IOL - Career Choices 2022

CAREER CHOICES

Choosing a career can be a challenging, and sometimes even daunting decision - one that can create uncertainty, pressure and anxiety But with the right guidance, resources and support, this important task can also open up a host of exciting possibili ties.

In this issue of IOL Career Choices 2022, we take a look at the IIE MSA’s recently launched School of Educa tion; the University of the Western Cape’s postgradu ate degree options that are aligned with the ethos of graduate employability; and how to turn your passion into a career with a CA(SA) qualification And because we live in a world of 4IR, head on over to Swivel com - a virtual platform that is open 365 days a year, 24 hours a day and is 100% free for all users, both locally and internation ally, who are looking to study in South Africa.

Designed to be useful, this d igimag also features great advice from our Brandstories team - drawn from their own high school and career expe riences There’s study hacks for matrics, the d ifference be tween internships and learn erships and how to figure out which is best for you, five skills you’ll need to become a journalist, and more.

Take your time to decide your future

We hope that our stories and advice help make the decision a little easier to navigate.

Tips and strategies to thriving at high school … page 3

IIE MSA set to play an important role in shaping SA educators … page 4

Don’t be hasty when making decisions about your future … page 6 & 7

Postgraduate study at the University of the Western Cape … page 8

CA(SA): Your ticket to turning your passion, into your career … page 10

Choosing between a learnership or internship … page 12

Five skills you’ll need to be a journalist … page 13

Swiwel.com - an immersive online careers expo … page 14

Best study hacks to get you through matric … page 16 & 17

How to get a second chance at obtaining your matric … page 18

Lead co-ordinator: Tamara Mafilika

Writers: MaryAnne Isaac, Tamara Mafilika, Thembelihke Mkhonza, Gugulethu Shinga Design: Robyn Toni Fynn

Editor: Linda Zakas | linda.zakas@inl co.za

SALES

Brent Cole | brent cole@inl co.za Eugenie Broodryk | eugenie.broodryk@acm co.za Greg Stock | greg.stock@inl co.za

Charl Reineke | charl.reineke@inl co.za

Tips and strategies to thriving at high school

HigH school … that often-times cruel monster that we must all defeat in order to enter into “adulthood” and officially climb onto the ladder that leads to “freedom”. Some of us simply wished to get by in one piece. But this needn’t be your experience – read on for some great tips and strategies to not only survive, but thrive during your high school years.

Samantha grebenow, a blogger for Worksheets.com, listed the following tips:

• Face your failures – failure is essen tial to learn.

• Practice makes perfect – homework is the opportunity to practise, practise, practise.

• Find a mentor – find someone who is willing to develop you on your journey to resilience.

• Set goals – if you are working to wards something, it means you are al ways moving forward.

• Accept a challenge – there is not a single individual on this planet who can avoid change. it is inevitable.

• Make an effort – a resilient learner understands that in order to achieve, effort is key.

• Problem-solving – this is a critical skill that needs to be developed and encouraged. Not a day goes by with out being faced with some kind of chal lenge – from something as simple as opening a peanut butter jar to passing that maths exam.

• Stay positive – a positive attitude is a

coping mechanism. it brings optimism into your life and eliminates stress and negativity to a large extent.

• Celebrate your success – when you reach a goal, celebrate! it will make you look forward to reaching the next one. Celebrating increases morale, confi dence and self esteem – and will moti vate you to strive for greater success.

One final bit of advice i can add is some thing i learnt only after my teenage years, and wish i had realised sooner: Be true to yourself. Look at who you are and stand up for what you feel. There is a life after high school and it is the most satis fying of feelings to have found yourself. i wish for all of you to find yourselves soon, but remember to enjoy the path that gets you there.

Photo by Monstera

Tamara mafilika

IIE MSA set to play an important role in shaping SA educators

iiE MSA has recently launched its School of Education that includes an iiE Bachelor of Education in foundation phase teaching, an iiE Bachelor of Edu cation in intermediate phase teaching, and the iiE Higher Certificate in early childhood care and education.

