doesn’t necessarily mean that you’ll end up employed, or doing what you love.

The skills you need to land your dream job are often not those you learn in university.

Instead, these are the skills you cultivate yourself through various means outside of your formal schooling.

You need to drive your own learning Degrees are immensely valuable but, in the new emerging workplace environment, you need to drive your own learning, whether you are studying towards a qualification or not. Learn something new every day. There are thousands of free, credible and accredited online courses available, all managed by experts.

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WORK COULD AND SHOULD BE FUN

3

Book knowledge does not make you employable Even in the most abstract, theoretical fields, the most important thing isn’t what you know, but rather what you can do that makes you employable! You may think that a mathematician, for instance, just needs to know the theorems and formulae, but even people working in the maths department of a university must be able to complete other tasks to excel at their jobs.

A maths lecturer must be able to teach, to communicate clearly in emails, to mark tests and exams, to interact with students and the faculty, and to complete all the other admin requirements of the job.

It’s all about attitude... and skills To shine in today’s job market, you need to actively engage with what is happening in your environment and to learn how to see and respond to opportunities. But what does this mean in practice?

1

YOU are the author of your own destiny To prepare for work, there is no single programme or training course that will make you ready for the workplace.

Everyone must be able to identify their own weaknesses and skills deficits, and find ways to address these. Self-awareness is a crucial starting point to be able to progress in your education, your life and your career.

Self-awareness isn’t something that can be taught by a teacher or lecturer. It’s up to you to develop this and make an active effort to really identify your character, feelings, strengths, weaknesses, motivations and desires.

The good news is that interactions you have every day can teach you a lot about the skills you have – or those you may be lacking – to perform well in the workplace.

Maybe you’ve realised you don’t always explain things very clearly, or perhaps you take criticism too personally. Maybe you’ve noticed that when people give you feedback, you take this as a challenge to do better and learn something new.

These patterns that you notice in your day-to-day interactions with people can help you realise what your strengths

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and weaknesses are – both in your personal and future professional life.

Be outcome-focused.

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It’s all about attitude Looking at the checklist above, you can see that one of the common themes is the importance of your attitude – towards yourself, your work and those around you. Let’s face it, life can be difficult and stressful. We all come into the workplace with a lot of competing needs, demands and responsibilities. You may be struggling to pay off your student debt, while someone else may be having a hard time juggling work and family responsibilities. Another colleague may have a sickness in the family, while another may be exhausted from a long commute to work… the list goes on.

Each person is facing challenges the people around them might not be aware of.

Despite this, your attitude towards all the other things happening in your life and towards your work is what will make all the difference. If you have an optimistic and positive attitude, you will be more likely to overcome those challenges while still being a valuable employee. It is important to be humble. It is good to be confident and assertive without being entitled or arrogant. Your attitude should be that of a go-getter who is eager to learn and pleasant to work with.

It’s not always easy, but the ideal employee is someone who looks for solutions in every challenge and doesn’t define themselves by their failures, but rather by the lessons they learn along the way.

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It’s not about impressing people Entering a new workplace means you are entering a situation where there is an unequal power dynamic. You might want to impress your boss, your manager, your team leader or colleagues who have been there longer than you have. While it is important to make a good impression, this should not be your main focus. It’s more important to shine in the work you deliver because your career will pay in the long term if you let this slip. It’s important to be valuable and reliable, but it’s not necessary to be the hero of every story or meeting, or to be the centre of attention in everything you do.

Communication is key!

Today’s work environment needs you to be able to communicate clearly and effectively with all types of people. This means internally with your team, your managers and your colleagues, and externally with your stakeholders and clients, and even with members of the public at large. Having good communication skills means you are able to write well, speak well and listen well. Communication isn’t a one-way street. You may be required to answer questions after a presentation, or respond in writing to requests. The good news is that – like most other skills – communication can be taught and you don’t have to figure it out on your own.

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Top skills needed to thrive in the workplace

Have a look at these skills that are very important when applying for work, but that might not be taught in school or in university.

Take a moment to think about which skills you have, and where you may be lacking.

