CAREER GUIDANCE

Skilling for the future

The landscape of the future job market may be hard to predict. However, you can help your child prepare by encouraging them to arm themselves with these scarce skills. By Lisa Witepski

Tomorrow’s workplace looks very different to that of today, says Eloise Nolte of College SA. Just one look at the pile of products that have become redundant – Walkmans, floppy discs, Blackberry phones – confirms this. And if products and industries are becoming redundant, that means certain skills are becoming redundant too, as new ones come to the fore.

Technology is the obvious byword here, as its influence in every sphere of our lives becomes increasingly prevalent. That is why Nolte is looking to specialist services related to the IT industry as a significant job provider in the years to come: “We see how IT departments of companies are growing alongside their reliance on websites, apps and systems. So they require more IT technicians, network specialists and administrators to manage technology and equipment for staff.”

New challenges call for new types of skills. Cyberattacks, for example, leave companies exposed, putting them at risk of losing revenue, and so they need a contingent of workers with the

ELOISE NOLTE

know-how to protect them. Server hosting and management is also an extremely specialised field with companies requiring more and more storage space to host their services online and ensure stability in times of high demand or service interruptions. Companies will continue to invest more in these fields in the future.

Then there are the social media specialists who lead companies’ interactions across the platforms they increasingly engage on, as well as the legal and ethical experts who guide these interactions.

HELPING YOUR CHILD MAKE THE RIGHT CHOICES

Wondering how you can nudge your child in the right direction? “Start by helping your child understand all the options,” advises Eloise Nolte of SA College. “You can do this by researching different industries and the different types of skills required for a type of work.

“Then, let them attend career days, see what study options are available for these skills and then bring it back to subject selection. A great gift to a child is to also send them for psychometric testing, as this often gives some clarity in terms of interests.”

MORE THAN JUST DIGITAL SKILLS

Dean McCoubrey of My Social Life believes that the accent shouldn’t simply be on helping learners acquire digital skills, but also on developing the skills that form the foundation of good digital citizenship – in other words, life skills that will help them navigate an online world.

These relate not only to understanding technology, but also how to self-regulate while online, how to find the balance

between wellbeing and spending time online, managing digital identity and reputation, and how to deal with challenges linked to privacy and cybersecurity. With these in place, children may go on to tackle jobs in a variety of industries.

Digital skills may provide a solid foundation; however, it is maths that lies at the heart and provides the underlying knowledge required for many of the industries where a shortage of skills is apparent, from commerce to engineering and architecture. Apart from forming the basis of all STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects, mathematics also teaches children critical analytical skills, such as how to think logically and apply new knowledge to different situations, points out Professor Kerstin Jordaan of the South African Mathematics Foundation.

Encouraging children to keep with maths – and not just maths literacy – isn’t always easy, though. And, it has become harder since the advent of COVID-19, which put paid to many of the games the Department of Education included in school syllabuses to encourage an interest in the subject.

One way of getting around this issue, though, is by showing children the creative side of mathematics, says Jordaan, and supporting teachers where possible, as the lack of quality teachers for this subject is a major obstacle to learners’ success.

Cathy Sims, of the South African Graduate Employer Organisation, shares Jordaan’s views. “Although I would encourage parents to allow children to follow their passion, they should be made aware that maths may be involved in jobs where mathematics isn’t necessarily the point. Data analysis is a case in point: it’s a discipline that speaks to the curious because it helps us make sense of information and informs so many areas of work. We need to help children understand the value of having maths as part of your arsenal for tackling life.”

Meanwhile, learners whose interests lie outside of STEM needn’t feel disheartened. Increasingly, the arts are being included on the list of scarce and critical skills, as STEAM. Carmen Schaefer of the Red & Yellow Creative School of Business is not surprised: “There is no such thing as a right or wrong answer in the creative arts, which means that young people schooled in these subjects are highly skilled in coming up with custom solutions for custom problems.

“They’re also adept at lateral thinking – important because this helps them investigate solutions from completely unexpected angles, and that’s often how great strides in all areas of industry are made.”

Trevor Harbottle, principal of Hermannsburg, agrees that it is the skills that emerge from a subject, and not merely its content, that make it valuable. That’s why he says that stimulating a child’s curiosity in coding, robotics and programming – or any other discipline that will help them get ahead in the fourth industrial revolution – is secondary to teaching them how to get up once they have fallen and how to be resilient and adaptable; skills that have indeed been necessary as our children grapple with a world that is rapidly becoming unrecognisable.

