Life After Matric-your life options Welcome back to all our readers, both the one’s who are carrying on in grade 11 and grade 12 and also to our new readers just arrived in grade 10. The matric years. It has such a nice ring to it and we believe these are very important years as well. It is not just about academic excellence, but also about your future. The natural question to ask is then: “What after matric”. We have now so many options and we need to look at this in a different light, I believe. If we should have this notion that university is the only thing to go for after matric, we will have a problem. We might end up thinking ourselves as ‘not good enough’.
But is it the truth? Does it then mean that all the other jobs and educational offerings are second prize? If this is our perception, we set ourselves up for failure. Let us look at what Department of Higher Education is aiming at. Without having the fullest knowledge, I believe it has changed a lot. The TVET colleges (the FET colleges as they were known) are there to offer an education into careers where a university degree is not required. These offerings are far more varied and offer a lot more than an academic career. … and let us face it: not all of us are cut out for becoming academics. Let me quote from one of the government TVET’s (Ekurhuleni East College):
Q: What do I need to get in? The following documentation should be submitted upon registration: Previous examination results Certified copy of ID or Birth Certificate Proof of Residence or an Affidavit confirming Residence Minors (Persons not paying for themselves): Parent/Guardian’s contact details Parent/Guardian’s certified copy of ID Q: How do I apply? Collect an application form from an enrolment centre Fill in the information that is required Make sure that you have all the supporting documents required. Such as: A certified copy of your identity document A certified copy of your National Senior / Matric Certificate A Proof of Resident Q: Do i have to repay this bursary upon completing ? NO, these are bursaries and are not repayable. All you have to do is ensure that you excel in your studies and pass each year. Q: What are the Admission Requirements for NQF Level 2? Certified copies of the latest report or results (Grade 10 / 11/ 12), Grade 9 considered on merit. Other qualifications equivalent to NQF Level 1 (e.g. ABET Level 4). Certified copy of ID or birth certificate. Proof of Residence which should not be more than three months old. Parent/Guardian’s certified copy of ID and their contact details. And so on.... Let us look at what EEC offers in terms of courses:
SChools And Faculties / Courses offered at EEC Business School Finance,Economics & Accounting NQF Level 2 - 4 Office Administration NQF Level 2 - 4 Management NQF Level 2 - 4 Marketing NQF Level 2 - 4 Financial Management N4 - N6 Marketing Management N4 - N6 Business Management N4 - N6 Human Resource N4 - N6 School of Engineering Engineering and Related Design NQF Level 2 - 4 Electrical Infrastructure Construction NQF 2-4 Civil & building Construction NQF Level 2 - 4 Electrical Engineering (heavy current) N4 - N6 Electrical engineering (light current) N4 - N6 Mechanical engineering N4 - N6 Primary Health NQF Level 2 - 4
School of Creative and Social Services Hospitality Services NQF Level 2 - 4 Tourism NQF Level 2 - 4 Hospitality and Catering Business N4 - N6 Tourism N4 - N6 School of ICT & Computer Science ICT NQF Level 2 - 4 Committee & Cisco Programmes Microsoft Programmes International Computer Driving Licence (ICDL) Other Call Centre Agent Training Course About The National Certificate Vocational (NCV)
I don’t know what it is all about, but I can see that these are not ‘second prize’ courses. These are real courses for real people in a real world. So, maybe it is now time for us to start seriously looking at our future. What do we want to do after matric? If I would like to become a programmer or a technician or whatever, universities might not offer the right path. The TVET’s (private or public) have so much more. There are several websites to look at. I am only going to mention one: www.careerhelp.org.za Is it the best? Maybe not, but it will surely help you to make an informed decision on the key question which will face you now: What after matric? Let me also give you an example from Denmark: If you should want to be a farmer and want to buy a plot ear-marked for farming, you have to have a license as a farmer. You can only get this license or education (1 year if I remember correctly) at a TVET college. And it does not even require a matric. Just to explain it: The Danes believe that the land is too precious to have ‘un-professional farmers’ using the land as a hobby. If you are not serious and show (licensed!) that you can, well, no cigar in so far as ownership of a farm is concerned. If this is the future of South Africa as well, we will see more and more of qualifications being required for things we are not used to: The electrician better have a certificate before touching my house. The car mechanic better have a certificate before touching my car. The plumber better … and so on. It ought to be the way to go. Better skilled people will be able to serve us all better. That really means education one way or the other. I do not need an academic to fix the car, but I would prefer that the person has some education rather than just ‘trial and learn’ approach.
List of TVET Colleges within South Africa Table 8 - North West List of TVET CollegesOrbit within TVETSouth College Africa This is according to DHET Taletso TVET College Vuselela TVET College Table 9 - Western Cape
Table 1 - Eastern Cape Buffalo City TVET College East Cape Midlands TVET College Ikhala TVET College Ingwe TVET College King Hintsa TVET College King Sabatha Dalindyebo TVET College Lovedale TVET College Port Elizabeth TVET College
able 5 - Limpopo Capricorn TVET College Lephalale TVET College Letaba TVET College Mopani South East TVET College Sekhukhune TVET College Vhembe TVET College Waterberg TVET College
Table 2 - Free State Flavius Mareka TVET College Goldfields TVET College Maluti TVET College Motheo TVET College
TTable 6 - Mpumalanga Ehlanzeni TVET College Gert Sibande TVET College Nkangala TVET College
Table 3 - Gauteng Central JHB TVET College Ekurhuleni East TVET College Ekurhuleni West TVET College Sedibeng TVET College South West Gauteng TVET College Tshwane North TVET College Tshwane South TVET College Western College for TVET Table 4 - Kwazulu-Natal Coastal KZN TVET College Elangeni TVET College Esayidi TVET College Majuba TVET College Mnambithi TVET College Mthashana TVET College Thekwini TVET College Umfolozi TVET College Umgungundlovu TVET College
Table 7 - Northern Cape Northern Cape Rural TVET College Northern Cape Urban TVET College
Table 8 - North West Orbit TVET College Taletso TVET College Vuselela TVET College
Table 9 - Western Cape Bolan TVET College College of Cape Town False Bay TVET College Northlink TVET College South Cape TVET College West Coast TVET College