1

The ability to listen

Listening is crucial in all circumstances and relationships. Life is not like social media, where you just broadcast your own thoughts and feelings to an audience.

It is important to be able to listen actively to others and understand their feelings, motivations and points of view.

2

The ability to see the bigger picture

This means being able to consider many different sides to a problem or situation, and understand the broader environment it exists in.

For example, if you work with someone who you find difficult to deal with (and you will work with someone like this at some point in your life!), then the ability to understand why they act the way they do is important. This can be applied in personal relationships, work relationships, team dynamics and company cultures.

3

The ability to solve complex problems

This means engaging in a process to find solutions to the challenges you face. To do this, you might also have to work on your own to teach yourself the skills you lack.

4

The ability to see context

If you are able to do this, it means you can understand where others are in their own skills development and life processes so that you can guide them. If you are able to see where people come from and how they relate to the world, you can better understand and help them. To do this, you need to be able to take their background, their way of thinking and their personal values into consideration – as well as their strengths, weaknesses and the value they bring to the team.

5

The ability to work with different people

This means you are able to work and engage with people who are different from you. The workplace of the future is vibrant and diverse, and teams that have people from different backgrounds, races, cultures, genders and

sexual orientations are more innovative than teams where everyone looks and thinks the same.

There is so much value in having different types of people on a team, but you need to know what value they bring and how to work together, despite your differences.

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The ability to work as a team

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The ability to manage your boss

Let’s face it, sometimes it is just easier and quicker to do things yourself. You should know this from the group projects you completed at school. But the truth is that the end result is almost always better when you involve others.

This means recognising the different strengths people bring to the team and the different roles they play, and being able to manage your own strengths, weaknesses and ego in the process!

Now hang on! Isn’t it supposed to be your boss who manages you? Well, yes and no. As an employee, it’s crucial that you manage both the expectations and the needs of the person you report to. Different managers will want different things from you. Some may expect different levels of detail, or may ask you to report to them in different ways and at different intervals. Some may want daily updates, while others expect you to check in with them once a week with your progress.

If you learn how your boss works and what they expect from you, then you make yourself an invaluable colleague by playing your role.

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The ability to write

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The ability to be social

Basic writing skills, or the ability to write simply and clearly, is a must, regardless of the job you end up in.

Structuring your documents and your arguments logically is essential in almost every position in the workplace. Whether you’re writing a WhatsApp message, an email or a report, clear writing that is free of errors is crucial for the workplace.

We often think of work as something that is mechanical and without emotion, but work is done by people! Social skills are necessary for you to relate to your boss, your colleagues and your clients on a human level. The best people to work with are friendly and approachable, without getting too personal, and helpful without doing other people’s work for them.

Gossiping or making inappropriate comments is a social nono in any office and can even cost you your job!

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The future belongs to those who believe in the beauty of their dreams.”

– Eleanor Roosevelt

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THE EDUCATION KING WHO FELL IN LOVE WITH HIS STATUE

goes private

KING PYGMALION Pygmalion was a Greek king and sculptor who fell in love with a statue he had made. Director for Futures Research at Stellenbosch University, Dr Morne Mostert, argues that the South African education system has made the same mistake.

The perfect storm has arrived…

I

Dr Morne Mostert

t has been almost 10 years since I posited a model for leadership education in a near-chaotic future.

It was in the first publication of Systemic Leadership Learning – Leadership Development in the Era of Complexity, a book that has since been a prescribed text for several international programmes on executive education.

The book argued for a radically new approach to the development of leadership education in which systemic interconnectedness would govern the conceptualisation, design, facilitation and assessment of learning in a hyper-complex future.

Almost a decade later, we’re more connected globally than at any other time in human history. Contagion as a construct, or how we influence and ‘infect’ the people and places around us, has moved far beyond the study of disease and now helps us to understand economics too. Despite this, until very recently, education has remained largely confined to students in buildings, with strongly classified subject areas, delivered by teachers or professors.

Despite how much and how fast our society and the world we live in has changed over the past 50 years, education is one of the few sectors that has remained immune to the contagion. You could be forgiven for thinking that our current system is a time traveller from the First Industrial Revolution, and not a one from the Fourth Industrial Revolution!

