2018
Career Guidance for your future! www.nextsteplearners.com
Editor’s Note
W
elcome to the first edition of THE NEXT STEP for LEARNERS. We are very excited to have launched this brand new publication to help & guide you through the next step of you lives ... life after high school!
Choosing a career or the correct path to take after high school is very difficult and it is not easy to know which direction to take, but we are sure that through the information available in this book you will be able to make the right career choice. We would like to thank our advertisers and sponsors who made it possible for us to publish such a vital magazine. Remember ... “Change inspires both fear and excitement, and one of our greatest talents is learning to manage both. Sometimes we have to be a little like a trapeze artist – we have to let go of one bar before we catch the new one.” — Nick Williams, author of The Work We Were Born to Do Wishing all the young students of SA the best of luck for the years ahead! Best wishes
Vanessa PUBLISHER & EDITOR: Vanessa Movius Tel: +27 82 681 3900 Email: thenextstep@webmail.co.za Website: nextsteplearners.com
THE NEXT STEP for Learners is an independent electronic career guidance publication, which is aimed at high school students in South Africa. It will showcase information about the best educational facilities our country has to offer, as well as necessary career guidance information to make informed decisions for the future.
DESIGN AND LAYOUT: Design InMind Email: designinmind@webmail.co.za
PUBLISHED & DESIGNED BY: ITALUX cc T/A THE NEXT STEP for Learners Reg No: 2009/172668/23
Whilst every effort is made to ensure accuracy in this book, the editor, publishers and production therefore do not accept any responsibility for errors or omissions in the content contained herein or any effects therefrom.
Copyright January 2017, Italux cc. All rights reserved. No part of this publication may be reproduced, copied or transmitted in any form or by any means without permission in writing from the publisher.
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re i p s n i s n o ti If your ac re, o m m a e r d others to re o m o d , e learn mor ore, you em m o c e b d n a er d a e l a e r a
Click on the points below to be directed to the relevant pages 1. Your Matric Year ~ What Are Your Options 2. Tips To Help You Get Started 3. Life After Matric 4. Choosing the Right Career 5. Drawing up a Successful CV 6. CV Mistakes 7. Study Myths 8. Bogus Colleges 9. Applying to University 10. Ignite The Fire Within You ~ Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University 11. Seven Faculties of Economic Excellence ~ University of the Free State 12. Take A Step Up ~ University of Pretoria (Faculty of Economic & Management Sciences) 13. University of Pretoria ~ Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences) 14. University and Apprentice Myths 15. Live the Dream ~ Coral Divers 16. What To Do After Matric ~ Pearson Institute of Higher Education 17. Study to Become a Teacher ~ Embury Institute for Higher Education 18. A Career as a Chef ~ SA Chefs Academy 19. Maths Opens Doors ~ The SA Maths Foundation 20. Welding - The Miracle Career ~ SA Institute of Welding 21. An Adventurous Career in Geomatics ~ SA Geomatics Institute 22. Geomatics Opens a Whole New World 23. Marine Engineer - How To Become ... 24. Telephone Etiquette 25. Most Attractive Companies in South Africa 26. Exam Preparation ~ Study Tips 27. Courses You Need to Take ~ Becoming an Entrepreneur 28. Becoming an Entrepreneur
r a e y c i r t a Your m
is not only about passing but also about enjoying your final year as a carefree student
Matriculants are faced with a daunting task in their final schooling year, they need to cover all the prescribed theory in just seven months and still find time to prepare for tests, exams and projects. This heavy workload is new to most matric students but schools simply do not prepare them sufficiently to deal with the stress and anxiety.
SO WHAT ARE YOUR OPTIONS AS A STUDENT? Approach your matric year with the same ‘leave it for the last possible moment’ system…..??? Lose 20 kg’s by stressing your way through the year….. Who needs a gym right! ? Party your way through matric and simply buy a matric certificate next year at your local flee market…..??? Study 24/7 for the first 5 months and get admitted to a psychiatric ward in the sixth for a meltdown… ?
AS ENTICING AS THE ABOVE OPTIONS SEEM ...
THEY SIMPLY WILL NOT HELP YOU ACHIEVE THE BEST POSSIBLE RESULTS FOR YOURSELF
a e v a h o t y a r u w o y y l n s s o a e p h d T n a e f li to l s i a i l c l e so w c E i r t M I a T m r u o y E G A N ! y l e MA v ti c e f f e See the next page on how to achieve this goal
So how do we achieve this goal?
