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 reality, 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 engineering, bearing in mind that I hated mathematics with a passion – but I also knew that I would make my family 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 eventually dropped out when the first semester 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 doing 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. Electrical 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 journalism, 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 shudder to think about the consequences had journalism not worked out too. I took a gamble twice, diving into different 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, however, 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 subjects to pursue your career but got low marks for certain subjects in your matric year, you may want to consider doing 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 developmental activities such as working, travelling, completing an internship, or volunteering. 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 further their studies after high school, we cannot ignore the fact that some learners may choose to get a job straight after matric – circumstances may differ.

Should this be the case, you should keep in mind that your chances of getting 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 people 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 endeavours.

GUGULETHU SHINGA