Apart from minor innovations, and despite islands of excellence in research and a few

experimental models, the basic model of education that most of us endure has not changed for centuries.

Despite how much and how fast our society and the world we live in has changed over the past 50 years, education is one of the few sectors that has remained immune to the contagion Willing students attend school, and by this we mean ‘go to’ a bricks-and-mortar institution, where they sit in classrooms often organised in rows (like factories from that first industrial revolution) and learn according to a timetable set by those in power. They have to follow a curriculum in a linear way, as deemed appropriate by other power figures who are even further removed from the lives and communities that the learners come from.

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THE EDUCATION KING WHO FELL IN LOVE WITH HIS STATUE One wonders, naturally, whether learning and education grinded to a halt with previous crises and pandemics, when technology was less evolved. Did society, at all levels, simply stop learning? This doesn’t seem likely! The questions that stem from that realisation are even more probing: Why do we even have an education system in the first place? What role should it play in society, and how can it be designed in a more agile, dynamic and much less fragile way? And, critically, who will lead the charge?

Education is traditionally considered to be a public good. It offers a learning journey that enables members of societies to develop cohesive sets of values, a common understanding of science and shared mental models of operation. In short, education is supposed to make us more sociable, teach us the fundamentals of the world around us, and allow us to think and operate in similar ways to the people around us.

Disruption on the cards for a long time For this reason, the education sector has been primed for disruption for decades.

And this has been the case across all its levels, with the different phases of education seldom presented as joyous explorations of curiosity. More frequently, they are seen as disciplined preparation for the phase that follows.

This showcased the emergence of the digital elite, as those with access to technology could learn, while those who lacked the skills or resources to take their learning online could not This is clear on reflection: kindergarten scheduling and primary school ‘training’ prepares us for secondary school, and anxiety about preparation for jobs and higher education starts already in high school, with education and training often placed at opposite sides of the post-school education journey.

And when crisis struck, the system behaved the way all rigid systems do: it battened down the hatches and reverted to what it considers its core. In the case of education, that core revealed itself in the form of curriculum continuity, or consistency in its flow.

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Depending on government alone deprives us of other possible offerings Across the length and breadth of the education system, curriculum centricity was the guiding light. And when experts in the field measured the losses, metrics were largely done against curriculum completion levels. This means that success or failure was measured according to how much of the school work was done, and how many learners managed to complete the ‘level’.

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For the most creative, it offers opportunities to innovate and advance science and artistic expression in all its expansive richness, allowing other members of society to benefit in the interest of bettering and advancing the world we live in.

However, the public good may be served by many role players. Indeed, a vibrant society, like any healthy system, allows for necessary variety: a spectrum of diversity essential for multiple perspectives and networked stability for greater sustainability.

This means that, if we depend on the government alone for quality education, we deprive society of the potential richness of other possible offerings.

This is especially true in a country like South Africa, where a number of significant characteristics are present for the disruption of education, far beyond just a government-centred approach.

THE EDUCATION KING WHO FELL IN LOVE WITH HIS STATUE

These characteristics that prime us for the perfect storm and the emergence of educational privatisation include: he state’s weak and limited 01 T capacity and the poor quality of what is currently offered.

02 S ignificant constraints in government revenue, made worse by debt.

03 Perceptions of low ethics. constitutional democracy with 04 A vast guarantees of freedom.

05 A sophisticated business sector.

06 S table and widespread academic and media freedom.

But because stakeholder capitalism is calming the shareholder-dominated version of the phenomenon, privatisation has taken a more socially conscious tone.

Even the South African Government, in a formal alliance with the Communist Party, has agreed to the partial privatisation of its national airline, South African Airways.

With a signal like this, the private sector’s appetite to get involved in sectors that were previously considered ‘public’ increases and accelerates.

Social consciousness will be particularly relevant in a sector as socially delicate as education.

turbulent higher 07 A education sector.