TIME MANAGEMENT! BELOW ARE TIPS TO HELP YOU GET STARTED FOCUS FOR 10 MINUTES Take a subject and schedule 10 minutes of
REWARD YOURSELF Give yourself time away from your studies but
study time for it. Remove all distractions and
only if you deserve it. If you’ve studied
focus on the work for the entire 10 minutes. This
consistently during the week then take a day off
helps you to get the ball rolling and you may find
to relax with family or friends. Matric is tough
that 10 becomes 30 or 60 minutes. This also
and rest periods allow you time to recover and
helps tremendously with subjects that seem
regain motivation to push through, so do not rob
difficult and challenging at first.
yourself enjoy the year .
BREAK UP YOUR WORK Concentrate on doing small sections of work to the best of your abilities. The first tip amplifies the usefulness of studying smaller sections by increasing your focus. So instead of tackling an
These five tips are very simple to implement and you may already be using a few of them but try to combine
entire chapter or module start with a small sub
them all and see the results that you
section but do that section to the best of your
achieve. Studying for long hours on
abilities.
end will not guarantee success but
SETUP AND SHARE YOUR STUDY
concentrating fully during reasonable
SCHEDULE Let as many people know about your study
study time will.
times and tasks. This creates a self imposed pressure to get things done and ultimately removes the procrastination that befalls so many matric students. RISE EARLY Getting all your scheduled study time in early can give you a greater sense of achievement and freedom to enjoy the other things in your life. This is more important during the weekends and holiday periods, studying at midnight to catch up on your schedule will not help your concentration and retention.
r. alenda c e h t y he oled b o f e ys in t b a t d ’ n y o n a D ly as m n o e r se of. a u e r e e k h a T m value s you s ’ k e e year a w only a s t n gets e a g m n r a e th One m ile ano h w r a week – e a y f a o f t o ou out value s ’ r a e ds a full y Richar s e l r a Ch
E F I L
AFTER MATRIC
what are your options GETTING a matric with university entrance is one of the primary goals of secondary education.
GO INTO A TRADE
Let’s have a look at some of the avenues open to these school-leavers.
Another option is to go into a trade and take courses at a technical institute. These are often linked to real-world work experience programmes, which can lead to employment once the necessary certification is obtained. There are also workplace apprenticeships in which a school-leaver can enrol, which can give the advantage of generating income while learning a trade.
GO STRAIGHT INTO THE JOB MARKET
ENTREPRENEURSHIP
There are several immediate advantages to this. For a start, money starts flowing in quickly, and there is no need to go into debt in order to study further.
There is a further option for school-leavers; one that is taking on ever-increasing importance in the context of South Africa as a developing country. With its relatively slow economic growth rate and high unemployment, the South African economy needs as much stimulus as possible. One of the most important drivers of this is entrepreneurship, with its ability to create jobs, generate taxable income and provide growth.
However, not everyone obtains a university entrance, leaving them with a basic matric education. What opportunities are there for these matriculants, and what paths can they follow to create careers for themselves?
Finding a job straight out of school can be a tough undertaking, however. The current employment scenario is not a particularly good one for school-leavers, with a very high unemployment rate in this segment of the population. And where there are jobs available, prospective employers more often than not look for a certain amount of experience, which school-leavers obviously lack. For these reasons we need to look at other options for matriculants, to improve their employability and make them more attractive and desirable in the job market.
For matriculants with the right mindset, starting a business, however small, is certainly a viable option. One might almost say that in order to meet the country’s entrepreneurship needs, it is also a necessity that a certain number of people start their own businesses, with an eye on growth and sustainability.
STUDY FURTHER
GAP YEAR
There are many further study options open to matriculants who do not have university entrance. In choosing a tertiary education direction the first step is to decide on a desired vocation. This will determine what type of institute to study at or whether to take a different approach.
And finally, if you are a recent matriculant who is completely unsure of what direction to take, there is the increasingly popular option of a “gap year”. This will give you the time to take stock and discover what it is that you really want to do. You can take this opportunity to travel, if that is affordable, or else take a part-time job to get some work experience.
Institutions offering diploma courses to matriculants are plentiful in the major centres of South Africa. For instance, for those interested in marketing there is the IMM Graduate School of Marketing, or for those wanting to pursue a digital design career there is the Vega School, and so on. There are also plenty of general purpose colleges offering a wide range of diploma courses for matriculants.
Whatever your preference, it’s important to realise that matriculating without a university entrance is by no means something that needs to curtail the opportunities available to you.