CARMEN SCHAEFER

TOP TRENDS IN SCHOOL SUBJECTS

The emphasis on STEM careers remains unabated – if anything, the coronavirus pandemic has placed a spotlight on these skills and the role that science and biology play in ensuring a healthy world.

This may be why learners tend to steer increasingly towards these subjects, along with those that hold an intrinsic appeal for young people who have an interest in discovering how the world operates.

Louise Schoonwinkel of Optimi Home, a home schooling provider, says there hasn’t been a massive shift in subject choices over the past couple of years. Aside from compulsory subjects such as languages, mathematics and mathematical literacy (which all learners have to take), popular choices include physical sciences, life sciences, business studies, economics, accounting, computer application theory, hospitality studies and tourism. She adds that an increasing number of students are enrolling for robotics and coding, which are supplementary subjects.

Applying for an inte nati na a ificati n

Despite the pandemic, global admission trends show an increase in applicants competing for top universities overseas, says Crimson Education country manager Rebecca Pretorius. “At Crimson

Education we have seen interest grow year-on-year and despite the pandemic, we saw our numbers rise again for the 2020/2021 admission cycle. And, this shows no sign of slowing for the 2021/2022 admission cycle.”

Students cast their nets beyond local borders for various reasons, says Pretorius.

“Our students are pretty global and for the most part, well-travelled. They see that there are opportunities that will allow them to work in another country.” She adds: “The increase further highlights the already-high value placed on a world-class education as well as the necessity for students to stand out from the crowd.”

PLAN AHEAD

Pretorius says the golden rule for getting ahead of the pack when it comes to applying for an overseas qualification is to start early. Crimson Education works with children as young as 11, preparing them with the skills they will need to successfully navigate the rigorous application process.

“For those who know that they’re planning on going overseas, or who want an international qualification, it’s best to make decisions (about study) earlier.” By Grade 9, an aspirant applicant should have a clear idea of what is needed for an overseas qualification.

“Even if you’re not doing the work early, understand what the pathway looks like, what’s required, what you should be thinking about and what decisions you should make regarding extracurriculars, subject choice and even curriculum choice,” advises Pretorius.

FAST FACT

The number of SA students applying to American universities increased by nine per cent in the 2019/2020 application period.

Source: Rebecca Pretorius, Crimson Education country manager

A degree from a world-renowned university abroad may seem like a dream for many school leavers, but if the application is done properly and in good time, it is well within reach, says Anél Lewis

CHOICES, CHOICES

Pretorius says South Africans have a broad interest in many countries around the world, but the most popular ones remain the United States, the United Kingdom and Canada. In Europe, the Netherlands is always a popular choice. Interestingly, Australia and New Zealand do not feature as prominently, adds Pretorius.

John Dunn, director of citizenship and immigration at Sable International, says Portuguese universities are starting to attract interest as they expand the number of courses offered in English. Cost and accessibility are key factors when it comes to deciding on where to study, with the UK and Europe generally being more affordable for South African students. Funding for overseas study is fairly limited, says Pretorius. Most families are partially or wholly self-funded. Some US universities do offer needs-based financial aid, adds Pretorius, but most applicants’ families choose universities based on what they can afford to pay.

ENTRY REQUIREMENTS

Dunn says that attending a school with an internationally recognised curriculum is a good starting point. While university admission in SA is largely dependent on school marks, the requirements for overseas universities can be more extensive.

The US, although the most popular study destination, also has the most rigorous

MOST POPULAR FIELDS FOR OVERSEAS STUDY

1. Engineering 2.Medicine 3. Law 4. Business Accounting/

Actuarial/Finance/Economic 5. Computer Sciences

Source: Crimson Education

application process, says Pretorius. School marks and standardised tests are only a part of the paperwork required. American universities focus heavily on extracurricular activities, especially those that have a community impact and show leadership. “Applicants also have to write an admission essay, with specific universities requesting a personal statement and supplemental essays,” says Pretorius. “While academic results are also important for admission in the UK, there are admission tests for some courses such as medicine and law. Applicants must submit a personal statement to show the applicant’s activities and achievements within their field of study.” Prestigious universities such as Oxford or Cambridge require additional tests for certain courses.

Also required is a student visa, which can be applied for once there is an offer from an overseas university. Some universities may ask for health and student union fees. Travel will require some form of health insurance as well. Dunn adds that having the funds in hand to pay for an overseas course as well as living costs will also count in a student’s favour.