08 High unemployment.

Disruption brings change If you’re not familiar with the term, disruption can seem like a bad thing, but disruption brings change! In the field of innovation, it is rightly said that systems which are receptive to disruption become this way because of outdated offerings, changing social conditions and the shifting needs of the market. A study of radical innovations also reveals that such disruptions are often born outside the boundaries of the traditional system. This means that disruptions come from outside, and that creative change rarely happens from within a system.

09 Vast underserved needs. ducation as a central 10 E societal value.

Privatisation brings growing competition

The Cremora effect - ‘it’s not inside, it’s on top!’

When I consult with clients, this contextual consciousness has become known as ‘the Cremora effect’, from the popular advert from 1985 with the tagline ‘it’s not inside, it’s on top!’ When it comes to disruption of a system, it is seldom inside, and careful attention must therefore be paid to spot the external disruptor. In South Africa, that disruptor is the vibrant private sector. That sector’s reading of the societal landscape that education is a part of has shown us some very notable prospects.

SA in perfect position for disruption by private sector If these 10 characteristics are viewed together, then it is clear that South Africa finds itself in the perfect position for private players to disrupt the education sector.

But with privatisation comes ideological dilemmas. These are partially moderated by the realities of competition.

Competition has come under increasing scrutiny in recent years as the dark underbelly of capitalism became exposed.

Thus, education is entering an era of increasing privatisation and therefore growing competition – a strange fellow in the education sector. While some form of competition has always existed, even among public providers, this new era will see a much sharper focus on, and notable advancements in customer service.

In the past, schools, colleges and universities of the state have always had to serve customers, but the power dynamics between customers and providers are shifting in a big way! Increased privatisation will lead to increased options for the customer, and that will mean the sector will have to start spending a lot more time on understanding real and real-time customer needs. These customer needs will display themselves in various aspects of educational offerings, and will be seen in a number of different ways.

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THE EDUCATION KING WHO FELL IN LOVE WITH HIS STATUE

A model to show some of the dominant elements of educational competitiveness Fig. 1 Educational Competitiveness Model Figure 1 reveals an intricate framework of seven key aspects or dimensions of educational competitiveness. It is anticipated that these elements will operate at various levels of significance for various strata of education.

All seven will, however, be relevant to some degree for all offerings, from kindergarten to PhD level.

The model proposes that holistic competitive strategy in private education must encompass all seven elements.

THE SEVEN ELEMENTS

1

Mental and intellectual domain The mental and intellectual domain refers to the development of the overall management of the mind. Intellectual development will include classical academic competence, including traditional memory-based learning. But this dimension is deliberately not called

‘academic’, as it needs to move towards intellectual agility and creativity, essential for complex problem solving. Naturally, it will include preparation for further academic study, but it is the development of broader intellectual competence that will lead to increased individual competitiveness. On mental development, educational providers will have to rapidly expand their offering for the support of

mental well-being in both curative and preventative ways.

2

Physical domain Physical dimensions of education will become increasingly critical, even as Covid-19 has destroyed physical development through sports and institutions have moved in favour of curriculum continuity. This domain will include traditional sports development but will expand into mind-body integration as the science of holistic health advances. It’s easy to see how hygiene, personal disease management, immunity and substance management will become part of a more modern curriculum on physical education as students at all levels are exposed to a complex world of medicaments for an expanding array of ailments.

3

Personal, social and cultural domain For as long as there is a society, the presence of other humans means that there must be a focus on education on the personal, social and cultural domain. Selfmanagement, in all its dimensions, will rise dramatically as an essential skill, while the

THE EDUCATION KING WHO FELL IN LOVE WITH HIS STATUE

need for relational competence will equally expand as cultures connect and shift. The intricate processes of interpreting and finding a common ground on social norms will only become more important as society becomes more complex.

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Professional domain There was a prehistoric time, when all ‘education’ was profession-oriented, but it has become the preserve of specialist institutions which understand the demands of the market. In private education, equally subject to market demands, we can expect to see a merging of general education and preparation for work. The naming here is once again deliberate. Preparation for the rapidly shifting world of work will not only focus on career training, but will include ‘hedging competencies’, or those skills that will be needed irrespective of your chosen profession. Linear career development will almost certainly give way to competency clusters, which allow for greater career agility. Private education providers are likely to tap into the raised levels of social anxiety about unemployment and job security, and are highly likely to promote employability as part of their unique selling points.