4 Questions That Will Help You Choose the Right Career Too many choices are not always good, especially when it comes to picking your career. Use these soulsearching questions to decide which path is right for you. Take a look at most LinkedIn profiles, and it’s clear that the traditional three-step career plan (graduate college, get a job, work your way up the ladder for the next 40 years at the same company) is outdated. Today’s professionals swap job titles like kids trading snacks at the lunch table, toggling between many companies, teams and industries throughout the course of their careers. The upside to this trend is that as a young professional, you’ll have a lot of choice throughout your career. The downside is that not all choices are necessarily good, and having too many can be paralyzing. HERE ARE A FEW GREAT QUESTIONS TO ASK AS YOU DECIDE: 1. What are you good at, and what do you love? Yeah, I know. You’ve heard the “follow your passion” line since the day you were born. While some people have a clear passion, many of us find ourselves lost in the “passion puzzle,” paralyzed with fear that we’re not doing it right if we don’t have one burning career goal to pursue obsessively. And even if you do have a passion, chances are high it’s something vague and out of reach, like becoming the next Stephen King. The problem isn’t the idea of pursuing things you’re good at and that you love; it’s that your aspirations are too broad and difficult to act on. Think of your passions as a starting point. If you want to be the next Stephen King, break that passion down into writing and editing. Then do a “skills inventory” to determine just what else you bring to the table. Are you good at providing feedback and coaching other writers? Then becoming a writing teacher or tutor might be right for you. How about really digging into a subject, synthesizing a ton of research and guiding editorial direction? Then becoming a tech writer or editor might be a better fit. Your skills inventory could take the form of a checklist, a mock resume or interviews with friends, family members, mentors and former employers who can provide an outside perspective. You can then return to a tool like the one provided above and more carefully match your skills and interests to job titles, narrowing in on those that are both best suited to you and have the best prospects for growth. 2. Are you promotion- or prevention-focused? Feeling motivated is an essential aspect of job satisfaction. But causes for motivation vary widely from person to person. In general, there tend to be two main motivation types: promotion-focused and preventionfocused. Promotion-focused professionals are classic creatives and entrepreneurs. They work quickly, seize new opportunities and think abstractly. The downside is that they can be impulsive, overly optimistic and are likely to make bigger mistakes.
Prevention-focused professionals are just the opposite, focused on maintaining the status quo and protecting all they’ve worked on. These professionals prefer planning, reliability, thoroughness and analytical thinking. While we all need a little bit of promotion- and preventionoriented thinking, it’s important to determine which way you lean before diving down a career path. A preventionfocused person, for example, would do far better as a developer in a major corporation than launching her own startup. A promotion-oriented person will likely feel suffocated in a traditional 9-to-5, thriving instead in a more creative environment with bigger risks and bigger rewards. 3. What is the best environment for your personality type? For similar reasons, it’s often helpful to do even deeper personality tests like the Myers-Briggs. This will help you further pinpoint just what you need in your work environment to thrive. Particularly important is determining whether you’re more of an introvert or an extrovert, as the two personality types differ widely in their needs. An introvert, for example, may be more attracted to a quieter research role, while an extrovert will thrive in a busy, loud sales office. Public speaking, amount of teamwork required and frequent contact with clients are also factors to consider. But introverts and extroverts can both thrive in roles better suited for the opposite personality type, as long as they’re passionate about the cause or are able to adapt the job to fit their style. This is why stopping to think out your passions is important, though you’ll also discover many along the way. 4. What kind of lifestyle do you want? Most jobs start off with at least a few years of hard labor at lower pay than you’d like. What’s more important is looking ahead at people well into a career track to determine whether the lifestyle they lead is desirable to you. Some factors you might want to consider include the amount of control they have over their own time, their salary and the amount of travel involved, among others.
CREATING A SUCCESSFUL CV Writing a good CV can be one of the toughest challenges of job hunting. Most employers spend just a few seconds scanning each CV before sticking it in the 'Yes' or 'No' pile. Harsh but true! But never fear! Here are the Top 10 hints on how to show the world 'this is me!' and get that all-important interview. 1. KEEP IT REAL! Usually a CV should be no more than two pages, and that's two pages of A4 paper! Employers spend, on average, just 8 seconds looking at any one CV, and a surefire way of landing yourself on the no pile is to send them your entire life story. Keep it punchy, to the point, and save those niggly little details for the interview. 2. TAILOR IT We've all done it. Whizzed the same CV out to lots of employers to save time... Stop! Take the time to change your CV for each role that you apply for. Research the company and use the job advert to work out EXACTLY what skills you should point out to them. They will appreciate the obvious effort. 3. INCLUDE A PERSONAL STATEMENT Don't just assume an employer will see how your experience relates to their job. Instead, use a short personal statement to explain why you are the best person for the job. This should be reflected in your cover letter. 4. DON'T LEAVE GAPS We are a cynical bunch and leaving obvious gaps on your CV immediately makes employers suspicious –
and they won't give you the benefit of the doubt. If you've been out of work it can be a worry but just put a positive spin on it. Did you do a course, volunteer work or develop soft skills such as communication, teamwork or project management? If so, shout about it! 5. KEEP IT CURRENT You should keep your CV up-to-date whether you're looking for a job or not. Every time something significant occurs in your career, record it so you don't later forget something that could be important.