“These qualifications enable us to cover a spectrum of teaching at differ ent levels,” says André Lubbe, campus head at iiE MSA.

Lubbe adds that iiE MSA is excited to now be able to play a role in develop ing a new generation of teachers in South Africa.

“The country’s educational challenges have been well documented. One of the most important ways we can cor rect this is by equipping our teachers with outstanding skills, so that they can tackle the new world that will be ush ered in by the fourth industrial revolu tion, while also preparing our children to face this future.”

“The offerings have been developed with an eye to equip students with the basic knowledge, cognitive and con ceptual tools required to teach. This is an ideal choice for people who wish to focus their studies on the educational requirements of children, paving the way for numerous employment oppor tunities from beginner ECD facilitators to senior primary school level.

“Teaching is a wonderful career choice for people who are nurturers by nature.

These give you an opportunity to guide and mentor young minds that are on the brink of a wonderfully exciting ad venture, and who are hungry for knowl edge. Those considering this career should be good communicators and should be able to promote a lifelong love of learning.”

The foundation phase is a particularly exciting part of a child’s schooling ca reer and teaching these pupils can be an extremely rewarding experience. Through the iiE Bachelor of Education offerings, iiE MSA’s School of Educa tion is preparing individuals for this ful filling career path.

Under the right teacher’s guidance, children at various stages of their edu cational journeys also develop key 21st century skills. These skills include criti cal thinking, problem solving and col laboration skills, social and emotional skills, along with qualities like creativity that helps them navigate critical sce narios once they reach the workplace. “Our educational offering will help chil dren unlock their true potential. Our School of Education is designed to im part the competencies and knowledge that help teachers do this with great proficiency.”

According to Lubbe, intermediate phase teaching is particularly exciting as educators find themselves interact ing with learners at a critical juncture in their schooling career.

“Although they still look to their teach ers for guidance, they now have the ability to work independently and that’s a great step forward. Many find it to be liberating and thrilling to develop new skills. This is also the stage where children start to draw on their previous skills to build new ones which, again, is an exhilarating experience for many. it’s incredibly rewarding to be part of this journey.”

The courses are structured in accord ance with the Department of Higher Education and Training’s minimum requirements for teacher education qualifications. it is aligned with the new higher education qualifications sub-framework’s guidelines. it has also been approved by the CHE/SAQA with registration with the Department of Higher Education and Training pend ing.

For more information, join the iiE MSA Open Day on October 1, 2022 from 9am till 1pm or visit www.iiemsa.co.za/ to read more about the iiE MSA School of Education.

Course links:

• IIE Higher Certificate in Early Childhood Care and Education

• IIE Bachelor of Education in Foundation Phase Teaching

• IIE Bachelor of Education in Intermediate Phase Teaching

Don’t be hasty when making decisions about your future

Many learners often make the mistake of making their career choice once they’ve matriculated – but in real ity, you should start thinking about the path you want to take while you’re still in high school.

Choosing the correct subjects in high school is vital as they pave the way to your career. Some learners, however, often take any subjects in school to pass time – i am also guilty of this. i was in a science class back in high school, not because i wanted to become an engineer or scientist – i simply chose these subjects because i had the ability to do them.

i matriculated in 2015, what now? i felt i had to follow through with science since i took science subjects in high school. i applied for electrical engi neering, bearing in mind that i hated mathematics with a passion – but i also knew that i would make my fam ily proud. Did electrical engineering not

show me flames; little did i know that all electrical subjects comprised of maths. i started hating the course and going to college became a drag, and i eventu ally dropped out when the first semes ter ended.

For the rest of the year, i took time out to figure out what i wanted to do in life. i came across a journalism course down the line and started do ing research on it. Journalism did not include any maths, which was music to my ears. The following year i registered to study journalism, and my oh my, did i not excel in all my modules – falling deeply in love with the course. i now knew this is what i wanted to do in life; my heart was finally at peace.

