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Financial Services Careers for Pure Maths school leavers CAREERS AVAILABLE IN FINANCIAL SERVICES Click on any of the blue role titles below to watch a short video about that role:
INVESTMENT MANAGER
ACTUARY
Manages portfolios of securities on behalf of investors by making investment decisions and overseeing the implementation of investment strategy and trading activities. (Investment Management Company / Stockbroker)
Applies analytical, statistical and mathematical skills to financial and business problems, in particular the probabilities of events occurring and their financial consequences. (Life Insurance / General Insurance / Investment Management / Bank / Medical Aid Scheme / Retirement Fund)
INVESTMENT ANALYST
FINANCIAL ACCOUNTANT
aka PORTFOLIO / MONEY / FUND MANAGER:
aka RESEARCH / FINANCIAL / SECURITIES ANALYST Uses financial models and a range of other tools and inputs to analyse investment opportunities to then make recommendations to investment managers. (Investment Management Company / Stockbroker)
TRADER
aka DEALER Trades in securities on a dealing desk to implement the portfolio decisions made by investment managers. (Investment Management Company / Stockbroker)
Manages, summarises, analyses and reports on a company’s financial transactions. (Investment Management Company / Insurance Company / Stockbroker / Bank)
FINANCIAL ADVISOR
aka BROKER / FINANCIAL PLANNER Assesses clients’ financial needs and then recommends a plan of action and appropriate products to meet their needs. (Investment Management Company / Life Insurance Company / Independent Financial Advisory Practices)
WHAT TO STUDY ~ THE PATH TO BECOMING A PROFESSIONAL What to study immediately after school: •
Commerce degrees with majors in Accounting / Finance / Actuarial Science / Statistics / Auditing / Financial planning / Investment Management / Economics / Information Systems or a combination of these;
•
Science degrees with majors in Mathematics / Statistics
•
Any Engineering degree
Once you graduate from university you can continue to study to become a professional. Click on each profession listed here to see what to study at university: • • • • •
Chartered Financial Analyst (CFA) Actuary Chartered Accountant (CA) Certified Financial Planner (CFP) Trader
Note: Your course of study will only be one of a number of factors that employers consider when hiring graduates.
FINANCIAL SUPPORT FOR YOUR UNIVERSITY STUDIES Click here to see list of organisations where you can apply for financial support for your university studies.
DEFYING GRAVITY BY MICHELLE GEEL
They say when life hands you lemons make lemonade, but the reality is that many students feel lost and unable to become who they want to be, because of finance, geographical location, or personal challenges. It’s easy to give up, to let go of study dreams or working within ones passion because of outside factors, but true success will be determined by those who are willing to try another route to get to the top.
People ask as we grow up, what we want to be. As small children our answer is generally pretty basic and typically influenced by the careers we are frequently exposed to: doctor, police officer, trash collector, etc. Even after we’ve reached adulthood sometimes our ideas of career opportunities can be pretty narrow and single goal orientated.
slightly different and unique opportunities to you. Maybe, pursuing a study option that isn’t what you originally thought you had to do, will assist you to not just be employed, but be SELF employed and perhaps employ others. A skill set that is vital in a country with such steep unemployment rates.
Becoming aware of the vast array of differFor many, it isn’t until we reach Matric, and ing career opportunities is a great way to find begin exploring the realities of different alternative ways in which to meet your career careers where we suddenly realise that there goals. Frequently, we are unaware of a is so much more to becoming a Vet, number of job openings that are available that Accountant, Doctor, Scientist, or even a Law- meet these goals because we are unsure of yer than we previously thought; there are spe- the variety of similar positions out there. As you step into the job market be sure to cialties within specialties. It is around keep an open eye for these potential this point when it is advantageous to alternative careers. realise that there are multitudes of ways in which to achieve projected A few key points to remember when career goals, and that our possibly facing your future study options: single minded idea of what we wanted study or become, but perhaps can’t 1. The obstacle is the way - It was due to circumstances, has other Aurelius, emperor of Rome who first equally exciting alternative options, if penned the thought, “the obstacle is we are willing to consider them. the way.” Sometimes, the very thing that we think is stopping us from getting where we want to be is the Sometimes finding an alternative path thing that turns us to another path for to your career goals can have a number of additional benefits. For instance, us to follow. Don’t see all obstacles as the end some Doctors assistants and nurse of the line and give up. practitioners make almost as much as normal doctors. However, these two alternative ca2. Growth and comfort cannot exist – If you reers have the added benefit of fewer years of want to succeed, you sometimes need to feel higher education and far fewer student loans. out of your depth. So, you don’t have the We have to sometimes be willing to change means to be a Vet. Well there are great how we approach our traditional study ideas, correspondence courses that can help you to in lieu of something that will still allow us to work with animals and start your own busiwork within a field we love, Law or ness… if you are willing to step out of your Accounting, for example without being a comfort zone. Lawyer or Accountant. 3. Focus on the goal – It’s easy to throw in the Additionally, alternative careers within the towel when your plan goes awry. But if you career sector you love and want to work keep a clear focus (to have your own in may have more flexible schedules that Accounting business for example) you will suit your lifestyle a bit better, and may offer find ways to make it happen, even if a
University course isn’t possible.
It is really easy to give up when things what 4. Manage your internal dialogue – start we want, don’t look speaking positively to yourself. We are our possible, but the people who will go on to own worst enemies. If that course you wanted make a success of themselves and create to do, isn’t a possibility, don’t say “this is employment and prosperity, are those who impossible, I’ll never do this”, ask yourself find another way of getting there, who reach a little higher and believe that they can defy what you are going to do to find another option to follow your passion. gravity. 5. Tenacity will take you through hard times When it comes to habits in those who have triumphed over adversity, tenacity is a pretty essential trait. “Many want success, but aren’t willing to accept the challenges the road to greatness demands,” Henry Ford -- founder of Ford Motor Company -- certainly encountered many challenges. His early businesses flopped and he went bankrupt no less than five times before finally achieving success. To become tenacious you need to learn from setbacks Just because you haven’t got the grades to do your first choice of study, or live in a small town or are from a poor area, or you don’t have 8 years to study to start a career, doesn’t mean that you can’t find alternative ways to work in a field you love and make a great life for yourself.
ICT The Tomorrow Land of Today Scarce and Critical skills are defined as “an absolute or relative demand: current or in future; for skilled; qualified and experienced people to fill particular roles / professions, occupations or specialisations in the labour market. Critical skills refers to particular capabilities needed within an occupation, for example, general management skills, communication and customer handling skills, teamwork skills, and communication technology skills. There is also a distinction between absolute and relative scarcity of skills. Absolute scarcity refers to suitably skilled people who are not available in the labour market and may include new or emerging occupation, lack of suitably qualified people or insufficient numbers of people enrolled in programmes to meet the new demands. Relative scarcity refers to suitably skilled
people available in the labour market but who may not necessarily have a high level of work experience, may not be located within a specific geographical location and equity considerations.
ICT is a key economic sector
ICT is evolving almost on a daily basis, such is the speed of new technology. In a simplified fashion, ICT is anything that will transmit or receive information in a digital form, store and retrieve data via personal computers, email, your digital television or smart phone, using software and satellite systems. ICT isn’t all about computers, but how we use technology. The logic behind the critical skills list is not quite as simple as ‘we have a skills shortage, we must fill the skills shortage’. The industries and sectors on the list are chosen carefully. They must benefit South Africa in a tangible way and drive our economy forward. ICT meets both these criteria.
Way back in 2013, the South African ICT sector contributed approximately 8.2% to South Africa’s GDP. The total rand value was R468.4 billion. That is more than what agriculture added to the GDP in the same year.
As for the ‘tangible’ factor – with the correct skills in place:
• South Africa can continue to be the leader in Africa in this field. • South Africa can continue to attract world leaders in ICT to our shores. IBM, Microsoft and Dell are just three major companies • Already running subsidiaries in the country. • South Africa can develop new systems, technologies and software. These could add even more to the GDP. Specific opportunities within ICT The occupations within each sector on the South African critical skills list are also considered carefully. It is again those that will benefit the South African economy most that comes out tops.
skills that South Africa needs to fulfil its development objectives. The 2018 National List of Occupations in High Demand highlights the jobs showing strong employment growth or those experiencing, or about to experience, labour market shortages. While 335 jobs are deemed to be high demand, a raft of ICT skills are among the approximately 100 ranked as being in highest demand. These are chief information officer (CIO), ICT project manager, data management manager, application development manager, information systems manager, IT manager, computer quality assurance specialist and ICT communications assistant.
Higher- and high-demand occupations in the ICT sphere include ICT systems analyst, software developer, ICT risk specialist, programmer analyst, developer programmer, applications programmer, data quality officer, decision support analyst, computer network technician, geographic information system In the ICT sector, the following specialists and technicians, multimedia positions are listed: designer and web designer, web developer, • Cisco solution specialist database designer and administrator, • Cisco engineer computer network and systems engineer, • Solutions Architects in Telecommunications network analyst and ICT security specialist. and ICT • Integrated developers (PHP, Perl, Java) When it comes to meeting any sustainable • Network Analyst development goal, digital technologies play • IT Security Specialist a huge role. It is therefore, both appropriate • System Integration Specialist and encouraging that the communities of • Enterprise Architecture practice around ICTs for agriculture, • Data Centre Operations education, livelihoods, water and sanitation, • Network Specialist (security) etc. are thriving. • Database Specialists • Microsoft System Engineers So, going forward, there will always be a need • Network Controllers for quality ICT studies through reputable • AV Specialists (anti-virus) institutions. ICT jobs are among the critical and scarce
10 Ways To Protect Yourself From Human Trafficking Everyday there are chilling reports of abducted women and children in South Africa. This form of modern day slavery involves people abducting, luring or pressuring victims for the purpose of using them for forced labour or forced sexual acts for money. Young women are the most likely to be trafficked and forced to become sex slaves, prostitutes, workers or even street beggars. The following points will help you to be safe, and please share with family members and friends.
