Post Matric, EFN 2014

POST

TATE E • FREE S TERN CAP S A E | 2014

atric

ERN CAPE • NORTH

it’s your

future

Inspiration Central Find your dream career here...

ww w. po st ma tr ic . co . za

make no bones about it

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from the ed

EDITOR

Samantha Collins sam@yesmedia.co.za ART DIRECTOR / DESIGNER

Clare Schenk clare@yesmedia.co.za PRODUCTION COORDINATOR

Ursula Munnik ursula@yesmedia.co.za ASSISTANT / COPY EDITOR

Olivia Main CONTRIBUTORS

Isak de Vries, Christina Kennedy, Robbie Stammers, Lindsey Schutters, Kim Maxwell, Peter Rudden NATIONAL SALES MANAGER

Jan Weiss jan@yesmedia.co.za PROJECT SALES MANAGER

Shakier Groenewald shakier@yesmedia.co.za ADVERTISING SALES

Nina Nodder, Priscilla September, Aaminah van Oudtshoorn, Shannon Higgo TEL 021 447 6467 FAX 021 447 6351 EMAIL info@yesmedia.co.za POSTAL ADDRESS PO Box 44383,

Claremont 7735, South Africa www.yesmedia.co.za

C O V E R

P H O T O :

P E T E R

RU D D E N

WEBSITE

PUBLISHER Yes! Media CEO Deon Muller PRINTED BY

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Post Matric is published by Yes!Media. All copyright in material appearing in this magazine belongs to Yes!Media and/or the individual contributors.

Opinions expressed are not necessarily those of the editor or Yes!Media. No responsibility is accepted for any errors or omissions in the contents of the magazine.

“The times, they are a-changin’,” crooned someone with a gravelly voice whose name starts with Bob and who you may, or may not, remember. And he wasn’t wrong. Seems that as soon as one gets abreast of them, they up and shoot off, leaving one swimming upstream in a bid to keep up.

We at the Post Matric team HQ have been doing our fair share of keeping up with the times, sniffing out the latest facts and interesting findings that we hope will assist you when it comes to those all-important decisions you are grappling with; life-changers that will ultimately shape your future.

Those of you preparing to write your big, bad Matric exams might find the article on pg 24 useful; a modern and pragmatic approach to successful studying that should help you stay on track right through to the finish line. (Think less frills, more drills!)

If you’re desperately seeking finance to take your studies further after school’s out, look no further than page 40, where our bursary -hunting fairy uses her sparkle to put the fun back into funding.

And to help you stay switched on to the awesome options available to you once your matric year ends, and the prom is just a dusty dance floor in the distance, see ‘No Degree? No Problem!’ on pg 30. There are plenty of options out there, and while a varsity degree is obviously desirable, it is no longer the be-all and end-all that it was once thought to be.

We hope you enjoy reading our inspirational stories, and gain some insight by peering through the many different career windows open to you thanks to our Q&A contributors. Even now, in the fifth year of editing this magazine, I am sometimes amazed to discover a whole new career path or job that I’d never even heard of, let alone considered.

Round off your read by having a good giggle at us, the not-thatold-but-not-exactly-young-anymore generation. Yep, your parents.

Because, although we love to remind ourselves that we have years of invaluable experience that you don’t have, there is no denying that we can’t possibly keep up with you when it comes to technology, gadgets and modern-day wizardry in general. You win!

Post Matric ISSN number 2074-4412

Sam Collins EDITOR: POST MATRIC

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12

CONTENTS

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Faculty of Engineering & Information Technology

Be a “CUT above the rest” and ensure your future and that of your loved ones by pursuing your studies at the Central University of Technology, Free State in one of the following dynamic fields of study: n Building n Civil Engineering n Computer Systems Engineering n Construction Management n Electrical Engineering (Light or Heavy Current)

n Information Technology n Mechanical Engineering n Quantity Surveying n Renewable Energy Technology

For further enquiries please feel free to contact: Mrs Mpo Mbeo Tel: (051) 507 3081 Fax: (051) 507 3254 E-mail: mmbeo@cut.ac.za

APPLY

EARLY

LIMITE D STUDE NUMBER OF N ACCOM TS CAN BE MODAT ED

www.cut.ac.za

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competition

WIN A SAMSUNG POCKET PLUS

STAND A CHANCE TO WIN A SAMSUNG GALAXY POCKET PLUS (S6010)

PRODUCT FEATURES Packing a lot of power into a compact form, Samsung’s GALAXY Pocket promises strong performance without the bulk. The 832Mhz processor lets you do more, whether you’re browsing the web with Wi-Fi, downloading files using HSDPA, or connecting with friends on various social networking sites. Android ™ 2.3 Gingerbread Platform and the TouchWiz interface simplify usage, whether taking advantage of Google mobile services, Samsung Apps or ChatOn.