Phumla Shinga once said: “don’t study something for the sake of studying,” –and i’m a true testimony of this. Elec trical engineering was never my first choice, i never loved it – this was a lesson learnt the hard way with money

down the drain. i also didn’t love jour nalism, but i had to study something. i was fortunate enough to fall in love with the course halfway through; i got lucky the second time around. i shud der to think about the consequences had journalism not worked out too. i took a gamble twice, diving into dif ferent fields i had no interest in – all because i wanted to keep myself busy. May this be a lesson to not be hasty when it comes to making decisions about your future. give yourself time and do your research; what worked out for me in the end may not work out for you.

i agree, choosing a career path after matric is often a daunting task, howev er, there are various options to choose from. While options may vary, many individuals choose to further their studies by enrolling at a university or college. if you have the required sub jects to pursue your career but got low

GUGUlETHU SHiNGa

marks for certain subjects in your mat ric year, you may want to consider do ing a bridging course to help you meet the requirements for tertiary education. Bridging courses are introductory-level courses that usually range from six to 12 months.

if you’ve failed your matric, want to change certain subjects or you’re not satisfied with your results, you can always upgrade your matric results. Chances are you’ll get better results the second time around – granting you a space in university. if you don’t meet the requirements to study at a university, all hope is not lost. South Africa has a great number of FET and private colleges where you can further your studies. Be sure to find out if the institution you’ve chosen is registered and accredited, as there are many fly-by-nights nowadays. if you are still not sure on what to do after matric, a gap year may also be an option while you try to find yourself.

During a gap year you can engage in various educational and developmen tal activities such as working, travelling, completing an internship, or volunteer ing. Each of these options is a great way of finding out what sparks your passion. Do your homework, talk to students or professionals in that field, and you should get an idea of where you belong and where you’d excel.

While everyone expects learners to fur ther their studies after high school, we cannot ignore the fact that some learn ers may choose to get a job straight after matric – circumstances may dif fer. Should this be the case, you should keep in mind that your chances of get ting a job that pays well are very slim, with little to no experience. Others may prefer working while studying. This is not always an easy option as some peo ple may find it difficult to balance the two, however, it is doable.

As you embark on this new journey remember, nothing is impossible in life – the word itself says “i’m possible!” Wishing our future leaders, the very best with their career-choice endeav ours.

Photo by Mikhail Nilov

Postgraduate study at the University of the Western Cape

THE University of the Western Cape (UWC) is a national university, alert to its African and international context as it strives to be a place of quality, a place to grow – from hope to action through knowledge. it is committed to excel lence in learning, teaching, research and innovation to nurture the cultural diversity of South Africa, and respond ing in critical and creative ways to the needs of a society in transition. Post graduate study at UWC aligns with the ethos of graduate employability for an ever-changing world of work.

UWC offers over 600 postgraduate programmes in its seven faculties:

• Arts and Humanities

• Community and Health Sciences

• Dentistry

• Economic and Management Sciences

• Education

• Law

• Natural Sciences

A degree exposes a graduate to a broad range of subject matter, pro viding basic skills that will enable you to find employment in a chosen field.

A postgraduate qualification, on the other hand, provides learners with advanced knowledge in a particular field. A postgraduate qualification is far more detailed and will cover complex subjects and learning material. A post graduate qualification will give you the knowledge and skills to become a spe cialist in your chosen field. The Post graduate Diploma and/or Honours is the entry-level to postgraduate studies where you will be taught research skills in addition to specialist subject matter.

You can undertake postgraduate stud ies after completing an undergraduate degree or having equivalent work ex perience (Recognition of Prior Learn ing). The entry requirements for a post graduate degree may depend on the marks obtained in your undergraduate qualification or a preceding postgradu ate degree.

The specialised field you follow will also depend on the subjects you ma jored in. Sometimes, postgraduate pro grammes require other entry criteria to be met, such as entrance examina

tions, work experience, skills tests and, in some instances, interviews.

Postgraduate study is an intensive and personalised learning experience. A typical postgraduate class is much smaller than an undergraduate class, and at a doctoral level, you may work alone with the support of your research supervisor.

Postgraduate studies are taken for various reasons: it improves a gradu ates marketability, it enhances upward mobility, it opens opportunities to move into academia and research, it allows one to specialise along a specific ca reer path, and it can enable one to change direction from one field into an other or to follow another career path altogether.