1. Be Vigilant Of Your Surroundings
Always be vigilant and aware of your surroundings. People are often distracted by their phones or other little things when walking. Make sure that you’re aware of what’s going on around you so that you can spot when something is off. If you notice a person or a car following you, alert someone you trust immediately.
2. Avoid Walking Alone
Women have been forcibly kidnapped while walking on the street. You shouldn’t have to be restricted when you go out and it may seem unfair that you always have to be on the lookout, but for your own safety, try not to walk alone – especially in quiet areas.
3. Act Swiftly If Suspicious
Go into the nearest building and wait for the person or car to leave. Alert someone in the building that you’re being followed or call someone to pick you up if you can. Also, let someone you know that you’re going out and what time they can expect you to arrive at your destination.
4. Don’t Trust Easily
Some people who are trafficked are approached by strangers offering them a job or some kind of opportunity (like a modeling or singing career). Traffickers can approach you anywhere, on social media, at school, in the mall and even outside your house. Some traffickers might try to befriend you or form a relationship with you so that you trust them enough. Women can also be traffickers and are often used to lure victims because they seem more trusting than men.
5. Use Social Media Wisely
Be suspicious of strangers who approach you after you’ve posted something personal on your social media profile and their suddenly offering you help, advice, money, a place to stay or a job opportunity. If you’re getting random messages from people on social media, check your privacy settings, turn off your location settings on social media and only make your posts visible to your friends (not to the public). Also avoid checking in to places on social media (while you’re at the place especially).
6. Be Ready For Anything
Carry pepper spray with you on your keychain. You also need to mentally prepare yourself to fight off the abductor. If you begin to be attacked, make a scene, yell for help, and fight back like your life depends on it (because it probably does)
7. Use Your Phone
Allow 3 of your closest friends or family members to track your phone via GPS so they know your whereabouts at all times. You can do with on most cell phones and allow a select few to have access to your location for 1 hour, 1 day, or indefinitely.
8. Trust Your Instincts
Listen to the intuitive voice inside your head. Check with family and friends for advice if you get offers that are too good to be true. Do Internet searches or background checks on the person wanting you to meet with them. Say no and see how they react. Look for signs of abusive or possessive behaviors. Is the person trying to isolate or turn you against family and friends? If so, avoid that person.
9. Meet Strangers In Public Places
Don’t let anyone know where you live until you get to know them. So for a date, meet them at a public place for the first few times until you get to know them and feel comfortable. Also stay in contact with friends and family if you’re out and about alone or with someone you don’t know very well
10. Seek Help From Reliable Organizations
Traffickers also prey on young people who run away from home. If you’re having trouble at home, instead of running away and putting yourself at risk of being kidnapped or lured into dangerous, life-threatening situations by traffickers, rather seek help. You can seek counselling by calling Childline on 0800 055 555 or the South African Depression and Anxiety Group (SADAG) on 0800 12 13 14
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Different strokes for different folks By Michelle Geel
Whether you’re interested in ocean jobs or are more the freshwater type, there are tonnes of opportunities to get in or near the ocean. From highly technical to high activity careers, if your heart is in the water there is something out there for you.
Aquaculture worker Like a farmer, an aquaculture worker is part of the agricultural field, but instead of raising livestock and tending to crops on land, they raise fish and shellfish and maintain their watery habitats. A high-school diploma may be needed; physical stamina, strength and mechanical skills are a must. On-the-job training is usually provided.
cation and training to dive alone or in certain areas. You’d also need knowledge of the tools and equipment that are used on the job. Fisherman People imagine fishing to be a relaxing activity, but it’s a different story altogether when it’s what you do for a living. This is a laborintensive job; fishermen work with a crew to locate fish, set up fishing nets and traps and sort, pack and store their catches. When not catching fish, they’re cleaning and maintaining the ship.
Traditional education is not needed to be a fisherman, but it does help to go through a two-year vocational-technical Aquarist program. Most fishermen learn on An aquarist is an animal care worker that works specifically with fish and other species the job. Working that live in aquariums—think of aquarists like on a large commercial fishing vessel underwater zookeepers. They’re responsible for aquarium maintenance, as well as feeding requires a training course approved a and monitoring the animals to ensure they governing body are healthy. A high-school diploma is a minimum requirement; a bachelor’s degree usually is needed to specifically work with marine life. Degrees in marine biology, animal science, biology or a related field are most common.
Hydrologist
As the name implies, hydrologists study everything about water, including its properties, distribution and movement through the atmosphere. Basically, hydroloCommercial diver gists are charged with making sure there’s Ready to take the plunge? Commercial divers enough water to support all life on earth for use scuba gear to do underwater work such as the long term. They look for ways to minimize erosion and environmental pollution, repairing, removing or installing equipment and use technology to forecast future water and structures, conducting tests and experiments, rigging explosives and photographing supplies, floods, the spread of pollution and marine life. A commercial diver needs certifi- other events.
Hydrologists need a bachelor’s degree, but many also get a master’s degree.
The SA Navy as an attractive employer of choice aims at recruiting suitable candidates to satisfy its requirements. The SA Navy Lifeguard strives to attract the right quality and quantity of skilled or potential employees/memWater lovers, this job ensures there’s always bers (uniform or civilian) in order to meet a chair waiting for you—and it’s far from the Departments’ strategic and operational the corner office. Lifeguards monitor pools, objectives. The Department of Defence has beaches and any other recreation areas with a training programme called Military Skills a body of water nearby to ensure safety rules Development (MSD) programme which aims are followed and to provide assistance when a at developing the youth by giving them a rescue is necessary. variety of skills which they can utilise in and No formal education is needed to be a lifeoutside the DoD. The MSD is the main feeder guard, but specific training and certifications of the SA Navy essentially for members who are necessary through an organisation such wish to serve in uniform. as Lifesaving SA http://www.navy.mil.za/SANCareers/MSD_ programme.htm
Marine biologist
Perhaps the most well-known of ocean jobs, marine biologists study saltwater organisms and how they interact with their ecosystem—and considering up to 80% of all life on earth is found under the sea, marine biologists have their work cut out for them. They conduct studies either in controlled settings or natural habitats to analyze the characteristics, reproduction and movement patterns of marine life. Degrees in zoology, wildlife biology or ecology are typical for marine biologists. For entry-level marine biologist positions, a bachelor’s degree is needed. Master’s degrees are often required for higher-level investigative work, and PhDs are necessary for independent research or university positions.
SA Navy
Naval architect What you’d do: Much like a traditional architect designs homes and other buildings, a naval architect designs and builds ships of all sizes. Once ships are constructed, naval architects often evaluate the ship’s performance both at sea and in the dock, making changes as they see fit to ensure safety and to see that national and international standards are met. A bachelor’s degree in naval architecture is needed. You’re more likely to get hired with practical experience, so enroll in programs that will give you class credit for hands-on work. Many maritime academies provide hands-on experiences at sea.
Oceanographer What you’d do: If the deep sea is a passion of yours, consider making waves in this field. An oceanographer is a specialized type of geoscientist; geoscientists study the physical aspects of earth, while oceanographers specifically study the ocean. They analyze the movements and physical and chemical prop-
erties of ocean waters, and how those properties affect coastal areas, climate and weather. A bachelor’s degree is needed for entry-level positions, but many oceanographers also have a master’s degree.
use scuba gear to do underwater work such as repairing, removing or installing equipment and structures, conducting tests and experiments, rigging explosives and photographing marine life. A commercial diver needs certification and training to dive alone or in certain Whether you’re interested in ocean jobs or areas. You’d also need knowledge of the tools are more the freshwater type, there are tonnes and equipment that are used on the job. of opportunities to get in or near the ocean. From highly technical to high activity careers, Fisherman if your heart is in the water there is something out there for you. People imagine fishing to be a relaxing activity, but it’s a different story altogether when Aquaculture worker it’s what you do for a living. This is a laborintensive job; fishermen work with a crew to Like a farmer, an aquaculture worker is part locate fish, set up fishing nets and traps and of the agricultural field, but instead of raising sort, pack and store their catches. When not catching fish, they’re cleaning and maintainlivestock and tending to crops on land, they raise fish and shellfish and maintain their ing the ship. watery habitats. Traditional education is not needed to be A high-school diploma may be needed; phys- a fisherman, but it does help to go through a two-year vocational-technical program. ical stamina, strength and mechanical skills Most fishermen learn on the job. Working on are a must. On-the-job training is usually provided. a large commercial fishing vessel requires a training course approved a governing body
Aquarist
An aquarist is an animal care worker that works specifically with fish and other species that live in aquariums—think of aquarists like underwater zookeepers. They’re responsible for aquarium maintenance, as well as feeding and monitoring the animals to ensure they are healthy. A high-school diploma is a minimum requirement; a bachelor’s degree usually is needed to specifically work with marine life. Degrees in marine biology, animal science, biology or a related field are most common.
Commercial diver Ready to take the plunge? Commercial divers
Hydrologist As the name implies, hydrologists study everything about water, including its properties, distribution and movement through the atmosphere. Basically, hydrologists are charged with making sure there’s enough water to support all life on earth for the long term. They look for ways to minimize erosion and environmental pollution, and use technology to forecast future water supplies, floods, the spread of pollution and other events. Hydrologists need a bachelor’s degree, but many also get a master’s degree.