HOW TO ENTER SMS the name of the province you live in, followed by your age, followed by the name of the school where you got your copy of Post Matric to 34009.

EXAMPLE: ‘EASTERN CAPE 18 BISKHO HIGH’.

If you did not get your copy from school, SMS the relationship of the person from whom you got your copy – for example, ‘EASTERN CAPE 18 BROTHER’ or ‘EASTERN CAPE 18 FRIEND’.

COMPETITION RULES: Cost per SMS is R2. Free SMS’s do not apply. Competition closes 29 August 2014. You may enter as many times as you like.

By entering the competition you consent to receiving electronic information regarding Post Matric or other further education or career offerings.

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tech essentials SMS AUDIO STAR WARS While everyone is getting with the beats, why not break tradition with these premium cans? 50 Cent is heavily invested in the audiophile game, and the SMS Audio Street By 50 Cent range shows it. The immersive sound costs a bit, but you pay for quality that’s only undermined by a little creaking on the hinges. The Star Wars edition is a limited run and comes in four designs packed with the same powerful 40mm drivers and OvalFit cushioning.

SONY XPERIA E1 A full set of smartphone features including Android 4.3 complement – the insanely loud 100db loudspeaker for a brilliant multimedia package.

Remember those brilliant Walkman phones Sony used to produce? This is exactly that. Back comes the dedicated Walkman button and the excellent speakers. You also get 50GB free cloud storage for life for your multitasking.

THULE ENROUTE STRUT

LIVESCRIBE 3 Varsity life is fast and you’re a bug on a Lamborghini bonnet hitting information at full throttle. The Livescribe 3 smartpen uses infrared camera tech to record your scribbles and doodles, and will beam it via bluetooth to your iPad via the Livescribe+ app.

Twenty-first century tuition is a technology-based game, and repurposing your school satchel as a laptop bag isn’t going to cut it.

Swedish master luggage-solution designers Thule built all their best innovations into a backpack that swaddles your iPad and 15-inch Macbook in cushioned protection, and even provides a crushproof pocket to keep your sunglasses safe and sound. Comfortable straps, dual bottle holders and a bottle opener round out this multitalented pack’s impressive skills list.

P H O T O S :SU P P L IE D

HUAWEI E5220 Imagine a world where you travel with your own personal Wi-Fi hot spot. Now stop imagining and get your hands on this personal Wi-Fi router that you can use with any data simcard. You get four hours of mobile broadband goodness out of a single charge, and you can even use it overseas (with a data sim from a local supplier) and save bucks while staying connected. Yes please, Santa!

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Careers in Metrology

Careers in Metrology A country needs a sound measurement system that is internationally recognised in order to ensure: n High quality manufactured and imported products. n To trade competititively. n For effective law enforcement. n To ensure proper environmental monitoring and health services.

NMISA is the cornerstone of the South African measurement system and is mandated through the Measurement Units and Measurement Standards Act, No 18 of 2006 to see to the application of the international measurement units (the SI) in South Africa, to maintain national measurement standards, and to ensure its comparability and international acceptance and dissemination to the users, effectively anyone that need to perform an accurate measurement.

every year sponsored at the NMISA. Successful graduates will follow an exciting career at NMISA in the Science of Accurate Measurement (Metrology).

WHAT IS METROLOGY?

Bursaries are offered in the following fields of study: n Engineering (Electrical / Electronic, Mechanical and Metallurgical) n Materials Science, Physics and Chemistry n Medial Physics n Biochemistry and Mathematics

WHAT IS AN SI UNIT?

These studies support careers in our five technical divisions, which are: 1. Physical Metrology Division 2. Ionising Radiation 3. Electricity and Magnetism Division 4. Chemistry Division 5. Research and Technical Development

WHAT CAREER OPPORTUNITIES HOW DO I FIND OUT MORE? DOES THE NMISA OFFER? The NMISA offers undergraduate bursaries at a recognised South African university. Upon completion, the bursars will be required to work one year for

NMISA advertises all bursaries, internships and vacancies on its website. For any queries you can contact us via email, fax or telephone.

Metrology is the science of accurate measurement, and the process is disseminate it to the user community.

Simply put, SI units are internationally agreed units of measurement. It includes the base units; the metre, kilogram, second, kelvin candela, mole and ampere, units derived from the base units such as the newton (the unit for force) and certain other non-SI units approved for use with the SI, such as the litre, the unit for volume.

WHY IS IT NECESSARY TO MAINTAIN THESE UNITS AND MEASUREMENT STANDARDS?