6. THE ERROR OF YOUR WAYS Employers DO look for mistakes on CVs and if they find them, it makes you look really bad. David Hipkin, head of recruitment and resourcing at Reed Business Information, warns, 'With most employers experiencing massive volumes of applicants right now, giving them the excuse to dismiss your application because of avoidable errors is not going to help you secure an interview.' If you're unsure then use a spellchecker and ask someone else to double-check what you've written. See next page for points 7-10
CREATING A SUCCESSFUL CV continued 7. TELL THE TRUTH
9. MAKE IT LOOK GOOD
Everyone lies on their CV, right? NO! Stop! Blatant lies on your CV can land you in a whole heap of trouble when it comes to employers checking your B background and references. The last thing you want is to start work and then lose your new job for lying. You also may get caught out at the interview stage when suddenly you can’t answer questions on what you claim to know. And that can be VERY awkward!
We live in a world where image is everything, and that also goes for your CV. Take some time to pretty it up...use bullet points and keep sentences short. Use the graphic design trick of leaving plenty of white space around text and between categories to make the layout easy on the eye. Alternatively, get a creative with your job application!
8. THE MATHS This may sound dull but by backing up your achievements with numbers it makes selling yourself much easier. When writing your work history, don't just say that you increased sales; tell them you increased sales by 70% over a six month period. Get it? Big numbers are especially good (although don't forget point 7 of our list!).
10. MAKE IT KEYWORD FRIENDLY If you've uploaded your CV to a job site so recruiters can find you, keywords are very important. Job titles and job buzzwords will help a search engine pick out your CV from the pile. Confused? Don't be. A marketing candidate might mention SEO (Search Engine Optimization), direct marketing and digital marketing among their experience and skills, for example... If you're not sure, have a search online and see what words are commonly mentioned when you input your job title.
10 CV mistakes to avoid! So, you've found a job that you really want to apply for. You KNOW you'll be perfect for it and you've spent all day putting together a CV and cover letter. But before you press 'send', STOP! Take a moment to read our guide to common – and easy – application mistakes that can make the difference between getting a job interview and having your CV put straight on the 'no' pile... 1. MR JONES? OH, SORRY, Mr James
3. RIGHT APPLICATION, WRONG COMPANY
It may seem obvious but make sure that you have spelt the name of the person you're sending the application to correctly – on the email and on your cover letter… and that you have their title correct.
If you're sending out lots of applications at once double and triple check that the right CV is going to the right job. Every CV should be different – slightly tweaked to make sure it fits each job advert. If you send the wrong CV to the wrong job then you can really harm your chances…
Mr Smith doesn't want to be called Mr Jones, after all. Then, just to be on the safe side, double-check the company and product names that your spell checker wouldn't have caught. 2. CHECK IT Speaking of which, spell check. Spell check right now!
4. GET ATTACHED Attach your attachments! It does not look good if two minutes after you press send you email them again with a bashful 'and this time with attachments'. This is especially true if you've listed attention to detail as one of your attributes. continue reading on next page
10 CV mistakes continued 5. READY, SET, FORMAT! Make sure the format of your CV is easy to open for all computers – or at least most of them. There are so many different versions of Word now that some machines can't access the files attached – it's best to save your CV as a standard .doc file that any computer can open. Also, be careful with too much formatting – if it's a highly designed CV for a creative role then a PDF file is a safer option.
6. JUDGE A BOOK BY ITS TITLE Your CV should have your name, in bold and clearly laid out, at the top of the document. You don't need to write 'CV' at the top or even 'Curriculum Vitae' (shudder). You want them to remember your name!
7. THINK ABOUT IT Make sure the email you're sending the application from isn't a cutesy personal email address.
Beerlover69@hotmail.com isn't likely to be taken seriously. This is also true of the email address you have added to your CV as a point of contact.
8. ONCE MORE FOR LUCK... Spell check again!
9. ...BUT REMEMBER Spell checkers aren't infallible. Go through it yourself and look for grammatical errors; if you're not confident in editing your own work then get a friend or family member to go over it for you. You can always bribe them with a cup of tea and a biscuit. Lucky them.