Lifeguard
objectives. The Department of Defence has a training programme called Military Skills Development (MSD) programme which aims Water lovers, this job ensures there’s always at developing the youth by giving them a a chair waiting for you—and it’s far from variety of skills which they can utilise in and the corner office. Lifeguards monitor pools, outside the DoD. The MSD is the main feeder beaches and any other recreation areas with a body of water nearby to ensure safety rules of the SA Navy essentially for members who are followed and to provide assistance when a wish to serve in uniform. rescue is necessary. http://www.navy.mil.za/SANCareers/MSD_ programme.htm No formal education is needed to be a lifeguard, but specific training and certifications are necessary through an organisation such as Lifesaving SA Naval architect
Marine biologist
What you’d do: Much like a traditional architect designs homes and other buildings, a naval architect designs and builds ships of all Perhaps the most well-known of ocean jobs, sizes. Once ships are constructed, naval armarine biologists study saltwater organisms and how they interact with their ecosystem— chitects often evaluate the ship’s performance and considering up to 80% of all life on earth both at sea and in the dock, making changes is found under the sea, marine biologists have as they see fit to ensure safety and to see that national and international standards are met. their work cut out for them. They conduct studies either in controlled settings or natural A bachelor’s degree in naval architecture is habitats to analyze the characteristics, repro- needed. You’re more likely to get hired with practical experience, so enroll in programs duction and movement patterns of marine that will give you class credit for hands-on life. work. Many maritime academies provide hands-on experiences at sea. Degrees in zoology, wildlife biology or ecology are typical for marine biologists. For entry-level marine biologist positions, a Oceanographer bachelor’s degree is needed. Master’s degrees are often required for higher-level investigaWhat you’d do: If the deep sea is a passion of tive work, and PhDs are necessary for indeyours, consider making waves in this field. pendent research or university positions. An oceanographer is a specialized type of geoscientist; geoscientists study the physical aspects of earth, while oceanographers SA Navy specifically study the ocean. They analyze the movements and physical and chemical propThe SA Navy as an attractive employer of erties of ocean waters, and how those properchoice aims at recruiting suitable candidates ties affect coastal areas, climate and weather. to satisfy its requirements. The SA Navy A bachelor’s degree is needed for entry-level strives to attract the right quality and quanpositions, but many oceanographers also tity of skilled or potential employees/memhave a master’s degree. bers (uniform or civilian) in order to meet the Departments’ strategic and operational
Psychometrist (Director: HUMANESSENCE)
Candice Bl ack
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Own your future – become a CA(SA) ‘Boring, conservative men in grey suits who are obsessed with numbers and have a fancy car parked in the garage…’
accountants – even at the most junior levels – are among the top five highest earners in South Africa.
If this is what you think being a chartered accountant (CA[SA]) is all about, think again.
But being a CA(SA) isn’t just about money and status.
CAs(SA) are so much more than bean-counting, number crunchers.
Here are some compelling reasons to consider this career path: • Because a CA(SA) is an individual responsible for analysing and reporting on financial information, this type of individual frequently ends up as the head and heart of a business;
Companies rely on a CA(SA)’s disciplined, insightful approach to business, and strong analytical skills, to make business decisions that help their companies grow. In fact, 74% of the JSE’s Top 200 company chief financial officers (CFOs) and almost a third of the JSE’s • As a career, chartered accountancy is challenging and exciting. It serves as a base top 40 CEOs are CAs(SA)! for establishing a highly promising and The CA(SA) designation gives you control of varied career post qualification; your future! • A CA(SA) plays many roles in business and Statistics show that 35% of all 1st year varsity doesn’t solely focus on numbers; students identify the CA(SA) designation • A career in accountancy enables the as the most attractive career option – this is CA(SA) to work internationally; more than double those wanting to be doctors and lawyers. Money is one of the key • Those studying toward a CA(SA) usually reasons for this. land up in careers that value a balanced Small wonder that CAs(SA) are highly lifestyle promoting work flexibility and the sought-after professionals who quickly rise ability to earn a good living; to the top of their fields. And yes, chartered
• Because finance is the fuel that powers the economy and because CAs(SA) are financial experts, multiple career opportunities present themselves to the CA(SA); • The CA(SA) designation creates the mobility to work in 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; • Holding the CA(SA) designation provides many opportunities for furthering your ability to continue to learn new skills and knowledge; • CAs(SA) hold prestigious positions in the private and public sector and in academia; • The skills you develop also position you to contribute to making South Africa a better place through giving back in a number of different ways! and • CAs(SA) are able to start their own companies and be their own boss. But how do you become one? The minimum requirements for university admission 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, at most universities it isn’t necessary. Speaking of universities… If you want to be a
CA(SA), you need to ensure that the university you are applying to offers BCom qualifications / programmes that are 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 here: www.saica.co.za/becomeaCA. 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-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 SAICA-accredited university. Once you have your BCom, it’s time to get real-world working experience Once you’ve obtained your CTA, you’ll enter into a three-year training contract with a SAICA registered training office. During you 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. What career paths can you follow once you qualify as a CA(SA) Many CAs(SA) don’t do traditional accounting work because studying to become a CA(SA) opens up a LOT of doors here in SA and internationally. In accounting firms, 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. You can also go into government and the public sector where
CAs(SA) hold top notch positions (like the Auditor-General or Head of National Treasury) and are widely recognised for effective financial management, leadership and providing services to their country. In business, CAs(SA) can specialise in management accounting, financial management, taxation, corporate governance, internal audit and ma other fields. Many lead major companies as Chief Executive Officers, Chief Financial Offic and Managing Directors. You can also go into academia to become a lecturer and develop next generation of CAs(SA) by lecturing at universities and providing training through professional programmes. Or you can follow the entrepreneurial route and become your o boss!’ The bottom line is if you choose well and work smart, you’ll be recognised as a business leader because you’re CA(SA)! For more information visit www.saica.co.za/becomeaCA.
any cers p the
own
4
1 THE RIGHT CHOICE When picking your subjects, make the right career choices. Take Maths, and English and study hard to achieve a Level 5 pass (or more) in Grade 12.
2 THE RIGHT UNIVERSITY Study a BCom undergraduate and postgraduate degree (Certificate in the Theory of Accounting [CTA] or equivalent) from a university accredited by the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA).
THE RIGHT TRAINING
3
Enter a 3-year training programme with a SAICA accredited training office to gain real life, on-the-job work experience.
YOUR ROADMAP TO BECOMING A CA(SA)
5
THE RIGHT CAREER
www.saica.co.za\becomeaCA
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TOP 10 JOBS IN 2030 Do you remember what life was like before iPhones existed? What about before Uber? The internet? Can you imagine actually having to look up a word in the dictionary? Or going to the library to rent the latest edition of Harry Potter? Probably not. The majority of your life has been inundated with technology but the truth is, your most useful tools didn’t even exist 15 years ago! Yeah, you heard me right. iPhones didn’t exist 15 years ago. Want to know something even crazier? By 2025, we’ll lose over five million jobs to automation. That means that future jobs will look vastly different by the time you graduate university. Don’t worry, though! The jobs of the future will actually be more interesting than those of the past. Gone are the days of factory workers and physical production... we’ll let the machines handle that. Instead, future jobs will involve knowledge creation and innovation. Machines are actually doing you a favour. They’re freeing you up to explore, experiment and find interesting solutions to complex problems, like pollution. Just see what engineering students in the Northwestern University Solar Car Team are doing. They get to design, build, and race cars, all while saving the environment! Say goodbye to a desk job and hello to the world of creation! Future Skills
thinking outside the box or being abstract. Yet.
Although no one can accurately predict what jobs will look like in the future (which won’t stop me from trying!), there are seven skills that will be essential to your future success. 1. Mental Elasticity and Complex Problem Solving: The future is going to bring about problems you’ve never seen before in a world you’ve never experienced. In order to solve these problems, you’ll need to have the mental flexibility to think outside of the box, see the big picture and rearrange things to find a solution. Luckily, this skill is highly developable and simply takes practice. The more difficult problems you tackle, the more bendy your brain will get! 2. Critical Thinking: Technology may be able to automate many of the jobs that currently exist, but you probably wouldn’t trust it to do your critical thinking for you; as such your future career will require you to have excellent critical thinking skills. You’ll constantly need to be analysing various situations, considering multiple solutions and making decisions on the fly through logic and reasoning. 3. Creativity: Worried about robots stealing your job? The more creative you are, the less likely you are to lose your job to a robot! While robots may be better than you at calculating and diagnosing problems, they aren’t very good at creating original content,
4. People Skills: Listen, machines are going to take over eventually and technology is going to get much more advanced, so us humans have to stick together! If you want to succeed in the future job market, you’ll need to learn how to manage and work with people (and robots), which includes getting in touch with your emotions, having empathy and listening, 5. STEM: Even though science, technology, engineering and maths jobs are super hot right now, don’t expect them to go away in the future. As technology progresses, you’ll need to have more advanced STEM skills to keep up. Also coding. Learn how to code. 6. SMAC: You’ve heard of STEM but you probably haven’t heard of SMAC (social, mobile, analytics and cloud). Catchy, right? Learning all of these skills/platforms will make you stand out in the future job market! 7. Interdisciplinary Knowledge: Your future career will require you to pull information from many different fields to come up with creative solutions to future problems. This skill’s easy to work on as well. Start by reading as much as you can about anything and everything that interests you. Once you get to college, consider double majoring or minoring in completely different fields. Trust me, it’ll pay off in the long run. Jobs of the Future Now that you know what skills will make you successful in the future, let’s take a look at some future jobs! Disclaimer: All of these jobs do not currently exist and may never exist so please don’t blame me if you tell your parents that you
want to be a trash engineer and they laugh in your face. 1. Trash Engineer This may be the oddest future job but it’s totally necessary! Think about it. Humans produce 2.6 billion pounds of trash annually, and what do we do with it? Throw it in landfill. There is no way this practice is sustainable so we’re going to have to think about something else to do with all of our rubbish. Unfortunately, just packing our trash WallE style isn’t going to cut it. In comes future you! A world renowned trash engineer who’s solving the earth’s waste problems one wrapper at a time. You could turn our rubbish into clean gas! Or figure out a way to make it combine to make it strong enough to construct buildings with! The possibilities are endless but it’s up to you to come up with the award winning ideas.