NMISA ensures that the SI is applied correctly in South Africa and thus that the units of measurement are the same across the country. If the measurement standards are maintained and disseminated properly, it ensures the comparability of the measurement results across the country, and its traceability to the SI units, thus ultimately its accuracy.

Meiring NaudĂŠ Road | Brummeria | Pretoria | South Africa Private Bay X34 | Lynwood Ridge | South Africa Tel: +27 12 841 3264/4152 | Fax: +27 12 841 2131 E-mail: info@nmisa.org | careers@nmisa.org www.nmisa.org

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back on track

Desperately Seeking a Degree Q Q

Still desperate to get into varsity, but grades didn’t cut it? Your qualification catch-up questions answered…

ALL ABOARD THE VARSITY EXPRESS My matric results weren’t good enough for me to get into my desired university course. Is this the end of the road for my career dreams?

A: Don’t stress! There are several options open to you to improve your marks or upgrade your matric pass. First of all, you can apply at your old high school to redo some of your subjects.

Also, if you act quickly after receiving your matric results, you can apply to your district or regional education department office to write a supplementary exam. But you’ll need to prove that you qualified to be admitted to a higher education institution, but fell one requirement short of meeting its standards.

You could also consider rewriting certain matric subjects through a registered private or public further education and training (FET) college. You would need to enrol for an NQF Level 4 qualification, which is the academic equivalent of Grade 12.

Q

I’ve heard there are some dodgy private colleges out there. How can I find out if the college I choose is legit?

A: You need to check whether it is registered with the Department of Higher Education and Training (there is a list on their website at www.dhet.gov.za) and accredited with the South African Qualifications Authority (www.saqa.org.za).

Q

Is it possible to redo certain matric subjects part-time?

A: Yes, you can upgrade your matric part-time or at night school through a number of colleges. You can also complete it via correspondence or distance learning. These days, it’s even possible do rewrite your matric online, complete with video lectures and electronic exercises!

Q

Q

I don’t want to waste an entire year redoing a couple of subjects in order to get better marks. Is there another option?

A: You may be able to do a bridging course that will enable you to get into your degree of choice without going through the hassle of rewriting matric subjects. Find out from tertiary institutions whether they offer such courses, and if you are eligible.

Q

Can I go and study a few years after I’ve written matric, even with my low marks?

A: Yes. If you are 23 or older, you are regarded as a ‘mature student’ and many academic institutions will accept you even if your original matric marks prevented you from studying at the time.

Unisa, for example, requires you to have passed at least four matric subjects with an E or better (with at least one subject on higher grade).

I don’t have the correct matric subjects to gain entry to a certain degree. Is it possible to choose and write different subjects post-matric?

A: It is possible, although there will probably be certain conditions attached. You may be required to complete Grades 10, 11 and 12 in that particular subject before you are eligible for the degree course.

I didn’t get a very good matric, but I’ve since notched up work experience in my chosen profession. If I want to attend varsity now, do I still need to bump up my marks?

A: The good news is that you may not have to go back to school, thanks to the Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) programme, which acknowledges the value of informal or on-the-job learning.

You can approach Higher Education South Africa (www.hesa.org.za) or a university with a copy of your matric certificate, and be sure to include your relevant experience and training. They will evaluate your application and may provide you with a certificate that recognises your prior learning. That could be your golden ticket to getting into varsity!

Q

Where can I find out about options for rewriting my matric subjects?

A: Contact your school, the Matriculation Board, Umalusi (www.umalusi.org.za) or the Department of Higher Education and Training for advice.

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It’s not a living science, reminds Anusuya Chinsamy-Turan. Instead as a palaeobiologist she interprets bone signals to try to make extinct animals ‘come alive’.

One of her ambitions is to win over young minds to the wonders of science.

By Kim Maxwell

PALAEO WHAT?

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inspirational from the people ed

Anusuya Chinsamy-

Turan is a scientist, mother and leader in her field. Her daunting list of accolades include Anusuya being named South Africa’s Woman of the Year in 2005 (she nabbed the Science and Technology category and was overall winner), and the Department of Science and Technology’s Distinguished Woman Scientist Award in the same year.

This University of Cape Town professor and head of department of Biological Sciences is a palaeobiologist. That’s why she’s authored three books on dinosaurs and published various academic papers. Yet Anusuya’s warm nature and eagerness to share is what stands out most when you meet her. “It’s important that we do scientific research but it’s equally important that the public understands science and what scientists do,” she says. That goes some way to explaining why she won the Sub-Saharan Africa Regional Prize for the public understanding and popularisation of science from the World Academy of Science in 2013.

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inspirational from the people ed fossils from the ground and identifying them. But as a palaeobiologist, her primary research interest is not in the excavation of fossils – that’s a side story – but rather in reconstructing these animals as they once lived, by studying sections of “Science is so important; their bones under a microscope.