10. AND, FINALLY Now, take a breath. Have one more read through – yes, AGAIN! – and if you're sure everything is 100% correct press send...
Busting those study myths MYTH A UNIVERSITY DEGREES IS NEEDED FOR MOST JOBS.
MYTH THOSE WHO GO TO UNIVERSITY ARE ALWAYS BETTER OFF THAN THOSE WHO DON'T.
TRUTH 59% of graduates are in non-graduate level jobs.
TRUTH Many school leaver schemes fast-track your career, making you qualify more quickly than a graduate.
EXPLANATION It used to be the case that if you flew the nest and headed to university, you were considered at an advantage to those who hadn't. Those days have passed. South Africa has many universities and lots of degree courses. Thousands more students graduate every year. As there are only a certain number of graduate jobs up for grabs, the competition between candidates is fierce. Inevitably, this leaves many graduates in nongraduate level jobs.
EXPLANATION For some careers, it is true that you may be better off going to university. For example, to be a doctor, teacher, dentist or vet you need to attend university and study for relevant qualifications. However, for many other sectors and careers you may be considering, university isn't always the fastest way in. Some school-leaver opportunities will fast-track your career, meaning you'd qualify faster than a graduate. Some studies suggest that high-level apprentices can expect to earn more during their careers than most graduates.
G N I N R WA BEWARE OF BOGUS COLLEGES In 2012 alone, about 50 bogus TVET Colleges were uncovered. It is important for any prospective student to verify the Colleges registration with the DHET! Contact 080 087 2222 Authorities, including the SAPS and the Department of Higher Education, are repeatedly issuing warnings for prospective students to steer clear of bogus colleges and educational scams. But while this is sound advice, it may not be enough to actually assist young people in identifying such outfits.
“There are also a few key questions to ask to which there are some simple answers, and if an institution is able to respond appropriately, it is worth considering.” Prospective students can do the following checks: ·
All private higher education institutions need to be registered with the Department. Any credible campus must be able to show you a certificate to that effect, which details the campus, provider and qualifications.
·
All higher education qualifications need to be accredited by the Higher Education Quality Committee of the Council on Higher Education – if they are not accredited they will not appear on the certificate referred to above.
·
All qualifications must be registered on the NQF by SAQA and students should ask for the SAQA NQF identity numbers.
Additionally, the public may also become unnecessarily wary of all private higher education institutions, limiting their own access to quality education. Dr Felicity Coughlan, Director of The Independent Institute of Education, says that because the private higher education sector is highly regulated in South Africa, with information readily available in prescribed formats, it is in fact easy to identify credible institutions and their campuses if you know what to look for. “All the key information about the registration of an institution is available in the Register of Private Higher Education Institutions kept by the Department of Higher Education and Training, and the information is also readily available from reputable institutions,” she says.
Once you have established these three things you can be sure you are dealing with a legitimate institution, and from there you can safely turn your attention to the particular qualification, quality and campus environment issues that meet your aspirations and interests. Article source: The Independent Institute of Education
10 THINGS TO REMEMBER BEFORE APPLYING TO UNIVERSITY 1. CLOSING DATES
·
Make sure you are aware of the closing dates of the various universities you intend to apply towards.
If you were a student at school you also have to submit your exam results and school subjects.
·
If you were travelling, you may be required to provide details of your activities.
·
Your application must reach the University before the closing date in order to be considered.
7. SIGNING THE DECLARATION 2. ONLINE vs POSTAGE or COURIER Be aware of how your application must reach the University. Some universities such as UCT have an online application process while other universities require you to post or courier your application so that they have the physical copy. ·
Make sure you allow for the amount of time that postage and delivery takes.
Your application will need to be signed by your parents or guardians and by you. ·
Make sure that you all know exactly what you are signing and that all the information in the application is true and correct.
8. SUPPORTING DOCUMENTS Most of the applications require some supporting documents.
3. EXAM RESULTS
·
Make sure you have all your exam results from Grade 11 and June matric exam marks on hand. You will need to submit these results to the University with the application.
These are certified copies or your ID and certified copies of your parents or guardians ID's.
·
Other supporting documents may be your exam results, proof of residence and a recent pay slip.
·
Make sure that you have copies of these documents and never send the original!
·
You will need to submit a certified copy of these results. Never send the originals!