skills Best Undergraduate Majors: Chemical Engineering, Chemistry, Renewable Energy Engineering, Environmental
Studies, Physics, Mechanical Engineering 3. Earthquake Forecaster Skills Needed: Strong STEM skills, critical This job is literally impossible in today’s day thinking and mental elasticity. and age, but hey, some people would have Best Undergraduate Majors: Civil said the same thing about weather forecasters Engineering, Chemical Engineering, Trash less than a hundred years ago! Engineering With big earthquakes happening more frequently, someone’s going to have to come up 2. Alternative Energy Consultant with a way to accurately map the Earth’s core People cannot survive on fossil fuel forever, and figure out how to actually predict earthso alternative energy sources are the only quakes with plenty of warning. hope. I’m sure you’ve heard of solar, wind and My money’s on you! hydroelectric energy. The question is, which one is right for your home, your community Skills Needed: Strong STEM background, and your city? Say hello to your new dream critical thinking, and complex problem job: Alternative Energy Consultant. You’ll be solving skills an expert in all things energy and go from Best Undergraduate Majors: Geoscience, city to city around the world assessing the Physics, Geophysics, Geology, Math, best sustainable energy source for each place. Computer Science Believe me, you’ll be in high demand very soon! 4. Medical Mentor As machines and robots take over the Skills Needed: Strong STEM medical field by diagnosing patients and even background, mental elasticity and people performing surgery, a new role in the medical
field will emerge: Medical mentors! As a medical mentor, you’ll be in charge of patients after their appointments, surgeries and other medical procedures. You’ll check in on them, make sure they are following their doctor’s (or robot’s) recommendations and help them break through the negative factors that are impeding them from getting (and staying) healthy. Think of yourself as a nutritionist, therapist, exercise counsellor and friend all rolled into one.
they needed. With those kinds of stats, it’s not surprising that people turn to the black market. However, in a few years, it’ll be up to you to create organ and body parts from stem cells and other materials that don’t yet exist. Get ready; your future career is closer than you think.
Skills Needed: Strong STEM background, critical thinking, people and interdisciplinary skills Best Undergraduate Majors: Psychology,
6. Memory Surgeon Here’s where things start to get a bit sci-fi-y. What if there was a way to surgically remove bad memories, mental illness and destructive behavior? Is it possible? Would it be ethical? Would it rid the world of terrorism? Only you can unlock the answers to these burning questions by becoming a Memory Surgeon. Your future career is bound to cause controversy but stick to it and you could change the world. Just make sure you’re only removing memories, illnesses and behaviours that actually need to be removed so that when your friend asks you if you can remove last night’s bad date, you can say no.
Nutrition, Dietetics, Sociology, Biology
Skills Needed: Strong STEM background, critical thinking, mental elasticity, complex problem solving and creativity Best Undergraduate Majors: Biology, Chemistry, Neurobiology
5. Organ/Body Part Creator Ever heard of the organ black market? Well, it exists, it’s illegal and it’s a huge problem. Why? Because many people around the world spend years on medical waiting lists praying that their name will get called for the next eye, kidney or even heart available. Eventually, they get sick of waiting and they discover the deep, dark world of the organ black market, where they can buy whatever they need... for a price. Every 12 minutes a new name gets added onto the already gigantic waiting list and every day about 21 people die because they didn’t get the organ
Skills Needed: Strong STEM background, critical thinking, mental elasticity, complex problem solving and creativity Best Undergraduate Majors: Biology, Genetics, Biomedical Engineering
7. Personal Productivity Person In order to compete with the up and coming automated workforce, people are going to have to become as efficient as possible. However, doing so is easier said than done. Think about how many distractions you have in your life that hinder you from unlocking your full potential: • Facebook • Instagram
• Snapchat • Netflix • Hulu • The 24-hour news cycle ...and more! As technology continues to evolve, the number of distractions we have will continue to grow and if we are inefficient, machines will be looming in the background ready to take our jobs. Unless, of course, we all have Person Productivity People (or PPP)! As a PPP, your job will consist of analysing people’s daily lives and teaching them to silence their daily distractions in order to work harder and smarter.
ers before they cause any damage and fixing any damage that you’re unable to prevent. Let’s just say that an innocent coffee machine hacker will be the least of your problems. Skills Needed: STEM, Critical thinking, people skills, mental elasticity, SMAC skills and complex problem solving skills Best Undergraduate Majors: Computer Science, Computer Engineering, Mechanical Engineering
9. Flight Instructor I know what you’re thinking, flight instructors already exist! You’re right, they do, but what about human flight instructors. P.S. I’m still working on the exact name of Listen, you already know that flying cars are this future career, but trust me, it’s going to be bound to happen, but let’s take that idea one a big one! step further… Flying people! Although I’m not positive that Skills Needed: Critical thinking, creativity, people will fly by 2030, it’s only a matter of people skills, mental elasticity, SMAC skills time before someone, somewhere builds a and interdisciplinary skills device that allows people to fly. Best Undergraduate Majors: CommunicaPerhaps it’s only short distances at first but tion and Media, Physiology, Sociology eventually people might be able to fly from Auckland to Christchurch or even to Sydney! 8. Personal Internet of Things (IoT) SecuOnce the flight revolution takes off, everyone rity Repair Person will want to learn and who better to teach We are used to calling plumbers or repairthem than you? If you wouldn’t mind being men when something is broken around the one of the first people who learns how to fly, house, but who do you call when your smart you’ll end up racking in the big bucks! refrigerator gets hacked and tells your smart coffee maker to continuously make coffee and Skills Needed: STEM, Critical thinking, your smart lights to turn on and off every five people skills, creativity, mental elasticity, minutes? A personal IoT Security Repair Per- interdisciplinary skills and complex probson of course! Dysfunctioning products due lem solving skills to hacking is just one of the many problems Best Undergraduate Majors: Communicathat the world is bound to face as our devices tion, Astrology, Physics, become smarter. As an IoT Security Repair Person, you’ll be in charge of thwarting hack- 10. Commercial Space Pilot
Elon Musk and Richard Branson are racing to space and soon, civilian space exploration is going to become a reality. Yay! However, there’s one little problem… who’s going to fly us around? We can’t possibly all become astronauts before exploring the moon (or Mars); that would take way too long and wouldn’t be practical at all. We’ll need someone who has the experience of an astronaut but is also trained to handle much larger rockets with many more people aboard. Sounds like a tough job but if you’re an expert on space and have always dreamed of becoming an astronaut, it’s time to start thinking bigger! I’m counting on you to become the best Commercial Space Pilot the future has ever seen!
terdisciplinary skills and complex problem solving skills Best Undergraduate Majors: Aerospace Engineering, Astrology, Physics, Computer Science Final Thoughts Although a lot of the jobs that exist today will be automated by 2030, you should be excited about the future, not scared of it. The robots will take over all of the boring jobs which will leave more free time for you to explore interesting, creative and important new jobs such as the 10 I outlined in this blog! However, you shouldn’t limit yourself to the jobs on this list. Dream up your own list of potential future careers that use the essential skills outlined earlier and who knows, you might create the next million-dollar idea!
Credits: Extracts from: https://www.crimsoneducaSkills Needed: STEM, Critical thinking, people skills,creativity, mental elasticity, in- tion.org/za/blog/jobs-of-the-future
The Good Things Guy Good Words. Good Thoughts. Good Deeds
Before Good Things Guy, South Africa’s biggest online Good News site was born, Brent Lindeque did something; what started as a simple idea to try and better one person’s day turned into a global event carried out by millions of people. But before all the incredible accolades, Lindeque was just an average guy, one who was born in the South of Johannesburg. Lindeque started his school career at Alberview Primary School but was moved to Dinwiddie Primary School during his parent’s divorce. This didn’t affect his academic skills and the dedicated scholar continued to do well with both his school marks and extracurricular activities. He then moved to Marais Viljoen where he completed his Matric in 2002. After school Lindeque did a few weeks at Varsity but realised that he wasn’t ready to study yet and decided to travel after school and took two years to explore the East coast of America. “Being in America was the most incredible experience. I had never had the opportunity to travel overseas before that, so experiencing new places and people, and cultures was truly eyeopening, but it also made me realise what it means to be a South African, and the journey broughtme right back home again,” Lindeque says. It was a fantastic learning curve for him, but it also gave him the perspective that he needed; South Africa was his home and a place that he needed to go back to. The passionate South African moved back to Johannesburg late December 2004 and applied to study again, this time ready to commit full-time while working at the same time. His parents; both hard-working individuals instilled a deep-rooted respect and appreciation for work and Lindeque took up the task at a very young age. “I still remember my first job like it was yesterday, I was a waiter in a little Italian restaurant and I worked as many shifts as I possibly could. I worked so much that I hated the smell of Pizza and Pasta, but I made loads of cash in tips, so it didn’t really matter,” - Lindeque explains. Lindeque may have started as a waiter but moved up the ranks to various positions and careers until he got involved in the Events industry... that’s when he knew he had found his niche!
