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Career choices, bursaries and work opportunities post matric – life after school can be daunting.
But help is at hand for Grade 11 and Grade 12 pupils. The Gordon Institute of Business Science (Gibs) hosts its annual CareerExpo on Saturday at its Illovo campus in Sandton.
Now in its 11th consecutive year, the CareerExpo – which has grown exponentially over the years, having reached more 20 000 pupils – promises to be an enlightening experience.
The expo – a Gibs Centre for Leadership and Dialogue initiative in conjunction with MTN – is targeted at high-achieving grade 11 and 12 pupils from non-fee paying, inner city and township schools to former model C and private schools around Gauteng. It aims to empower these pupils with information on possible career choices, bursaries and work opportunities post matric.
“It is not uncommon to find that pupils often do not get opportunities to engage and reflect their future prospects and find themselves choosing the wrong careers and tertiary studies due to lack of information,” said Luleka Mtongana from Gibs.
“The CareerExpo serves as a platform to help these youth make the right choices in their transition from high school toward a better informed future.”
The easy-to-navigate floor plan is spread over two floors and will feature pavilions dedicated to recruiting, career services, youth employment, education and training and entrepreneurship. This will give the pupils an opportunity to chat to more than 75 exhibitors on the day.
“In addition, the expo will give students the opportunity to participate in break-away sessions with professionals such as entrepreneurs, architects, scientists, engineers, lawyers, aviation experts and they will have the opportunity to ask questions and get advice on their prospective career choices,” said Mtongana.
Teachers accompanying pupils will once again be taken through the popular “teach like a hero” programme, which is aimed at their personal development. This session has been highly rated by past participants as it is designed to inspire, encourage and equip teachers with tools that will help them guide pupils reach their fullest potential.
“Because of the economic downswing, we feel it is imperative that we continue with this initiative and give pupils an opportunity that will help them make better informed decisions about their future choices. South Africa is grappling with the dilemma of skills shortage vs graduates who are either underemployed or not employed at all. There is a mismatch which needs intervention and initiatives like the Gibs CareerExpo have a huge effect on the lives of pupils who are transitioning from high school to the next level,” says Shireen Chengadu, executive director of the Centre for Leadership and Dialogue at Gibs.
“We hope that this expo will open a window of possibilities for the pupils and will motivate them to work harder to realise their dreams,” says Larry Annetts, chief consumer officer at MTN SA.