4. MAKE SURE ALL DETAILS ARE CORRECT Forms can be a pain to fill in, and are often complicated! Go through the forms slowly and make sure you fill in each part of the form carefully so that you do not make mistakes. Consider doing your application in pencil before you fill it in with a BLACK pen. To consider: Make sure you have a working email address. FYI: You will also need a working cell phone number and a postage address.
9. PAY THE APPLICATION FEE Find out what the application fee for your University is and make sure that you pay the fee in the required method before you send your application. ·
Do not send your application fee via post.
·
Pay the fee at the bank or via EFT.
·
Find out whether or not you need to provide a proof of payment that the application fee has been paid.
5. FINANCIAL AID Have a look at the fee's booklet with your parents or guardians and together. Come to a conclusion about whether or not you might need financial aid. If your household income falls below a certain bracket, either of your parents or guardians are pensioners or either of your parents are unemployed, you may qualify for financial aid. If you do require financial aid from your University, there will usually be a separate form you may need to complete.
6. CURRENT YEAR’S ACTIVITY For your application, you will most likely need to fill in what you have been doing for the last year.
10. ACCEPTANCE If you are accepted to your chosen University you will be sent a formal letter or email. ·
You will usually have a few months in which to accept based on your final results (so no slacking off yet!) Remember to accept the offer and make sure that in the following year you have paid the Minimum Initial Payment (MIP)
·
The MIP is the minimum amount of your fees which must be paid in order for you to begin a 'payment plan' with the university. It is also often what must be paid in order for you to secure a place in a residence.
Four myths we always hear, with the lesser- known truth included to bust your preconceptions. MYTH UNIVERSITY IS THE BEST ROUTE FOR HIGH ACHIEVERS TRUTH With a broad range of programmes, not all high achievers go to university.
EXPLANATION Apprenticeships cater for all strengths, yet a lingering perception that they are only a route into manual or skilled labour positions remains. While this a great route for some, young people who have achieved well in school but don't find the idea of university appealing continue to be unaware of the array of promising options available to them
MYTH APPRENTICESHIPS ARE JUST FOR TRADESPEOPLE TRUTH Apprenticeships have been revolutionised in the 21st Century
EXPLANATION The increasing popularity of apprenticeships has encouraged other programmes, like sponsored degree programmes and degree apprenticeships, to develop in recent years. All of these school leaver schemes provide young people with a range of exciting career options in many sectors, from insurance and finance to pharmaceuticals and professional services. The recent expansion of these programmes aligns with the rise in university tuition fees. These alternatives provide school leavers with the chance to be part of structured training programmes, while earning a salary and developing professional skills.
A CAREER AS A CHEF
The South African Chefs Academy is a professional cookery school based in Salt River, Cape Town. We offer a one year course which incorporates both Hot Kitchen and Patisserie work. We also provide a practical and food-focused course with no time-wasting extras.
WE ARE CHEFS WHO TEACH CHEFS SOUTH AFRICAN CHEFS ACADEMY: * Started in 2004 with 21 full-time students and 5 staff members, 2 being the owners * Since qualified, approximately 1 000 chefs on various full-time and day release courses (all accredited and externally verified) * Demand continues to grow * All teaching staff are qualified chefs and have worked at top level of industry. They are able to deliver relevant skills. * We offer the most practical intensive course in SA and have a reputation for this process that graduates young chefs with real ability and confidence to work in professional kitchens. Head Chef - Chefs Warehouse at Beau Constatia (Ivor Jones) Owner - The Creamery (Kate Cremer) Owner - Woodstock Bakery (Paul Cremer) Owner - The Lucky Baker Pretoria (Pauli Coetzee) Head Chef - Leopards Leap (Pieter de Jager) Head Chef - The Greenhouse (Ashley Moss) Executive Chef - The Cullinan - Henrico Grobbelaar)
Please visit our website www.sachefsacademy.com or call 021 447 3168 for more course details
HOW TO BECOME A MARINE ENGINEER Marine engineering is a job that is very much sought after in recent years. The growth of the industry and the continued research and development in the field has rubbed off on the academic study of this engineering field and more people have started to opt for it. The increase in the commercial activities, across the seas also had a positive impact on marine engineering with unprecedented rise in the number of merchant navy vessels and trading. All this has had a positive impact on the job market in this dynamic sector. Certain attributes are pre-requisite for any job on the merchant navy or as a marine engineer, whereas there are other required qualifications which are different for different profiles. The length of the graduate course of engineering may vary slightly in some countries, but in general it is 4 years, wherein the student undergoes comprehensive training in both theoretical as well as practical aspects of the science. In some cases the practical sessions are conducted in-house and some of the sessions are also conducted at the real sites like shipyards. The theoretical subjects include, apart from English, which is the most widely understood and used language in merchant navy, computer science, applied mathematics, physics, electronics and marine management. Besides these there are also many other topics that are covered and students are educated regarding environmental science, maritime commerce and control systems etc. These trainings are necessary for anyone aspiring to be a marine engineer or want a job in the merchant navy because it not only adds to the mental abilities but also inculcates physical attributes. Practical training of the aspirant includes Magnetic and Gyro compasses, electronic navigational aids like the Radar, Decca etc, Chart work, practical navigation and astronomy. For better prospects in the existing job or the open job market, a Masters degree in marine engineering is definitely advisable. The training albeit enhanced is not that difficult, especially for a graduate student of the same discipline as it comprises mostly of lab hours that put into practice the various principles of engineering studied previously. Creating a portfolio helps anybody trying to climb the hierarchy of seniority in the merchant navy. In any case, the most successful in this field are definitely the ones who had a clear idea of what they wanted out of this industry and which of their characteristics suited it the best. With the recent studies predicting a steady growth in the international trade, this industry is more or less set to keep on progressing. This is because ‘shipping’ is still the easiest and cheapest mode of transportation around the world. Therefore the profile of a marine engineer would remain a center of attraction for the youths for a long time to come.