His first “real” career move into the Events industry was when he applied to work for a corporate racing company in Kylamai. Fantastic Racing, a South African motor racing events company was established over 15 years ago and offered the ultimate thrill in Motor Racing and Karting. All events, from Corporate Race Days, Conferences, Networking, Team-building Activities and International Racing Adventures were tailor made to suit clients specific requirements and Lindeque managed to work his way up from an Events Manager to Johannesburg Branch Manager in the space of just a few short months. It was during this time that he realised he wanted to work for himself and started an agency called Chaos Theory with his business and life partner Andrew Ross. “It’s exactly like the stories go, Chaos Theory was started in our Garage, and it was incredibly tough in the beginning but almost ten years later and the business is a phenomenally successful business!” It was during this time that RAK was born, and an incredible initiative about giving back was created! It all started when Lindeque turned the reckless drinking game Neknomination on its head – by using his nomination to perform a random act of kindness instead. By giving a homeless man a R20 meal, and using the power of social media to “pay-it-forward” his nomination went viral and to date has been featured locally on Carte Blanche, Espresso, 5Fm, eNCA, News24, Radio702 and internationally on Mashable, Huffington Post, CNN, BBC, Sky News, Oprah and even Ellen Degeneres to name a few. Lindeque saw himself becoming a LeadSA Hero, was selected as one of Africa’s most promising Entrepreneurs and also chosen as one of the prestigious Mail & Guardian Top 200 Young South Africans. More importantly, his small act of kindness spawned hundreds and thousands of similar videos, reaching and physically improving millions of lives and also creating three dedicated feeding schemes in Canada, the USA and Ireland that are still running to this day and made him realise that people are doing good things all the time... we just don’t hear enough about it! The passionate South African started GoodThingsGuy.com on the 1 August 2015 with the simple idea of sharing just one good news story from South Africa to the world and in the space of just four years, the award-winning website has become the biggest good news platform in South Africa! “Good Things Guy is on a mission to change what the world pays attention to. We believe that there is good news all around us and over 1 million readers a month agree with us. We hunt down and report on the best Good News stories from South Africa, and the World.
Our mission is to change the national conversation and give South Africans a balance to the news in South Africa.” But the story behind Brent Lindeque and Good Things Guy is not about the awards or the social media followers, it’s about an average guy who started something incredible with just an idea proving that it doesn’t matter what background you come from, you have the power to make a difference... you just need to decide what type of difference you would like to make. And in the words of Lindeque, always do what is good and what is right, that way the universe willalways know what to give you back. And always choose kindness... kindness is a language everyone understands!
What if I don’t get into my dream institution or course? By Bashiera Parker
Don’t freak out! We’ve compiled a few useful tips on what to do after that first rejection letter. Just as I was about to matriculate, and before my final exams, I stood teary eyed in the hall of my high school as the principal read that classic end-of-journey-and-beginning-of-anew-adventure Dr. Seuss poem: “Congratulations! Today is your day! You’re off to great places! You’re off and away! You have brains in your head. You have feet in your shoes. You can steer yourself any direction you choose. You’re on your own. And
you know what you know. And YOU are the one who’ll decide where to go.”
With tissues in one hand and my best friend’s hand in the other, I was overwhelmed and honestly, terrified, because while I was starting a new chapter of my life, I had no idea what to expect. And worst of all, I had yet to be accepted to the university of my dreams. Universities across the country are about to open up their doors. Although the national pass rate was 71. 5%, many students did not obtain the necessary results to get them into institutions of higher learning. At the beginning of the year it was reported that the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) only had space for 6 200 first year ap-
plicants; the University of Stellenbosch had space for 5 000 students; and the University of Cape Town only 4 200. But with more than 26 000 applicants, on average, only 1 in every 6 students would then receive placement for 2017. While we often hear inspirational stories of the Mark Zuckerbergs and Steve Jobss of the world who went on to become successful despite deciding not to complete their studies, not getting accepted into university can be heart-breaking. So what then do you do if you’re of the 5 students who unfortunately don’t get into university on the first try? Here’s a list of things to do and possible alternatives:
universities in fact make it a requirement to put down a second choice so that in the event that potential students do not make it into their first choice, they might still get placement at the university for their second. Our advice: accept the other offer. Instead of seeing a rejection letter as the university rejecting you, see it as the university saying that perhaps you aren’t well suited for your particular first choice, but you are for your second. Or, there were just too many applicants for that particular year. You may also find yourself adapting a little better at a different university with a different environment and similarly, end up actually enjoying the work associated with a completely different career path.
1. Follow up: Before beating yourself up over the matter, we suggest you follow up. Quite often university staff find themselves having to tackle heaps of admin and do not carry out the application process properly. I was initially rejected from an honours programme only to discover that the admin staff hadn’t given all the documents I’d provided them with to the committee. On another occasion, a student thought she’d been rejected from the University she applied to only to find out that she’d been accepted and hadn’t received her acceptance letter. We therefore suggest that you follow up and check your application status online, contact the university itself and, if you really really feel as though you deserve a spot at the institution and you have the credentials to back yourself up, check the university’s admission requirements and policy again, because you may just be able to appeal their decision.
That being said, if you are completely sure of what you’d like to study, we suggest that when you apply for your second choice of study it relates to your first, as you may very well be able to transfer your credits. When applying for a particular degree, students are to complete a certain amount of courses, most of which are compulsory courses. And while you may not get into your first choice degree, you can still sign up for some of those particular courses and organise your curriculum for the year so that you complete them. That way, should you end up switching from one degree to another or reapplying for your first choice the following year, you can carry over those credits from the courses you’ve completed and not have to do them again.
2. Accept another offer: When applying for university, we suggest students apply at more than one institution and for more than one degree. Most
Taking particular courses may even better your chances of getting into your first choice degree should you reapply. • If you are currently in the application process, also see: Want to study but can’t afford to? Start here
3. Use the time you have wisely before you reapply: Bridging courses Similarly, bridging courses could prove to be beneficial in the event that you take certain media courses, for example, and you then have those credentials to reapply for Film and Media studies.
other things they might be interested in. This may even result in the realisation that they do not actually want to pursue the career path they initially thought they did or help them find their footing if they were unsure to begin with.
Gap years can also help students build up Should you get into your desired programme their CVs as they get temporary work, some of study, you’d then also possibly be exempted even within their desired field of work. from having to retake those courses. This will be very beneficial to them at a later There are a few other constructive ways that stage when they begin applying for jobs as you could also spend the year before while most jobs require employees to have a degree, they value job experience just as reapplying: much, if not more. Remarking and retaking your final exams Students can have their exams remarked or So while we encourage students to further retake their final exams in the event that they their education so that they can go on to are notified of, upon receiving their results, become the future journalists, lawyers and whether or not they are eligible to apply for doctors of our country, we’d also like to reassupplimentary exams. Students who have fail sure them that it’s not the end of the world 2 or less subjects usually qualify for should they not get into the institution of supplementary exams.The second chance their dreams on their first attempt. programme While students may struggle to get into uniStudents can also enrol in the Second Chance versity, what is more important is what they Programme to redo certain courses before re- make of their time once they get there. writing exams. These results can then be used And as we’ve now mentioned, with brains in to reapply for university. their heads and feet in their shoes, there are so many things students can do until they get Gap years there. Students can also use the year before reapplying as a gap year to find their passion and
The Pride of KZN
Diolan Govender In 2018, Diolan Govender, a 16-year-old young man from Durban North, did South Africa proud after he 2018 Mr Teen World Corwn that took place at the Isis Hotel in Bodrum, Turkey. Diolan’s universal crown includes Mr Teen World, the Best of the Best for best talent and the Best Video category. He defeated teenage models from across the world by showcasing his talent, skills, creativity, and showcasing the diverse South African culture, and beauty of the country. He attended Northlands Primary School and is now a pupil at Crawford Collage in La Lucia. Diolan was sent to compete at the global stage by Pageants SA. Now, Diolan is one of the Pride Factor ambassadors. Our Editor, Michelle Geel, spoke to Diolan about his work with PF. Diolan, why Pride Factor? Pride Factor provides the youth with the tools to make informed life choices that will determine their future. Also, the values that Pride Factor posses, aligns with what I believe in for the youth What made you want to be an ambassador for Pride Factor? I chose to be a Pride Factor ambassador because the brand inspires the youth to be consistent in the pursuit of their dreams and to be dedicated to their education. After winning Mister Teen World, I wanted to reach out to the youth not only through the media but in person to tell them that any and everybody has the ability to achieve their dreams. What message do you want to share with other young people? It starts with them. No one is going to achieve their goals for them, it’s up to them to make that change that will enable them to be on the path to success. Two important things that the youth needs to be reminded!
Animal ADVENTURES finding your pet passion in a world of animal careers By Michelle Geel
Animals play a significant role in many people’s lives, and working with them can be a rewarding option for job seekers who want to combine a passion and a lucrative career path. Certain animal career options, such as dog walking, are not limited by geographical location and require a small amount of start up capital, making them ideal for school leavers who want to start their own business. There are many different career options in the animal industry. Options include veterinary and animal health careers, wildlife, canine, equine, sales, breeding and farming, and many more options that don’t fall neatly into one of the previously mentioned categories. Some require going to a specific training facility, while others can be studied by correspondence wherever you are and assist you in following your dream without needing to move across the country.
Daily Contact With Animals
Many jobs in this industry offer direct contact with animals on a daily basis. With positions ranging from aquarist to zoo keeper, there are career options that will allow you to work with nearly any type of animal.
Steady Job Growth
Many animal career paths (particularly those concerned with animal health and animal care) are showing extremely accelerated growth as consumers demand more services for their pets. The U.S. pet industry is responsible for an impressive $58.5 billion dollars in spending according to the 2014 American Pet Product Association (APPA) survey statistics. Veterinary services, boarding, and grooming have all shown significant growth in recent years. Jobs Available at Any Educational Level Job seekers from a variety of educational backgrounds find employment in the animal industry. Some jobs have no specific educational requirement, some require a diploma, some require a college degree, and others require advanced graduate degrees and training. There are also a variety of specialised certificate programs that require a few weeks to a few months to complete. Practical Experience Is Greatly Valued Many employers in the animal industry place even more emphasis on practical experience than they do on education. This is particularly the case in many areas of the equine in-
dustry, where practical skill is highly valued. Students who complete hands-on internships can benefit from this emphasis on practical experience.