Within those ancient bones it impacts on every there are records of an animal’s aspect of our lives.” life history. “Once the bones are excavated from the surrounding rock and prepared, then scientists like me work out what we can say about the biology of these animals.

Examining thin bone sections under a microscope to see their microstructure, we can make deductions about the animal’s age, any possible diseases, the effect of its environment, and how it functioned and Palaeo is a bit of a buzzword these days, thanks grew,” she explains. largely to the recognition of the Cradle of Mankind As a vertebrate palaeobiologist, meaning she works archaeological sites at Sterkfontein and Maropeng on animals that have an internal body skeleton, in recent years. The cradle has popularised human Anusuya has published extensive research on evolution in palaeontology, the study of prehistoric life, dinosaurs, and also on their relationship to early but there is more to South African palaeontology than birds. “Most palaeontologists consider dinosaurs to be human history. Palaeobiology is a more specialised ancestors of modern birds, so I’ve studied early birds, area of palaeontology research, where scientists look and tried to work out how the transition from nonat reconstructing the biology of extinct animals or avian dinosaurs to birds evolved,” she says. Anusuya other prehistoric life forms. has also studied the fossilised bone microstructure of To understand the differences, Anusuya says a flying reptiles called pterosaurs. palaeontologist is mainly interested in removing

WHAT IS PALAEOBIOLOGY? A palaeobiologist is primarily interested in removing fossils of animals or plants from the ground, and then reconstructing them to understand them as once-living organisms. There are different branches within palaeobiology. A vertebrate palaeobiologist specifically works with animals that have an internal body skeleton i.e. any animal with bones. Other palaeobiologists work solely on fossil insects, fossil plants or even fossil pollen.

A vertebrate palaeobiologist (such as Anusuya) uses the bone microstructure to unravel biological information from the fossilised bones. They make a thin section of a fossil bone and study it under a microscope, to provide clues about the animal’s age, diseases, environment or how it grew.

Vertebrate palaeobiologists have discovered that in some dinosaurs – a Tyrannosaurus rex, for example – you will find rings within their bones (similar to the rings found inside a tree) that can be counted to determine the age of that dinosaur. It’s a little like piecing a puzzle together. If you have a number of T.rex individuals, say a juvenile, a sub-adult and an adult, a vertebrate palaeobiologist can reconstruct a growth curve for different stages and work out the overall growth dynamics for T.rex. post matric 2014 // 15

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inspirational from the people ed The common thread in all her research is in trying to unravel the biological signals recorded in fossil bones.

Age and environment aside, these bones can provide information about whether a bird was moulting, laying eggs or diseased, before it died millions of years ago.

Anusuya studied a science degree at Wits, with the intention of doing a postgraduate Diploma in Education to become a teacher. But in the final year of her science degree she discovered palaeontology – and continued with an honours degree that included a palaeontology module. “I liked the idea that there was no animal sacrifice, that I was working with animals that were long dead, and that with my knowledge of biology I was able to reconstruct animals Above: Anusuya and a colleague with world-renowned we know so little about,” she explains. She continued naturalist and celebrity David Attenborough. with a Masters and PhD degree in Science, specialising in palaeontology.

Normally any academic has both a research and teaching component in their work. Anusuya loves both aspects of the job (she completed a Higher Diploma in Education to qualify as a teacher too, but it isn’t a requirement). “Of course, as head of department I have extra admin responsibilities,” she says. “But being able to lecture and to do the research is really wonderful. I thoroughly enjoy engaging with my “Palaeo is a bit of a students and being able buzzword these days” to give them cuttingedge information. So when I teach it’s not only from a textbook but also from our lab research, or from a new published paper.”

Palaeobiology is a career that involves both laboratory and field work, so if you don’t like lab work it isn’t a sensible career choice. The amount of field work usually depends on an individual palaeobiologist’s scientific specialisation. But all fieldwork samples have to be collected and laboriously prepped for further study, and that only ever happens in a lab itself.

It all matters though. Without Anusuya’s UCT and Wits offer excellent programmes palaeontology studies, we wouldn’t know about the because they have specialists working in existence of many African dinosaurs. She was part of palaeontology. a group that discovered the Nqwebasaurus dinosaur - BSc (three years) with Biology as a major (Geology is a useful subject) in the mid-90s, for instance. “My colleague studied - Honours in Biology or Geology with the fossils to discover the identity of the bones. I specialisations in Palaeontology (one year) provided the information about how old the dinosaur - Master’s in Palaeontology (two years) was. We put that together and wrote up a description - PhD in Palaeontology (three years) of the animal,” recalls Anusuya. “We now know it’s TIP: You can fast-track and upgrade a Master’s a small-bodied sub-adult or adult. From the red-grey to a PhD so you can finish in only three to four mudstone rocks in the Kirkwood area of the Algoa years. Talented Master’s and PhD palaeobiology Basin where we found this dinosaur, we know these students often have overseas travel opportunities animals were about 130 million years old. The Karoo for on-site excavations, research or conferences. basin was home to earlier-aged dinosaurs of about 190 million years old.”