Learn more about the University of the Western Cape’s postgraduate programmes: https://www.uwc.ac.za/study/ postgraduates Applications close on 30 September 2022.

CA(SA): Your ticket to turning your passion, into your career

WHEN Tramayne Monaghan’s boss summoned him to the 18th floor, he didn’t know what he was in for. But he left that office with a promise never to wear a suit again and, at 26 years of age, went on to become the youngest CFO at the world’s largest video game vendor and one of the most financially valuable companies in the world. As a young girl, itumeleng Barnard can still remember seeing pictures of Lon don and telling her parents: ‘i’m going to work there when i grow up!’ Today, she’s bringing southern African textiles to the UK’s renowned fashion runways by enabling designers to ship their ma terials and prints to British soil. growing up in East London, Jared Tubb never dreamed he’d live in America let alone be part of a team whose busi ness is used by more than two million people around the world every day.

Yet that’s what being the Director of Finance at an internationally known company worth a $113 billion means to him.

So what do these young business leaders have in common? They are Chartered Accountants

[CA(SA)].

With the CA(SA) designation behind your name, not only do you have a passport to the international business world but you also have you the abil ity to:

• Be your own boss or be THE boss;

• Earn a premium salary (right from the start);

• Turn your passions and hobbies into a career;

• Work anywhere in the world you want; and

• Make a tangible and positive differ ence in this world.

Choosing your future career is daunting – make sure it’s one that has scope to grow and endless opportuni ties for employment

A recent government notice sent out by the Department of Home Affairs list ed chartered accountancy on its scarce skills careers list. This means there’s an exceptionally high demand for this unique type of skillset in the country, but not enough qualified individuals available to fill those positions – an en viably situation to find oneself in when you’re living in a country with an unac ceptably high unemployment rate such as ours.

Ultimately the CA(SA) designation is about skills, not about jobs. The CA(SA) designation is about making a differ ence. And that means, with those for letters behind your name, you really can do just about anything.

For more information on how to become a CA(SA) visit www.saica.org.za

Choosing between a learnership or internship before joining the 5am club

THiNKiNg about pursuing a career in terest without having to enter the world of work or conform to a 9 to 5 shift just yet, but want to acquire insight and perhaps essential work experience?

Then a learnership or internship may be the right step.

A learnership provides an employee with a good mix of opportunity and skills development. The company trains peo ple into the kind of workers it requires, with the skills they need, while at the same time people gain highly desired skills for work opportunities. it would be advisable for candidates with grade 12 as their highest educa tion level to consider the following points. These programmes are directly connected to a specific field of work. Candidates will gain on-the-job training to help them excel in a specific field. These programmes are usually struc tured in a way that teaches candidates theory and practical skills.

The practical skills are usually catered for by an accredited learnership pro vider. This leads to a registered quali

fication and consists of a theoretical course, as well as practical training, which is done at the workplace.

Learnerships offer training in a spe cific field while earning money si multaneously, and are primarily for people with matric as their highest qualification. On completion of the programme, candidates will receive a certificate indicating their level of achievement and will be registered on the National Qualification Framework (NQF). The NQF qualification is nation ally recognised and will enable candi dates to look for a job or further their education in that specific field.

An internship is an opportunity for people with a degree or diploma to gain practical experience in a possible place of employment or in their field of study.

Different fields of expertise require various completion stages in their studies. Candidates have to familiar ise themselves with the different in ternship options before choosing their field of study.

internships can be paid or unpaid. Un paid internships should be considered if they offer candidates the oppor tunity to establish relationships with potential employers, gain real world practical experience, and add to their skills while getting an introduction to the culture and etiquette of the busi ness world.

Most university and college degrees or diplomas do not provide all the skills and knowledge to prepare candidates for the real world. The practical skills and knowledge gained through an in ternship will give the candidate more self-confidence and understanding of their work environment.

internships can range between a week to 12 months, during which candidates will bridge the gap between the work environment and the academic knowhow they gained at university.

Most times, an internship is required during your study course towards com pletion of your qualification. Just as with a learnership, you may get paid during an internship.