Many Part-time Career Paths
There are a number of animal career paths that individuals can pursue on a part time basis (including options such as training, pet photography, massage therapy, and writing). A part-time position allows an one to try out another career path while maintaining employment in another role. These careers can also provide supplemental income.
with the zoo vet, zoo vet tech, curator, and commissary staff). Animal industry professionals tend to have a high level of job satisfaction, which in turn promotes a positive working environment. 1. Canine behaviour and training Instructor - Competently train a dog to a basic standard of obedience and run effective and professional classes.
2. Veterinary Technologist/Technician Veterinary technologists and technicians Many Potential Employers perform medical tests Individuals pursuing animal-related careers can find employment with veterinary clinics, under the supervision of a licensed emergency clinics, research laboratories, a variety of government agencies, corporations, veterinarian to help diagnose the illnesses the military, museums, zoos, aquariums, and injuries of animal parks, stables, racetracks, animals. publishers, manufacturers, colleges and universities, farms, and a variety of other 3. Professional Dog organizations. Animal-related jobs are walker - A Dog Walker available worldwide. is a person who Walks a dog/s from the dog’s Every Day Is Different residence and back. You can No two days are alike when you work with also drive the dogs, in your own animals. Animal professionals must readily car, to other walking locations. adapt to change so that they are able to respond to emergencies, handle behavioral issues, and deal with any animal care situations that arise during the course of the day. The variety and unpredictability of working with animals can keep things interesting during the workday.
Working With Other Animal Lovers
Those who choose a career in the animal industry will have the opportunity to work with others who love animals. During the course of the work week, an individual may work in tandem with many other professionals (i.e. a zookeeper may work regularly in conjunction
4. Canine or Feline - Psychology, Aggression, Behaviour management - This field of study is designed to equip students with a basic knowledge of normal and unusual behaviours and their purposes or what they can tell us about the dog.or cat 5. Animal daycare - If you are interested in opening a doggy daycare business, you should be knowledgeable in the areas of animal behavior, canine CPR, and canine first aid. Prior study in an animal-related field or experience as a veterinary technician, pet sitter, dog walker, or animal shelter volunteer
is desirable. 6. Animal Communication - Learn how animals communicate with visual, sound, touch, and chemical signals. 7. Kennel Operator - Work in settings such as kennels, animal shelters, zoos, circuses, and aquariums. May keep records of feedings, treatments, and animals received or discharged. May clean, disinfect, and repair cages, pens, or fish tanks 8. Animal first aid - First Aid training courses, empowering all dog or animal lovers with skills and confidence to help their pet in an emergency. 9. Veterinary Receptionist - tasks include greeting customers, answering telephone calls and setting appointments. 10. Professional Pet care and vet practice assistant - Caring for a range of animals in a professional capacity. 11. Veterinary Assistant - They assist veterinarians with kennel work, exercising the animals and clinical duties. A big plus is hands-on connection with creatures, great and small. 12. Zoologist - Zoologists work with animals in the wild and controlled environments such as zoos. They provide data that shapes
wildlife conservation and preservation policy, work with animals extensively and spend time crunching numbers 13. Animal Trainer - Obedience trainers work with dogs, horses and other animals on behavioral issues and competition preparedness. 14. Seeing-Eye Dog Trainer - This job requires physical stamina and criticalthinking skills. Trainers have to be able to keep up with their charges and evaluate dogs’ progress, making changes to the training plan as needed. Pet Adoption Counselor - These detail-oriented, empathetic professionals facilitate pet adoptions and spend as much time on office work as they do with animals. 15. Veterinary Acupuncturist - Animal acupuncturists are veterinarians who incorporate acupuncture into their practice. 16. Animal Nutritionist - Animal nutritionists spend their time determining the dietary needs of animals in captivity, studying animal behavior and economics to make recommendations to corporations or governmental agencies about diet. They spend more time in the lab than the barn. 17. Wildlife Rehabilitator - When animals in the wild are hurt, they may be sent to licensed wildlife rehabilitators for assessment. Wound care, cleaning and record keeping are required. Emergency response to oil spills, hurricanes and other disasters is common 18. Animal Cruelty Investigator - These trained professionals investigate animal abuse, protect and save animals and procure justice. 19. Animal Shelter Manager - This job pays as much in love as money. Shelter managers
work with animals and raise funds. 20. Marine Biologist - Sure, you won’t necessarily work with cuddly animals, but this job can involve travel and scuba diving! Plus, you might study plants as well as animals. Whatever career you choose with animals, follow your passion. Working long hours with sentient beings requires patience and care, and a high level of commitment. Being passionate about what you do will take you far on the more difficult days.
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rn Weste ss the ro d c n a a s d mpuse , Stran PUSES s five main ca Stellenbosch M A C , OUR e ha Paarl Colleg ledon, Boland cated in Ca lo Cape, r. pus is te s e ch cam nces rc a e Wo n o a ) from d il (SRC Counc ities ranging ers the E e F I iv L t T a f t STUDEN ent Represen g social activevents. This of ke new in a d is y u t n m t ri S , a s a e h rg Th ro sc lture sible fo ies to variou nce new cu it e respon iv ri t e c p ort a o ex s. and sp pportunity t g memorie o in t t s c per fe nd create la , a selling friends h coun b hunting it w s t OR T studen ance and jo vailable T SUPP a sist our id STUDEN Supporters as nt, career gu , options are he College e t e t c n m n m e Stud velop assista chemes fro s mic de ancial acade u require fin and Bursary o y rd If a . w skills us A s. isation h vario throug rivate organ rp and/o
For more information, visit www.bolandcollege.com or contact: Caledon t: 028 212 3270 | Paarl t: 021 872 3323 | Stellenbosch t: 021 887 3027 Strand t: 021 853 7611 | Worcester t: 023 348 6920
The UrbanNative The Urbanative is a contemporary South African furniture and product design company in Pretoria. Gwynedd Peters, had the opportunity to sit down for a chat with this intrepid designer. The Urbanative was started by Mpho Vackier who has always been inspired by the clean functionality of mid-century European furniture and the design philosophies of the Bauhaus movement juxtaposed with the vibrant geometric style of African cultural artwork and graphics. Despite previously working as a process engineer in the mining industry, Mpho now finds fulfilment as a culturally inspired furniture/product and interior designer. Mpho originally qualified as a metallurgical engineer but admits that she always felt like a designer at heart and eight years ago took a leap of faith to quit her job as a metallurgist to study Interior Design at Inscape Education Group Pretoria. She explains: “I always knew I wanted to do design and when the opportunity came, I went back to school and studied interior design and a few years after I graduated I started TheUrbanative.” On describing The Urbanative’s design aesthetic, Mpho explains, “I have always been in love with the clean functionality of mid-century European furniture design and the philosophies of the Bauhaus. As such our products are defined and differentiated by the visual tension of juxtaposing abstracted ethnic, cultural graphics and motifs with the functionality and look and feel of classical European mid-century and Bauhaus furniture silhouettes.” “I love to think of the products and furniture I design as a celebration of culture and classic functional design; our Afrocentric Ndebele range SS17 was/is inspired by Ndebele cultural artwork. Being an Urbanative to me means being grounded and inspired by my African culture while participating and being involved in the modern world, this is translated through my designs through the constant exploration of how graphic cultural signifiers can be applied and reinterpreted to inspire new and contemporary product designs that are relatable and relevant to modern society.” Describing herself, Mpho says: “I am a mom, wife, #girlboss, mentor, sister and a work in progress. I
am constantly evolving, knowing that I don’t know anything at all. Most of all I am just a girl from a small village in Rustenburg; I have proven again and again to myself that your beginnings do not dictate your future, your work ethic and your attitude do. I am very driven; my motto has always been go big or go home if you are going to do something, do it exceptionally well, give it all you can, separate yourself from the sea of sameness by striving for the exceptional.” The company prides itself on the fact that all of its products are designed and manufactured in South Africa. When speaking about her influences, Mpho defines it as such: “What inspires me: I have always been inspired by the clean functionality of European mid- century design and the design philosophies and aesthetics of the Bauhaus movement juxtaposed with the vibrant geometric style of African cultural artworks and graphics. I think the way we approach design is two-fold. Firstly what problem does it solve - functionality, and secondly, what story does it tell? “Who inspires me: I love Kelly Wearstler’s aesthetic, the bold and fearless way she approaches design, there is a freedom in her work that I would love. I also love how multi- faceted she is as a designer, and she is a girl boss! Another strong design mentor is Jonathan Adler, how he grew his brand from ceramics to furniture, wallpapers and interior design, I am always learning from him. Locally I love Atang Tshikare, his pieces have a story and are so much fun, and more importantly, I find that the stories that he is telling through his product design resonate with most people which is the important bit, that connection is why most of us do what we do.” And of her team, she says: “Our team is made up of amazing individuals who are insanely creative, obsessed with providing fantastic and innovative design solutions and is addicted to great design and coffee.” So finally, what’s coming up at THE URBANATIVE - what is the future of the brand? Mpho says proudly, “We have a couple of exciting collaborations coming up in and around Africa and are going to be exhibiting at Design Joburg. But we’re most excited about the launch of our capsule homeware designs and new pieces in our Afrocentric range. “
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inspiring quotes from
Nelson Mandela Nelson Mandela’s fight for freedom inspired the world. Here’s a list of some of his most memorable quotes, which remind us all to work toward peace and equality. 1)“For to be free is not merely to cast off one’s chains, but to live in a way that respects and enhances the freedom of others.” From his essay, “Working Towards Peace.” 2) “Hope is a powerful weapon, and (one) no one power on earth can deprive you of.” From Notes to the Future, 2012 3) “Difficulties break some men but make others. No axe is sharp enough to cut the soul of a sinner who keeps on trying, one armed with the hope that he will rise even in the end.” From his Letter to Winne Mandela, written on Robben Island, 1975 4) “Death is something inevitable. When a man has done what he considers to be his duty to his people and his country, he can rest in peace. I believe I have made that effort and that is, therefore, why I will sleep for the eternity.” From an interview for the documentary, “Mandela,” 1994 5) “I learned that courage was not the absence of fear, but the triumph over it. The brave man is not he who does not feel afraid, but he who conquers that fear.” Addressing students at Nelson Mandela Foundation in Johannesburg, 2009
6) “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” Speech at the University of the Witwatersrand South Africa, 2003 7) “A good leader can engage in a debate frankly and thoroughly, knowing that at the end he and the other side must be closer, and thus emerge stronger. You don’t have that idea when you are arrogant, superficial, and uninformed.” From his interview with “O,” the Oprah Magazine, 2001. 8) “Long speeches, the shaking of fists, the banging of tables and strongly worded resolutions out of touch with the objective conditions do not bring about mass action and can do a great deal of harm to the organisation and the struggle we serve.” From the presidential address, “No Easy Walk to Freedom” speech, 1953 9) “Everyone can rise above their circumstances and achieve success if they are dedicated to and passionate about what they do.” From his Letter to Makhaya Ntini on his 100th cricket test, 2009 10) “No one is born hating another person because of the color of his skin, or his background, or his religion. People must learn to hate, and if they can learn to hate, they can be taught to love, for love comes more naturally to the human heart than its opposite.” -Long Walk to Freedom, 1995 11) “What counts in life is not the mere fact that we have lived. It is what difference we have made to the lives of others that will determine the significance of the life we lead.” -90th birthday celebration of Walter Sisulu, 2002 https://www.pri.org/stories/2013-12-05/11-inspiring-quotes-nelson-mandela Baindu Kallon
GREEN
HORIZONS By Rochelle Moolman
There’s been a rising interest in environmental education that allows individuals to explore environmental issues, engage in problem solving, and take action to improve the environment. Through accreditted training, individuals develop a deep understanding and knowledge of environmental issues and have the skills to make informed and responsible decisions to ensure sustainable conservation.