STUDY TO BE A PALAEOBIOLOGIST:

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Science is something people should talk about more around the dinner table, if Anusuya has her way, and she recognises the need for scientists to communicate their research better.

“Science is so important; it impacts on every aspect of our lives,” she says. “There is enormous scope for scientific research in South Africa. So when I’m talking to the public it’s about science, and not just about dinosaurs. Of course it’s often through dinosaurs that kids get excited about science. Yet even with dinosaurs, kids are learning about classification, age or geological time, or about interactions between different organisms, so unwittingly they’re learning about science and to think in a scientific way.”

Anusuya is married to a materials engineer and their two sons also love science (one is completing matric, the other is 15). Avid readers, both sons also enjoy music and play a few instruments. Anusuya is encouraging her matric son to make his own career choices – her only advice is that he should study something he enjoys. “I’m originally from Pretoria, from a family of three girls. We’re all well-educated professionals,” she says. “Growing up, my parents saw education as a stepping stone to overcome the barriers that apartheid imposed on us as black women. It was a way for us to become self-reliant.”

Did you KNOW? Very good fossil records tell us that some of the earliest evidence of life on earth dates to about 3.5 billion years, with actual micro-organisms represented in rocks dating to about 3 billion years. If you’re still questioning evolution, there is now so much evidence to support it.

Africa has the largest meat-eating dinosaur of all time. Larger than Tyrannosaurus rex, Carcharodontosaurus was a predatory dinosaur (its triangular teeth resembled those of a great white shark) that prowled over much of North Africa 97 to 90 million years ago.

Anusuya was involved in the exhibition on African dinosaurs for the Iziko South African Museum. Anusuya and her students have done a lot of work on the vertebrate collections displayed.

The plant-eating Massospondylus dinosaur was the first African dinosaur to be formally named in 1854. It’s the best-represented dinosaur in South Africa, ranging from embryos-still-inside-eggs to juveniles, teens and adults, mostly found in the red beds of the Karoo basin. Anusuya studied the microstructure of juvenile bones and worked out it took about 15 years for these individuals to grow to adult body size.

SA has the only isiXhosa-named dinosaur, called Nqwebasaurus thwazi. It’s a small meat-eating dinosaur found in Nqweba, the isiXhosa name for the Kirkwood region of the Eastern Cape. Thwazi means fast runner.

ANUSUYA’S TOP TIPS: Young people should access information online and research science subjects. You can reach out much further and become part of a global network that isn’t restricted to South Africa.

Our Biological Sciences department often hosts school groups for workshops (a teacher usually contacts us). We’ve also had school learners doing job shadows in our department to understand the working life of an academic.

If you love science, follow your passion. In the end it’s not about how much money you make, it’s about doing what you love. Academics have a comfortable life. The best thing is that we get paid for what we love doing.

When presenting your work – even as a student – make sure it’s the best you can do. You never know who might be listening. When I finished my PhD I travelled to Oslo, Norway. After I presented two papers from my PhD research, I was offered two postdoctoral fellowships. I accepted one at the University of Pennsylvania in USA.

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Building a future South Africa – road by road SANRAL is about more than roads. It builds people. It builds communities; and it helps to build a future South Africa with the capacity to meet the demands of a growing economy.

Over the next 15 years the country will invest almost R4-trillion in strategic infrastructure as part of a national development initiative to support balanced economic growth in all nine provinces. The national and provincial road networks will form the backbone on which 18 Strategic Infrastructure Projects will be delivered, supplemented by a rejuvenated freight rail system.

The planning and implementation of these infrastructure initiatives will place huge demands on South Africa’s ability to provide skilled human resources. The National Development Plan, which provides the blueprint for the country’s economic growth path over the next two decades, has set a target for the country to produce 30 000 artisans a year. By 2030 there should be 2.5 million people in the postschool technical sector, up from the current 650 000.

State-owned companies such as SANRAL will share the burden with the private sector to train a skilled work-force to enable the country to meet the growing economic demands for modern new infrastructure and the maintenance of existing networks.

SANRAL is already contributing to the country’s national developmental objectives and intends to grow its contribution in the years to come. This will be achieved through continuous investment in skills development, bursaries, internships and talent management within an organisation that currently has a staff complement of only 238 people.