Marine SOUTHERN CAPE
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TELEPHONE ETIQUETTE Don’t be that annoying person on the other end of the phone
Tips for a Receptionist or Secretary to be Presenting a professional image, both in person and on the telephone is VERY important in the Office Skills profession. Taking care of your customers over the telephone and making them feel well informed and appreciated is essential. Whether you are the front office receptionist or an executive secretary, the following phone tips should ALWAYS be followed: * SPEAK CLEARLY. A picture paints a thousand words but the caller on the other end of the phone can only hear you. They cannot see your face or body language. Therefore, taking the time to speak clearly, slowly and in a cheerful, professional voice is very important. * TONE OF VOICE. Use your normal tone of voice when answering a call. If you have a tendancy to speak loud or shout, avoid doing so on the telephone. * EATING OR DRINKING A NO! NO! Do not eat or drink while you are on telephone duty. Only eat or drink during your coffee or lunch breaks. * SLANG WORDS. Do not use slang words or poor language. Respond clearly with “yes” or “no” when speaking. Never use swear words either.
* GOOD MANNERS. Address the caller properly by his or her title ie: Good morning Mr. Brown. Never address an unfamiliar caller by his or her first name. * LISTEN. Listen to the caller and what they have to say. The ability to listen is a problem in general, but it is VERY important to listen to what the caller has to say. It is always a good habit to repeat the information back to the client when you are taking a message. Verify that you have heard and transcribed the message accurately. *PATIENCE. Be patient and helpful. If a caller is irrate or upset, listen to what they have to say and then refer them to the appropriate resource. Never snap back or act rude to the caller. * ALWAYS ASK. If you are responsible for answering multiple calls at once, always ask the caller politely if you may put them on hold. Remember that the caller could have already waited several minutes before getting connected to you and may not take lightly to being put on hold. Never leave the person on hold for more than a few seconds or they may become upset and hang up. * FOCUS. Always focus on the call. Try not to get distracted by people around you.
SOUTH AFRICA’S MOST ATTRACTIVE COMPANIES according to . . . BUSINESS/COMMERCE PROFESSIONALS
HUMANITIES/LIBERAL PROFESSIONALS
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Google Investec South African Breweries Unilever Coca-Cola South Africa South African Reserve Bank Discovery KPMG Deloitte Transnet
Google Dept. of Higher Education & Training Media 24 Dept. of International Relations & Cooperation Coca-Cola South Africa City of Cape Town Woolworths SABC South African Breweries Unilever
LAW PROFESSIONALS
HEALTH CARE/HEALTH SCIENCES PROFESSIONALS
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Dept. of Justice & Constitutional Development Google Webber Wentzel Attorneys Legal Aid South Africa National Prosecuting Authority Bowman Gilfillan Investec Norton Rose Fulbright DLA Cliffe Dekker Hofmeyr ENSafrica
Department of Health Medi-Clinic South Africa Discovery Network Healthcare Aspen Pharmacare Pfizer Laboratories Google Dept. of Higher Education & Training Johnson & Johnson GSK
NATURAL SCIENCES PROFESSIONALS
ENGINEERING/TECHNOLOGY PROFESSIONALS
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CSIR Dept. of Science and Technology Dept. of Agriculture, Forestry and Fisheries Unilever Google Sasol South African Breweries Woolworths Pfizer Laboratories Eskom
Google Microsoft Eskom CSIR Sasol Transnet BMW Group First National Bank South African Breweries Unilever
EXAM PREPARATION 10 Study Tips
8 Classes You Need to Take to
Become an Entrepreneur It's often debated whether entrepreneurs need a college education, but there are a handful of courses that will almost certainly help you run your business better.