Guiding, Game Ranger & Wildlife Rancher It might sound crazy for the average Joe to prefer African sunsets, the night skies and lions roaring to normal luxuries. However, there is a unique group of people that will, and have, given up normal luxuries to live their dream, their passion and their purpose. The people that belong in this unique group are nature guides, game rangers and wildlife ranchers. What about them makes them unique, you might ask? The answer is simple. These humble people are born with a passion to educate and conserve, and to risk their lives for Mother Nature.
With the need for an educational system on par with the rest of the globe, the South African government, with the help of the In the early days of the industry, game Department of Education and Labour, rangers used to fulfil numerous roles in created a branch called the South African national and provincial parks, and private Qualifications Authority (SAQA) to develop, reserves. Apart from the conservation task, implement and regulate qualifications. The one of the roles of the rangers was to take National Qualification Framework (NQF) guests into the African bush on safari. As was also developed and implemented over the ecotourism industry grew and became more popular with foreign tourists coming to the same period to clearly identify different levels of qualification. Guiding was South Africa for the wildlife experience, the role of the game ranger as a guide shifted, and recognised as a profession with a defined career path and the need to establish a it became clear that a minimum of skill was National Certificate for guides was needed to offer tourists an experience in a recognised. The governing body that is safe manner. responsible for issuing certificates and implementing standards to the guiding sector With no formal qualifications or courses is known as the Culture Art Tourism available in those days, the only criterion for guiding was experience, which obviously Hospitality and Sports Sector Education and Training Authority (CATHSSETA). varied. The South African Tourism Board (SATOUR) was the first organisation that saw the need for registered guides; however, there They are also the Quality Assurer (ETQA) for all Conservation and Guiding Qualifications. was no syllabus or guidelines for guides in those days. In 1990, an experienced group of The qualifications that a guide can obtain to legally guide in South Africa, can only be guides started an association in order to set issued through CATHSSETA as per the a standard for nature guiding practices. This Tourism Act 70 of 2000. An accredited group contributed greatly with their knowledge and expertise through the likes of CATHSSETA assessor is the only person that can find a guide Competent for any Clive Walker and John Ledger. They were a part of the initial group of guides that started of the National Certificates. Only after a guide receives his or her qualification from the Field Guides Association of Southern CATHSSETA can he or she register as a guide Africa (FGASA). with Department of Environmental Affairs
and Tourism (DEAT). The Tourism Act No. 72 of 1993 defines a guide as a person who, for reward, whether monetary or otherwise, accompanies any person who travels within the country, or visits any place within the Republic, and who furnishes such a person with information or comment with regard to any matter. Guides are a crucial link between the tourists and any tourist site. They are also an important segment of the tourism value chain, ensuring that the experience and perception of any tourists of South Africa’s richness and diversity are positive.
leads people in the natural areas of the environment. This form of guiding is not necessarily confined to walking trails. It could also include vehicle drives or horseback safaris. The word ‘ranger’ is so embedded in the guiding industry that it will never change. By achieving a nature guide qualification and registering with DEAT, you will be employed as a ‘ranger’ at game reserves, entertaining tourists with the natural diversity of South Africa! For the elite guide that wants to view Africa’s dangerous animals
A nature guide is someone that not only has a passion for wildlife but also a passion for The terms ‘nature guide’ or ‘field guide’ are people. They interact directly with tourists on often confused with ‘ranger’ (game ranger) a daily basis and also and ‘tourist guide’. determine on foot, the the
level of experience for their guests during a visit South Africa. The guiding industry developed over time due to the popularity of tourism in South Africa. The terms ‘nature guide’ or ‘field guide’ are often confused with ‘ranger’ (game ranger) and ‘tourist guide’. A game ranger manages a specific area where wild animals roam. The tourist guide profession embraces a great complexity of specific areas of the entire country, guiding tourists in cities, museums, battlefields and many places of interest, with the emphasis placed on the man-made environment and cultural-historical aspects. The nature guide
qualification that he or she must obtain is: ‘View potentially dangerous animals.’ For the person in the bush, more important than having a sound knowledge of firearms is having an intimate knowledge of the behaviour of dangerous game species. It is far better to avoid a dangerous situation than have to face the consequences of a potentially dangerous confrontation. The knowledge a dangerous game guide will need includes the golden rules, animal behaviour, anatomy and danger signs/ displays, and how to let your guests have an unforgettable, SAFE experience. You will need to ‘show your competence through superior knowledge rather than firepower’,
but just in case you do need it, ‘advanced weapon handling for guiding on heavy calibre rifles’ (.375, .458, .416) is a crucial requirement. For the latter, your skills are honed in the fast and accurate use of a big bore rifle under pressure over short distances and with the correct shot placement to ‘drop’ charging dangerous game. Simultaneously, successful candidates also qualify for the National Competency Certificate on Act 60 of 2000 in the use of a bolt-action rifle for business purposes. For either a nature guide or a dangerous game guide, it is wise that you have sound knowledge in tracking to ensure that your guests receive the ultimate experience. Over the course of time, man has developed skills to survive in their natural environment. We know that man had to develop skills in the art of tracking to become effective hunters. The refinement of tracking in ecotourism ensured the development of better techniques to locate elusive game such as lion, leopard and special, sought-after species. The art of tracking has developed into a science with many practical uses, and it plays a major role in nature conservation, ecotourism, environmental education, scientific research, and the control of and fight against poaching. However, it is impossible to become a tracker simply by reading a book or attending a short course; this is only a start, but with an expanding knowledge of the bush and a bit of experience, it is remarkable what a little practical thinking and application can do. One needs practical experience to master the art of tracking, which includes the continuous process of discovery; the most experienced tracker will always find something to learn. The ability to track can only enhance a person’s enjoyment of nature. As mentioned above, the game ranger has
played a vital role in the industry. It all started back in 1884 when President Paul Kruger envisioned protecting against the great diminution of wildlife. The first land that was proclaimed as a game reserve was the Pongola Reserve in 1894. The Sabi Game Reserve was proclaimed in 1898, and Major James Stevenson-Hamilton was appointed the first warden of the Sabi Game Reserve in 1902, with the main focus to protect and conserve the game reserves as well as the wildlife against poaching. Over time, it became evident that South Africa needed to appoint more game rangers to fulfil the numerous duties involved in protecting and conserving any reserve. In the early days, the appointed gentlemen were required to have a passion for the environment and had to conserve protected areas for future generations. On a daily basis, these men faced the harsh conditions of the South African bush, limited resources and no means of communication.
As time progressed, the means of transport for patrolling developed from horseback to bicycle to vehicle. Limited resources and communication improved drastically over the years, from no communication to modern-day technology, that is, cellphones, GPS, radios, and so on. The only
thing that stayed constant over time was the main goal of protecting and conserving nature against ever-growing threats.