Photo by Ono Kosuki

maryaNNE iSaac

Five skills you’ll need to be a journalist

THEmbEliHlE mkHoNza

iT was never easy to choose the right career, even though there were plenty of career opportunities and choices available. in my mind, i was asking my self if i was making the right decision for my future, or if i would end up re gretting it later.

i did not want to follow everyone in my family. They tried to persuade me to do teaching, as they thought it had more job opportunities and most of my fam ily members are teachers. One of the mistakes i did not want to make was to follow other people’s dreams when choosing a career. i would advise that before making any career choice, start by assessing your self and make a list of careers you think might match your interests and skills. Do research, ask people in the same career as the one you’re interested in. get help from a student advisor. i chose journalism because i love tell ing stories that matter to others, learn ing new things, creating original con tent and getting to meet new people everyday.

Journalism is an exciting career if you’re passionate about sharing infor mation with the world. To be an excel lent journalist, it’s essential that you have outstanding journalist skills.

Five skills a journalist needs:

1. Communication skills - All journalists must have good communication skills

to communicate news either verbally or written. Be sure to work on your communication skills by being friendly, empathetic and confident as you pre sent the news or information.

2. Research skills - Research skills are very important in the career of a jour nalist. You need to capture all details and use different sources to get infor mation. in addition, you must have the ability to know how to evaluate all your data and research before presenting it to the public.

3. Problem-solving skills - Journalists encounter many challenges, be it in their work, during a live show recording or in the field. it’s important that they have problem-solving skills to over come any difficulties or challenges on their way. Journalists should be quick to identify problems and find solutions.

4. Fact-checking skills - Journalists need to be thorough with their work. A small mistake or misuse of a word could result in an entirely different meaning to your story or backlash for your publication. They must be able to verify information, whether text, photo or video.

5. Writing skills - Journalists must mas ter written communication for all media types, from text stories, social media posts to podcast scripts and photo cap tions. good journalists should be able to know how to write stories that are error-free and comply with legal and press code guidelines.

Photo by Cup of Couple

Swiwel.com- an immersive, engaging, always available, online careers expo

WELL-KNOWN for hosting its live Rock ing Future Career Expos at schools nationwide, where Grade 12 learners are exposed to some of South Africa’s leading private colleges, 3RC is no stranger to innovation.

In 2020, the company quickly pivoted to create its Rocking Future Virtual Career Expos. This move enabled the company to gain unique insights into the decision-making processes and employment desires of this new gen eration of students, taken from a wider variety of communities and age groups. Furthermore, the virtual extension of

the company’s reach into the country This completely levelled the playing field for more students around South Africa, who previously did not have ac cess to information around their career and tertiary education options. In 2022, 3RC launched Swiwel com, a virtual platform that’s open 365 days per year, 24 hours per day and is 100% free for all users, both locally and in ternationally, looking to study in South Africa.

Swiwel com relies on world-class technology and is available across all devices, allowing entrants to virtually experience the exciting education op portunities from wherever they are. The virtual platform strictly adheres to POPI and with parental consent pro vided for those under 18. Once the simple registration process is complete, you can access:

• Over 40 exhibitors: Engage with various South African private tertiary institutions and international place ment agencies. Peruse 150 qualifica tions and interact with video views of

campuses, spread out over two floors. Stands feature interactive videos with information on the courses and cam puses, and even a direct link to talk with colleges via WhatsApp

• Diverse study options: There are more than 150 study opportunities. From traditional law, engineering and business options, to alternative career paths including courses from Cheeba Academy, SA’s first Cannabis academy, and GoFourth Learning, a tech com

dustrial revolution study opportunities such as drone pilot and cyber security engineering.

Interna

tional opportunities abound and with out the heavy financial burden of trav el, such as the The Animation School, School of Entrepreneurship or Stadio,

via contact, distance and blended learning, across nine campuses. There is also Overseas Placement to universi

ties across America with IAM360

• The auditorium: Here users gain fullaccess to pre-recorded workshops from the various institutions.