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Infrastructure High quality education will continue to demand high quality infrastructure, but traditional infrastructure will give way to its digital equivalent. It is becoming apparent that, for technologicallyintermediated education to be attractive to the market, digital infrastructure must be much more than simply pointing a laptop camera at a teacher. Digital education will move closer to what is experienced today as interactive television productions. To produce ‘shows’ of such quality will require extensive investment. It also demands ‘warm infrastructure’, or rather, the human talent available at an institution to design, facilitate and curate learning in a highly engaging way. We’re just a few steps away from virtual and augmented reality entering our higher education and learning environments.

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Philosophy As social complexity intensifies, myriad mind-sets are revealed. The education system is highly sensitive to the social climate that it operates in. As cultures move closer to one another, the philosophical distinctions and differences between them are likely to become more

noticeable. In private sector environments, profit as the main philosophical driver for business is quickly being replaced by higher order purpose. With an increasingly socially and ecologically conscious society, and the expansion of global communities, some private providers will distinguish themselves by their philosophical stance, and position themselves and the offerings within specific value-systems.

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Brand prestige With the combination of factors described above, new brands of educational providers will undoubtedly emerge. In the traditional system, it was mainly the age of the institution, its geographical location and its notable alumni that established its reputation.

These reputations took many decades (sometimes centuries) to cultivate. As a lateral example, the phenomenon of unicorn companies (privately owned with $1bn plus valuations soon after launch) have shown how reputations can be established now at previously unimagined timeframes. Despite loud global calls for equality, status is a very stubborn part of our societal architecture and brands in education will serve this universal human need.

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THE EDUCATION KING WHO FELL IN LOVE WITH HIS STATUE

The seeds of various futures already exist The future is often mistakenly interpreted as a single entity on a linear development path. In other words, the future is often believed to be one thing. Consider, for example, the future of education. In Futures Science, multiple futures are always recognised. One reason for this is that more than one future is always possible!

The seeds of various futures already exist. Depending on the drivers of

complexity, such as choice and speed, a whole spectrum of possible futures may be produced, even when we just take the current trends into consideration.

And that excludes trends still to come!

Another reason that we assume multiple futures is that no single reality can

explain even the present we’re living in!

Is education today public or private? Is it online or in-person? Is it available to the rich or the poor? Is it available to all or some? In all those cases, the answer is both! The future, therefore, will also show a spectrum of reality, even at a single horizon. This will also be true for how the competitiveness model described earlier will manifest itself. Private models will not be without problems.

The pricing model exposed The Covid-19 pandemic has, for example, exposed the pricing model of many private providers. A request for a detailed invoice of the generic ‘tuition fee’ is often met with blank stares. Parents, guardians or sponsors are expected to pay for facilities that are worked into the pricing plan, despite the fact that those facilities are not used. There can’t be many other businesses where the customer is expected to fund an investment decision in which they had no part, and to which they are neither party nor privy, on the basis that the business wants to continue to remain profitable.

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In almost all other businesses, when the customer ceases to use the product, they also cease the payment Furthermore, private providers will have to keep up and will need a deep talent pool to respond to notable shifts. Already members of the new generation of ‘coronials’ and ‘quaranteens’ have proven themselves to be able to learn on their own (i.e. autodidactic), outside of a traditional classroom setting,

and capable of absorbing content in non-linear ways, often outside of the teaching schedule.

Since very few private providers, apart from leading research institutions, invent any new content or methodology, the main differentiation for many providers may be limited to domains of the model and how they implement them in practice. Naturally, not all education will be privatised.

And private education will not be available to all. But even within private education itself, a whole range of options will become available.

THE EDUCATION KING WHO FELL IN LOVE WITH HIS STATUE

Differentiation to set providers apart Because of the nature of competitiveness, and the canon of private business behaviour, it may be reasonable to expect that private providers will work towards differentiation. i.e. how they set themselves apart. Different institutions will most likely specialise in a selection of domains in order to compete.