It starts at high school level where the road agency has a scholarship programme in place to identify and develop talent in the scarce fields of mathematics, science and technology. At present 179 learners in all nine provinces benefit from this programme aimed to guide promising learners towards a future career in engineering.

For the past seven years SANRAL has been offering bursaries to students for undergraduate studies in civil engineering and related disciplines in the built environment. Seventy bursaries were granted for a total investment by the company of almost R6-million.

Nineteen SANRAL employees were awarded bursaries in the last financial year amounting to an additional half-amillion rand.

Moreover, SANRAL provides internships to engineering students and offers them practical work experience during their studies and upon completion of their degrees.

The agency has strong ties with a number of tertiary education institutions. It sponsors a Chair in Pavement Engineering at the University of Stellenbosch and another one in Transport Planning at the University of Cape Town.

SANRAL cooperates with the University of the Witwatersrand in supporting some 200 academically talented learners from socio-economically disadvantaged backgrounds. It aims to increase their academic, social and psychological preparation for admission to and success at local universities.

A similar programme is in place at the University of the Free State to enable and encourage more learners and students to enter into science-related studies.

Internally SANRAL has a talent management and succession planning process in place to identify potential, attract new skills into the company and ensure a transfer of skills from senior, experience staff to the next generation of leadership in the fields of engineering, finance, people management, administration and technical skills.

Through these initiatives SANRAL is contributing to the broader needs of a future South Africa which will require more skilled human resources, more scientists, engineers, artisans and people with post-school technical qualifications.

www.sanral.co.za

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EVELOP

YOUR STUDY PLAN SIX-PACK Do you want to be a good athlete?

Run a lot.

Do you want to be an amazing dancer?

Dance a lot.

Do you want to do well in the exams?

Examine yourself a lot.

Huh?

PHOTO: iStock / 4x6

By Isak de Vries

GOTCHA! It is true.

You will not get a six-pack by looking at hot bodies in magazines. Start doing sit-ups!

You will never get to the Olympic Games by watching sport on television. You need to practise that sport five to six days a week.

You will never pass matric by watching your teacher. Nope. You have to practise answering exam questions five to six days a week.

Listening in class helps. Paying attention is extremely important, but it is not enough.

If you want to pass the final exams, you have practise answering questions for the exams.

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study time WHAT THE LATEST RESEARCH SAYS “Many students are being left behind by an educational system that some people believe is in crisis.”

Guess who said this? Helen Zille? Julius Malema? Nope, it was not even a South African and neither were they talking about South Africa.

It is the first sentence in an academic article on study techniques published at the end of last year in the United States of America.

The article tells the story of the biggest research project ever done on study techniques.

Five academics* from four of the USA’s largest universities tried to determine which study techniques work best. What did they find? They found that writing exams is like playing sport. You want to be really good at something? Start now and practise hard.

So, what does that mean to someone studying for matric? Two things: 1) Start early and do a little bit of study on each subject every day. (This is referred to as ‘distributed practice’.)

2) Practise by writing lots of tests or exams. (Otherwise known as ‘practice testing’.)

IT IS JUST LIKE SPORT Thinking about getting a nice, flat stomach? Well, what will work best: a hundred sit-ups the night before the date; or thirty sit-ups every day for six weeks? Of course it is better to do fewer sit-ups over a longer period of time. That’s distributed practice in action. Do a little bit of work each and every day. This is so much better than cramming the night before.

And will you get a flat stomach by highlighting all the stomach tips in magazines? Nope. Sit down. Start doing them. All those fancy highlighters that you are using to help you study do not help much.

The best way to pass an exam is to work through old question papers.

Test yourself, get your friends and your family to test you. Ask your teacher for old papers and for tests. This is called practice testing by the academics.

STOP COMPARING YOURSELF TO OTHERS Stop worrying about the guys who get eight straight As. Your worrying is not going to mean anything to them, nor will it help you.

Remember, it is like a 10km run.

Only about 30 people in the world can make it to an Olympic final, so run your own race. Study for your own matric. Stop trying to be someone else.

PRESSURE AND EXPECTATION So the family wants you to do extra well? The headmaster has already made that speech about doing the school proud? A few times, actually?

For once you have to be deaf to what others want: This one is on you. Do the best YOU can.

YOU CAN DO IT

Stop telling yourself: “I’m gonna fail, I’m gonna fail!” Start studying. You can do it, even if it is hard. Negative thoughts won’t help you. The more you study, the easier it gets.

WHAT DOES NOT WORK? The American study found that a whole lot of things we have been taught about studying do not really work well. Here are a few techniques that did not actually produce very good results: Writing summaries, highlighting, using keyword mnemonics (donkey bridges), creating cool pictures to try and remember your work, and loads of rereading.