• Exciting competitions: There are fan

competitions hosted by various brands, including prizes from brands like Stae dtler, CASIO and Lee Cooper

Not only is 3RC able to gain valuable insights from the data collected, in cluding target audience statistics, but they are also able to generate leads for participating colleges and brands. 3RC is now booking for 2023; and any college, university or brand that focus es on this market is welcome to make contact.

Watch this space to see how 3RC trans forms the way in which students carve their own distinctive futures and make their mark in SA, in the years to come

Visit www.3rc.co.za and www.swiwel com for more information.

best study hacks to get you through matric

Create a study plan

Esmarie Cilliers, a registered counsellor in private practice with a special interest in developmental psychology and personal growth says: “Studying for success is not a question of luck or talent alone. Re searchers agree that students who have a strategy or a plan for how they are going to study, achieve the best outcomes. “Students who follow a plan and scientific study methods learn more easily, retain information for longer periods of time, and save themselves hours of study time which enables them to have more bal ance in their lives.”

Take care of yourself

According to Dr Diana De Sousa, Head of Teaching and Learning at the South African College of Applied Psychology (SACAP), matrics can embrace their growing independence and choose to view this incredibly challenging time as an opportunity to improve self-dis cipline, time management and study skills.

“it is our own inner attributes that help us to harness the motivation, will pow er, creativity and coping skills that will unlock the 2020 matric cohorts’ poten tial and empower them to succeed.”

Daily nutrition

Mental toughness and emotional resil ience do not stand on their own – you also have to take care of your physical needs. Having sufficient sleep, a sup portive nutritional daily plan and be ing physically active every day – even when study pressures mount – is highly effective in the long haul of your study and exams.

Nathalie Mat, a clinical dietitian with a special interest in child and adolescent nutrition, says how we eat directly af fects our energy levels and concentra tion.

Although it is almost impossible not to feel anxious during exams, there are always things you can do to help ease it.

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“Eating balanced meals and snacks with a variety of foods results in good blood sugar control. When our blood sugar control is smooth as silk, mean ing no sugar highs followed by lows, we’re able to keep laser-like focus for longer.

“Quick fixes like coffee and energy drinks may promise a mental boost, but they are not ideal sources of nutrition and do not fuel our brains. High caffeine intake can affect sleep, which further decreases concentration and learning. What we eat and drink impacts our abil ity to think clearly and concentrate for long periods of time. Fueling your brain well will help you excel.”

Be active

According to biokineticist Joshua Marc De Hahn, our blood carries the nutri ents, hormones and oxygen that supply our brain and body. With slow circula tion and low blood volumes flowing through the body while we sit for ex tended periods, our brain and body do not function optimally.

“Physical activity increases our heart rate, the volume of blood pumped around the body and the amount of oxygen we consume. This creates an environment where more blood is flow ing to the brain, which in turn means more oxygen and more nutrients reach the brain.

Photo by Oladimeji Ajegbile

How to get a second chance at obtaining your matric

RECEiviNg disappointing matric re sults is not the final stop for you. There are many opportunities to work harder to achieve your desired marks. in some instances, you will have the conveni ence to study one subject the whole year.

Here are options to consider when things do not go your way.

Redoing your entire matric You could go back and re-register to do most of your subjects, which allows you to redo your matric year. The downside would be that some schools would need you to wear a uniform.

Bridging course

To take a bridging course, you would normally need to apply for it through a university. This option gives you an opportunity to take up short courses until you get enough credits to enrol for your desired course. Higher institu tions give you that option to sharpen your skills

Rewriting specific subjects instead of doing all your subjects, you could just redo the ones you feel you didn’t do well in. This reduces your bur den, and leaves you free to focus only on those specific subjects you need to rewrite.

Apply for a re-mark if you feel like you were marked un fairly and you are 100% sure that you did well, you can apply for your exam book to be re-marked. This could cost you up to R300. The cost includes remarking and rechecking.

Ultimately, understand that you are not alone if you receive disappoint ing marks. If you feel down and need someone to talk to, you can contact the South African Depression and Anxiety Group on 0800 12 13 14 at any time, day and night.

Photo by Monstera