With the rising costs of college tuition, and the fact that you don't have to have a degree to be an entrepreneur, do you really need to go to school?
was not concerned with: balancing a budget and paying taxes. Both are equally important to your business and, if not handled properly, will potentially spell doom for your startup.
After all, Steve Jobs, Bill Gates, Mark Zuckerberg, and Walt Disney were all successful despite dropping out of college. Heck. Tumblr founder David Karp dropped out of high school at 14, and he's doing pretty well for himself.
Taking a finance or accounting class will give you a basic understanding of what to do during tax season and how to manage cash flow. More specifically, a finance class will teach you about the time value of money, the tradeoff between risk and return, dividend policy decisions, security market efficiency, and the optimal capital structure.
The thing is, those are some of the more famous exceptions. In reality, college is still very useful for your future entrepreneurial efforts as well as helping you figure out what you want to be in the future. Most of the founders we all know met their cofounders in college and then started their impressive businesses. Whether you're going to be attending college full time or just looking to pick up a course here or there, here are the classes to take if you want to become an entrepreneur.
An accounting class will help you understand the health of your business by revealing the company's assets, liabilities, and owner's equity--which is done through a balance sheet. Furthermore, you can learn concepts involving cash flow and inventory, both of which will influence the success of your business.
2. MARKETING 1. FINANCE AND ACCOUNTING As a business owner of a hosting company that has a lot of transactions, there are two responsibilities I have that I originally
As an entrepreneur, you'll be heavily involved with marketing. Whether it's selling your idea or product to investors or customers, a background in this area is extremely beneficial...
With a marketing class, you'll gain insights by conducting research into how to develop products that people want or need. You'll also learn how to develop a marketing campaign and how to engage your audience. After taking a marketing class, you'll know that it's more important to find your market first, instead of wasting valuable resources in creating a product that no wants to support.
3. ECONOMICS Another business-related class that you should be taking is economics. An economics class will give you a basic understanding of production, distribution, and consumption of goods or services. Economics will also inform you on government policies affecting your business and how you can function in the global market. Also, you'll learn the difference between micro-economics and macro-economics.
4. MANAGEMENT A trait that entrepreneurs must possess is the ability to rally the troops. But what if that's not in your nature? You could actually learn the techniques of being an effective and efficient leader by taking a management class. A management class can teach you to properly communicate with team members when delivering criticism or delegating tasks, how to motivate your team, how to make your team collaborate with one another, and how to properly budget your company's finances.
5. PUBLIC SPEAKING Getting in front of people and making a sales pitch can be one of the most nerve-racking experiences in your life. Which is why a public speaking course can come in handy. It will teach you how to deliver concise information in an allotted amount of time, how to make an argument, and how to practice your presentation. You'll also learn how to articulate your voice and handle your body language. While there have been arguments that a public speaking class is a waste of money, it still provides an opportunity for you to practice getting in front of a crowd and to gain awareness of certain unflattering traits.
6. WRITING AND COMPOSITION Even if you're a decent writer, this is still an area in which you can improve. And if you're not a strong writer, then this is a class that you need to take. Entrepreneurs will do their fair share of writing throughout their career. Whether you're composing a business plan, writing a press release, blogging, or pitching your idea to investors, your grammar skills will be put to the test. A writing and composition class will help you communicate your ideas clearly and give you fundamentals in executing proper writing skills.
7. COMPUTER SCIENCE Even if you're not involved in the tech industry, there's a very good possibility that you're still going to have to rely on technology to market and run your business. It's definitely worth the time to learn concepts such as computer coding, how computers work, how software works, how to secure your system, how to compress digital media, and how the internet works.
8. ANY HISTORY COURSE The thought of a taking a history class sounds dreadful. However, history is one of the most valuable courses that you could take. For example, you could learn about the mistakes that past historical figures have made--why is Thomas Edison more well known then Nikola Tesla? However, you can also learn how certain inventions and entrepreneurs changed the world. Finally, there's the probability that you will have to write a research paper. This is a great skill that you can use whenever you're writing a blog post or conducting research, since you'll discover the different types of resources, which resources are reliable, and how to cite your sources correctly.
College can and will be a great asset to you and your company. It's also something that will help you in the future if your startup doesn't go as planned.
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