It is also conceivable that future students, at all levels, will choose different providers for different services. In that scenario, a student will not ‘attend’ only one institution, but many at the same time!

For example, you might attend mental and intellectual development at an international institution while procuring physical development closer to home where you have easier access to the physical infrastructure you need. This option will become increasingly available

as international providers enter the South African market, as has already started to occur.

It is also easy to imagine how, even within the same institution, different models will be offered on the educational menu. Some will certainly offer more comprehensive menus than others and many will have modular offerings, by which we mean that they will allow students to make a selection from the domains, with a commensurate modular pricing structure.

The perfect storm has arrived The government monopoly on education is rapidly coming to an end. The futurist must observe the shifting landscape with sobriety and, where possible, without paradigmatic embeddedness. The futurist must keep an open mind. Despite the risks of competition, the pitfalls of privatisation and the merits of equality, the attractiveness of the opportunities in the education sector will lead to a spectrum of private educational offerings.

This education evolution could contribute greatly to much-needed innovation. The nostalgia of youth will offer no resistance.

The education system has been disruptionreceptive for decades, and the perfect storm has now arrived.

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Practical skills FOR ANY OCCASION

IMMERSIVE LEARNING

Learn the right thing… the right way!

There isn’t just one way to learn and your specific needs are as unique as you are. That is why you should choose a course that will be offered in a way that works for you, advises Karen Gray, CEO at Gray Training.

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ach person has a unique learning style, and understanding your own learning style isn’t just important for studying – it can be beneficial in other areas of your life too. Knowing how you interact with information and the world around you can save you from studying in the wrong way. This means you can study smarter, not harder.

The trick is to figure out which style applies to you. That is why we use a number of tests and techniques to make sure that we cater to your unique learning style during training.

Whether you’re in a group or getting oneon-one sessions with one of our facilitators, we want to know that you’re going to get the most from our courses.

Tailor-made to suit your schedule

Credit: Gray Training 2012

Group training sessions are a nice way to engage with not only with the learning material, but also other course participants who share your interests.

Another way to master the skills you need is to have one-on-one coaching sessions. This option is great if you have specific needs and want something that will be more valuable to you on a personal development level. It also means that your training is tailored to suit your schedule. You learn at your own pace, when you’re available.

All the courses are available as coached options. This means, for example, that instead of attending full-day training for five days, you can attend coaching sessions from 06:00 to 08:00 daily over the course of a month. You can also attend five Saturday sessions and get the same results. Coaching develops your skills in terms of your specific needs. The training will, therefore, be more personalised and specifically tailored for your immediate use.

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IMMERSIVE LEARNING

Share great ideas

A practical way to grow everyone’s skills in our beautiful country is to share ideas.

Karen posts regular tips on LinkedIn. Here are a few useful tips for you to use immediately:

3 top tips for public speaking

are critical skills in today’s world The following courses are offered to help you not only survive, but thrive in the work-place of the future: • Connect with culture Celebrate the diversity in your workplace by embracing the similarities and differ-ences between you. This one-day workshop will teach you how to walk in another person’s shoes, and how to open your heart to the power of being connected with others.

• Make that decision – the right way Identify what stops you from making effective decisions and master practical steps to reshape your decision-making strategies. This one-day workshop allows you to learn through experience as you engage in a structured process with your team.

• Think critically Master the crucial life skill of critical thinking in this practical, two-day workshop. You will learn how to weigh up evidence, test for relevance and validity, and draw meaningful conclusions.

• Know your subject – You must be as comfortable with your topic as you are in your favourite slippers.

• Memorise your opening and closing sentences – Snappy openings and closings bracket your speech and give it punch.

• Look at the audience – Let your audience feel as though you are talking to each of them.

3 top tips for writing an email • Begin appropriately – ‘Good morning’ or ‘Good day’ are always appropriate for professional emails.

• Write short, simple, grammatically correct sentences – it’s respectful!

• Keep paragraphs focused and short (3 lines on average) – pare down the content till you have reduced it to the essentials.

• Present it right

3 top tips for lifelong learning

See yourself transformed from hesitancy to confidence as you present, learn from your mistakes, and present again. This two-day workshop will accelerate your professional growth.