All these things take time, but they are not as effective as answering old exam papers.

NOW FOR THE REALLY COOL NEWS Even average students score well if they practise working through exams or tests five days a week. Once again, the idea is to do a little bit of work on each subject every school day.

It is like running. Not all of us can reach the Olympics, but most of us can easily finish a 10km race – if we train a little bit five days a week.

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STUDY TIPS AT YOUR FINGERTIPS BE HEALTHY, EAT THE RIGHT FOOD Athletes are careful about what they eat and how much they drink. Most athletes will have a good party now and again, but they know: healthy food, very little sugar and enough sleep will get them to the top.

Be very careful of energy drinks.

They contain enormous amounts of sugar. Sugar is not healthy; it simply makes the body secrete a lot of insulin and that could make you feel tired and/or irritable.

GET SOME EXERCISE A fit body studies better than an unfit body. Try doing some form of exercise at least five days a week.

Go walking with friends, or with a pet. Playing tennis, going for a jog, having a swim or pumping some iron in the gymnasium are all clever ways to stay in shape. Others may enjoy dancing every now and again.

CELLPHONES? EISH! We all know that it is easier to go somwhere without underwear than it is to go without a cellphone, but be careful... while you are studying, you should learn to ignore the BBMs, the WhatsApps, the Facebook prompts, etc.

Check the tweets when you have done some work and you are ready to take a break.

Start early – it is easier and better than cramming.

Do a little bit of work on every subject at least five days a week.

When you start studying, switch off the phone.

Get enough sleep. Get enough exercise.

Test yourself, over and over and over.

Believe in yourself. You can do it if you practice.

Work the old exam papers.

Ask your teacher for tests.

Set tests for your friends. Answer the tests they set.

Prepare a box with all the things you will need, then you do not have to get up and go looking for things all the time.

Have fun in between.

TAKE A BREAK, TAKE A FEW BREAKS

DOING IT WITH FRIENDS

Study really hard for a while.

Work those old exam papers.

Test yourself on the work that you have just gone through. Then take a break. It need not be a long break, just get up and do something.

Studying, like sport, can be done with friends. Working through a difficult paper can also be done in groups, but it is important that you participate fully. Looking at your friends working out the paper will not help you work it out.

When I was at school, my maths teacher used to say that maths is not a spectator sport, one has to practice. She was right!

FINDING A ROUTINE Some people like routines and enjoy revising the same subject at the same time every day. Try it. If you discover that you work differently, find a way that works for you.

WHERE TO STUDY? Where do you study best? It depends on you, but a library, a school hall, a little corner at a family member’s or friend’s house – any of these may work. You must look for a place that really works for you, then claim it!

REFERENCES

* John Dunlosky, Katherine A. Rawson, Elizabeth J. Marsh, Mitchell J. Nathan and Daniel T. Willingham.

2013. “Improving Students’ Learning With Effective Learning Techniques: Promising Directions From Cognitive and Educational Psychology.” In: Psychological Science in the Public Interest. 14(1) 4–58. Wesbite http:// psi.sagepub.com/content/14/1/4.full.

WEBSITES AND RESOURCES AVAILABLE TO HELP A great site which offers exam papers and memoranda: http://www.teachme2.co.za/matric-past-papers/ A private site that offers a whole stack of old exam papers. They are cellphone friendly: http://olivershouse.co.za/community-projects/educational-learning-centre/grade-12-past-exam-papers/ Old exam papers posted by the Department of Education: http://www.education.gov.za/Examinations/ PastExamPapers/ FebruaryMarch2013Exampapers/tabid/878/Default.aspx More old exam papers from the Department of Education: http://www.education.gov.za/Examinations/ PastExamPapers/tabid/351/Default.aspx Yes, even more from the Department of Education – just click on the subject: http://www.thutong.doe.gov. za/Home/Curriculum/tabid/257/Default.aspx Pearson Education has a few very good study guides to help you focus on your studies: http://www. pearson.co.za/study-guides Oxford University Press also has separate study guides available: http://www.oxford.co.za/page/schools/ study-guides/index 22 // post matric 2014

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If university is not an option for you, it’s not the end of the world – there are other paths that can lead to personal and career success.

By Christina Kennedy

NO DEGREE? NO PROBLEM! Some

of the world’s greatest business pioneers, like Apple’s Steve Jobs and Facebook founder Mark Zuckerberg, never completed their university studies. This proves that with enough imagination and entrepreneurial zeal, you can achieve great things in life without having a framed degree adorning your office.

The truth is that varsity is not for everyone – you may not be academically inclined, but have strong aptitudes in other areas. A degree is not the only avenue to success. Extremely valuable and in-demand skills can be learned at private and FET colleges, or through apprenticeships and on-the-job workplace training.