adventure, it is an ideal platform for a successful career in the challenging private game reserve industry, or to find your way into a provincial or national park as a game ranger. The National Certificate: Nature In those days, a National Diploma in Conservation: Resource Guardianship Nature Conservation was the stepping stone addresses skills and Competencies enabling to becoming a game ranger in any national entry-level employment and positions or provincial reserve. However, for a few of qualifying candidates to access the game rangers, no formal qualification was opportunities for further development and needed to perform the daily duties of a game training in the area of nature conservation. ranger; only experience and guts were The nature conservation sector is a highly needed. As time progressed, the need and regulated environment, tasked with the urgency for a formal qualification was protection and utilisation of our natural recognised – not only to protect and conserve resources and heritage while ensuring, the environment, but also to protect them controlling and managing access to this as game rangers. SAQA stepped in; with the environment by both local and international help of CATHSSETA and leaders in the tourists. The utilisation of natural resources conservation field, they developed a protected and managed by nature qualification, namely: National Certificate in conservation is a main tourism attraction and Nature Conservation: Resource Guardianship thus contributes significantly to the country’s as well as the new qualification, Park Ranger. foreign exchange earnings and the marketing Game rangers/field rangers are the of South Africa as a tourism destination. principal guardians of the world’s premier Acquiring recognised skills and abilities is therefore required by the sector in order to meet legislative and operational requirements and to remain profitable, so that growth can increase and job opportunities expand while the main objective of the protection and effective utilisation of our natural resources is maintained at an operational level. The South African Park Ranger qualification is the first of its kind in the world and will be the elite ranger qualification worldwide. It is on par, or more comprehensive than, similar courses found in regional military units and will specialise rangers as game rangers that have natural and cultural protected environments. a broad-based knowledge on conservation Game rangers are involved in complex and monitoring and reporting, specialised highly important tasks in the preservation of combat trackers, elite anti-poaching rangers natural and cultural resources, which consti- and area integrity rangers that can be proactute core elements of the world’s natural and tive and lead rangers in the African bush to cultural heritages. ensure that they are the principal guardians of the world’s premier natural biodiversity. If you are looking for a career that will be an The development of the skills of protected
area managers and enforcement managers (area integrity rangers/game rangers) enables the planning, implementation and analysis of effective operational and tactical patrolling and enforcement operations to counter biodiversity crime. This is a much more comprehensive qualification in practice, skills development and time than any other previous qualifications. The conservation subjects are unique to African conditions and its wildlife. It includes the behaviour of dangerous game and survival training that is necessary for Africa’s harsh and savage conditions; carrying out conservation security research & training practices within a designated conserved area; combating soil erosion and alien invader plant species; gathering basic biological data for research purposes; and performing a liaison function with neighbouring communities to raise their awareness of important environmental issues and considerations, as well as what acts are legal or illegal when carried out within a conserved area. The wildlife ranching (game farming) industry started to boom in the early 2000s. In the early stages of the industry, farms consisted of livestock and roaming game. As the industry developed, farmers came to understand the need for sustainable game farming and the conservation of our natural heritage, and the switch was made from 50/50 to 100%. A wildlife rancher is a person that has a multidisciplinary approach. They need the heart of a conservationist, the brain of a farmer and the courage of a ranger. As this part of the industry is fairly new, the need for a formal qualification was imminent and is still being developed while the industry grows. It is not all moonshine and roses in any of the above professions and for the general public it mightseem that this unique group of people is permanently on vacation. However, this group will sacrifice life and limb for their dreams, passion and purpose.
Nature is the source of all true knowledge. She has her own logic, her own laws, she has no effect without cause nor invention without necessity. – (Leonardo da Vinci
The One-Stop Academy right in the bush! Tourism & Safari Guide
Conservation Practitioner
Wildlife Practitioner
Nature / Safari Guide
Conservation Practice
Wildlife Management
Survival ~ Bush Craft
Game Ranger
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Tracking Animals 1
Tracking II D/A
Game Capture
Dangerous Game 1
Dangerous Game II & III
Wildlife Production
Field Ranger 1
Field Ranger II & III
Wildlife Health Care II
Wildlife Photography
Anti-Poaching Manager
Nutrition
Wilderness 1st Aid
Firearms ~ Tactical
Genomics
Tourism Manager
Advance Rifle Handling
Game Harvesting
Lodge Management
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Wildlife Rancher
Firearm Competency
Wildlife Health Care I
Wildlife Warden
SAQA Accredited Training Provider with CATHSSETA as the ETQA / QAP Provider Registration No: 613/P/000242/2014 www.cathsseta.org.za 74
KRUGER MAGAZINE | Issue 5 – Spring 2018
Qualifications in conservation & wildlife management by JC Strauss
IN SOUTH AFRICA, THERE ARE THREE FORMS OF EDUCATION SYSTEMS IN PLACE, NAMELY: • General and Further Education and Training Qualification Sub Framework (Umalusi). • Occupation Qualification Sub Framework Quality Council for Trades and Occupation (QCTO). • Higher Education Qualification Sub Framework Council for Higher Education (CHE) . Occupational Qualification Sub Framework It includes all the qualifications that fall outside Umalusi and the academic field. The body responsible for maintaining and managing such qualifications is QCTO. All three sub frameworks must register or deregister their qualifications through South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA), which is the body that manages all qualifications in the Republic of South Africa (RSA). All these sub frameworks operate and seek to serve the mandate of the Department of Higher Education and Training, meaning those are the three recognised councils in South frica’s education system. Why Occupational Qualification? The Occupational Qualification seeks to bridge a gap between the industry, education, qualification and workplace, meaning the Occupational Qualifications are industry influenced in terms of what industry wants and doesn’t want. All these registered qualifications are offered as full qualifications in that they cover knowledge, practical and workplace components. Each qualification has an Assessment Quality Partner (AQP)
that is responsible for the evaluation and implementation of the different qualifications.
• Expand conservation areas through incorporation of unproductive land and game reserves with a view to stimulating sustainable local economic growth and The AQP can be a registered professional conservation. body in a specific industry (hunting, • Develop and restore the degraded firearms, electricians, artisans, mechanics). environment and improvement of For example, as a trade the occupation of infrastructure and land use for advancement. diesel mechanic falls under the guidelines • Broadening and meaningful participation of of the Department of Higher Education and youth and women in the mainstream wildlife Training. The National Artisan Moderation economy through skill training and Body regulates this profession. In order for entrepreneurship. you to work as a diesel mechanic you will • Building a robust wildlife economy that need to complete an apprenticeship made up contributes substantially to the financial and of theoretical, practical and workplace economic climate in SA. segments and then pass a trade test at an • Promoting sustainable rural enterprises accredited national trade centre. and industries by enabling emerging wildlife ranchers and community landholders to Once learners have met all three components participate in the mainstream wildlife (knowledge, practical and workplace), they economy as shareholders and entrepreneurs. sit for External Summative Exams or trade • Developing game ranches as new and tests, which are handled by a particular alternative engines of rural economic AQP. Once the learners had passed, the AQP development with strong emphasis on sends their information to QCTO and QCTO human resource development, job creation will issue the learner with the National and reduction of poverty. Qualification, known as an Occupational • Building platforms for reduction in the Qualification or Professional Qualification. rural unemployment rate and improve food Two of these new Professional Qualifications security, skills development, good are Conservation Practitioner and Wildlife governance, social cohesion, wealth and Practitioner. Conservation and Wildlife planning. Practitioner qualifications were redeveloped • Calls for a paradigm shift that places from previous qualification on the NQF wildlife as viable alternative for a business System, purposeful addressing food rural development model and land reform. insecurity, generating viable rural economies, achieving equity towards ownership and Conservation Practitioner: NQF Level 4 – access to natural biological assets while Credits 150 contributing towards the green economy from the use of biodiversity. Full time Qualifications available • Conservation ethics The strategic objectives are to educate a new • Basic ecology generation of Conservation and Wildlife • Local wildlife Practitioner with the necessary knowledge • Infrastructure maintenance and workplace skills to: • Mechanical repair • Empower land owners and beneficiaries • Heritage site through sharing the benefits arising from • Water provision wildlife economy. • Fencing
• Erosion • Alien and invasive plant control • Veld fire control • Waste, disposing • and recycling • Part time Qualifications available • Part time Qualifications available • Infrastructure maintenance worker • Erosion controller • Alien and invasive plant controller • Veld fire fighter • Waste recycler • Environmental monitor • Community conservationist
Wildlife Practitioner: (Wildlife Rancher, Wildlife Warden, Game Ranger) NQF Level 5 – Credits 180 Full time Qualifications available Full time Qualifications available • Ecological principles governing the ecosystem • Veld and habitat management • Parasitism and Contagious wildlife diseases • Nutrition • Wildlife production • Wildlife management • Sustainable utilisation • Wild animal care practice • Wildlife capture • Marketing, finances and human resources
Part time Qualifications available • Veld and Habitat Management • Wildlife Health Care • Game Capture
For more information, contact JC Strauss: africa@ecoranger.co.za
www.ecoranger.co.za | africa@ecoranger.co.za KRUGER MAGAZINE | Issue 5 – Spring 2018
75
SCIENCE FUN FOR KIDS 10 USEFUL WAYS TO ENCOURAGE SCIENCE CAREERS You will be surprised where people with a science education are employed. People who have scientific qualifications are in high demand, and science qualifications prepare them for a wide variety of careers both in science and beyond science. Science qualifications give you access to a vast range of careers from surveying to biochemistry and from marine biology to journalism. Not pursuing subjects such as science and mathematics may close off a whole range of careers. So how can you be encouraged to pursue an interest in science throughout your education? • Go to science festivals, exhibitions and museums, which explore the application of science in innovative ways. Look out for science and maths related TV programmes. • See that qualifications in science and maths keep their options open. Deciding not to pursue these subjects could close off whole career areas. • Speak to your school about the opportunities for extra-curricular activities such as visiting speakers like science Ambassadors or after school science clubs. • Help your school to deliver science related work experience that broadens young people’s horizons. • Check in with your school to make sure you are aware of any special events happening, for example careers activities or the annual ‘Science Week’ in October each year. • Understand the value that science and maths related subjects have in the work place, such as the increasing employer led demand for scientific and technical skills. • Explore the full range of education pathways available to ensure that you make the choice that suits you best. Speak to your school teacher for advice. • Get the support you need for excelling in your school work. Young people need encouragement to persevere and achieve in subjects they may find challenging. Improving in science and maths requires practice just like learning a language or a musical instrument. • Talk to adults about what they have done in science, maths, design and technology (D&T) and information and communications technology (ICT) classes. Find out about the links to careers in the world beyond school.
• Seek to find and see the long-term benefits of having science qualifications and skills, such as increased employability, good salaries and variety of opportunity.
The
CIMA FULLTIME
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Need more info?
www.charterquest. c o. z a/page/scholarship-challenge
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There’s no place like home. We have our place. They have theirs. Visit nspca.co.za for more about the hazards of capturing and breeding exotic animals. BlastBC 126829