• Be curious – Explore reputable sites for interesting ideas and opinions.

• Be critical – Always look for alternative ways to view, think about and use new content.

• Be capable – Use your new learning, try it out, see how it fits, and let it expand your capabilities.

• Write it right Master practical techniques for writing clear, succinct and professional emails in this one-day workshop. You will see visible progress in your professional writing skills

Gray Training offer the following range of accredited workshops: • Assessment tool design workshop

• Facilitate the learning workshop

• Assessor workshop

• Moderator workshop

• Develop great learning material

• Needs analysis workshop

These workshops are all accredited by the ETDP SETA

Website: gray-matters.com | Emails: General enquiries – training@gray-matters.com | Quotes and invoices – accounts@gray-matters.com Karen Gray – karen.gray@gray-matters.com | Phone numbers: Office Cell: +27 (0)67 325 5353 | Office Landline: +27 (0)11 472 3516 In everything you do, remember Gray Training’s motto: Learn it… link it… live it Explore how we can help you learn the right thing – the right way 35 years of experience in the training space THE ULTI MATE CAREER GUI DE SP R ING 2021

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LAST WORD

THE EFFICACY OF ‘INTERDEPENDENCE’ Umntu ngumntu ngabantu/motho ke motho kabatho - human beings are interdependent and do not exist in isolation from one another. This is an important lesson, often pointed out by African philosophers who have reflected on the meaning of life from the Ubuntu/Botho philosophical perspectives, that we should never forget, writes Simphiwe Sesanti.

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oung people are often taught the importance of “independence” but not given the enabling tools to be “independent”. Outside the context of “interdependence”, this may lead to a lack of confidence and low self-esteem when you have grown up poor and vulnerable.

Over-confidence and arrogance, on the other hand, are often the result when you have grown up with supporting, enabling tools or foundations.

An academic certificate does not guarantee you a job and seeing graduates without jobs can leave those not yet qualified without hope. It should be remembered, even in this state of hopelessness, that a qualified person stands a better chance of securing a job than an unqualified person. It must be emphasised that a person who has no sense of hope does not have a reason to live and is as good as dead. You need to learn that hope and a sense of determination are important to achieve your dreams regardless of how gloomy the situation may be. History has shown us great figures who, during the ‘worst’ of their moments have performed the ‘best’ of their deeds. Such figures have been presented as

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‘extra-ordinary’ human beings, yet this has not been the case. Great achievers, as the wise among us have pointed out, have not been ‘extra-ordinary’ human beings, but ‘ordinary’ human beings who have performed ‘extraordinary’ deeds.

Look at challenging times as opportunities to bring out the best in you As you leave school, anxious and confronted by uncertainties, you could look at these challenging times as opportunities to bring out the best in you. In your quest to succeed, remember to face challenges not only with determination and confidence, which can easily turn into aggression and arrogance, but also with a sense of humility. Humility means that you should not be shy to ask for support and guidance, even as you aim to act ‘independently’. Independence should go along with interdependence.

Such is the teaching of Ubuntu/Botho philosophy – Umntu ngumntu ngabantu/ motho ke motho kabatho – our humanity

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Simphiwe Sesanti is a professor at the University of the Western Cape’s (UWC) Faculty of Education

gets fulfilled by exercising interdependence with our fellow human beings. As you forge ahead, support each other instead of being involved in destructive competition. Ubuntu/ Botho places a great emphasis on the need for interdependence.

African philosophers have pointed out that, from conception to birth, human beings are completely dependent on their mothers. After birth, you depend on your community and not just your parents for your upbringing. This illustrates interdependence on your journey to develop a personality.

If this formula of interdependence proves successful, it can yield greater results if put to use more. Today, the value of interdependence is not achieving its potential outcomes as too many people are only looking out for number one at the expense of others. The tragic consequence of such selfishness is that many people are marginalised. They may turn to crime and become a threat to others.

Many of the world’s ‘best’ developments were engineered during the ‘worst’ of moments by young people. You, as today’s youth, can do the same through ‘interdependence’.