But why study at all? Not everyone is a genius in the vein of Jobs or Zuckerberg: a go-getting attitude and brilliant ideas are important, but most of us are mere mortals who still need to arm ourselves with

knowledge, skills and experience. And first, there are a few harsh realities to take into account.

The first and most obvious one is South Africa’s high unemployment rate, which hovers at around 24% – but which is far higher among the youth. No matter how ambitious you are, without some training to back you up, you run the risk of becoming yet another sad statistic.

Then there’s the sobering fact that even if you matriculate with university entrance, you may not get into university. This is because there are many more school-leavers with university exemption than there are places at the country’s 25 varsities. And your marks may just fall shy of being good enough to snag a place in your chosen course.

Another reality check is that even if you do get into university, the dropout rate of first-year students is alarmingly high.

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The Human Sciences Research Council estimates that only 15% of South African university students who start a degree end up finishing it.

This is due to a number of factors: they run out of money or are unable to secure funding; they can’t cope with the crazy workload (which is often far more demanding than anything they encountered at school); or they realise with a jolt they have chosen the wrong study direction. Some, of course, simply get sucked in by the partying that comes with newfound freedom!

This means that tens of thousands of matriculants have to look at alternative study options.

The upside is that you are almost guaranteed a job if you choose to study or train for a vocation that addresses South Africa’s critical skills shortage.

In order for the country to accelerate its economic growth and create wealth and jobs, it needs more artisans, as well as

certain categories of technical and professional workers.

So, it’s clear university is not the be-all and end-all. Acquiring skills through other means shouldn’t be sneezed at – and, in fact, you may end up earning more money and enjoying more job security than your varsity buddies!

PHOTO: iStock / michaeljung

explore your options

HERE ARE SOME CAREER-FOCUSED ALTERNATIVES TO UNIVERSITY...

PRIVATE COLLEGES There are hundreds of registered private colleges (including private FET colleges) in South Africa, offering tailored diplomas or certificates geared towards producing workplace-ready graduates in specific disciplines.

Independent colleges may be dedicated to, for example, nursing, fitness, business or media studies, while others offer broader and more general fields of study.

Some established brands, like Boston, Damelin, Intec, City Varsity and Midrand Campus, have a solid track record. But beware: there will always be dodgy charlatans who prey on desperate students, taking their money but offering poorquality tuition in return.

When applying at a college, make sure it is accredited

by Umalusi on behalf of the Department of Higher Education and Training. This means that its courses comply with industry standards. Otherwise, you may find yourself in possession of a worthless qualification.

On the plus side, the entrance requirements for private colleges are not as strict as they are for university programmes. A rather large negative is that studying at a private college can cost an arm and a leg – but remember that unlike universities, these institutions are not subsidised by the government.

That’s why it’s important to do your homework in advance.

Check the NQF (National Qualifications Framework) level of your prospective qualification against the requirements of the marketplace. An NQF-registered grading means it is a nationally recognised qualification.

FET COLLEGES/ VOCATIONAL TRAINING Further Education and Training (FET) colleges often get a bad rap; they are widely seen as a last resort for school-leavers.

Vocational and occupational

training bears an unfortunate stigma, not least because some under-performing colleges are giving it a poor reputation.

This perception is not helped by the fact that public, governmentfunded FET colleges (often referred to as technical colleges) are automatically accredited by Umalusi, unlike private colleges, which have to undergo stringent checks before being given the thumbs up.

But this ugly stepsister of the higher education system is gradually turning into a butterfly, as more and more students realise that they can learn valuable skills through job-specific or occupational training. Students at the colleges study towards a certificate in a particular field that makes them highly employable.

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while studying and training towards a qualification. These occupational learnerships combine theoretical and practical components and are aimed at addressing the specific needs of the labour market.

Apprenticeships fall into this category. According to the Careers Portal website (www. thecareersportal.co.za), a trade apprenticeship combines workplace and formal learning, and is based on an agreement between the individual who wants to learn the skill and the employer who needs a skilled worker – so there’s another win-win situation.

An apprenticeship can last between two and four years. You will gain practical skills on-site under the supervision of a qualified tradesman, while also learning the theoretical and technical aspects of the chosen trade.

You earn a salary while learning, you are taught valuable skills in a practical environment, and you are virtually assured of a job at the end of it – not to mention the possibility of earning a good living. So what’s not to love?

‘Appies’ are in hot demand, so this career option is definitely not one to be sneezed at!

PHOTO: iStock / pixdeluxe

can graduate. This means that undergraduate students are placed in an employment situation for a defined period – often working for free, or for a small stipend.

Interning is a win-win solution: the company gets the benefit of your labour, and you gain valuable real-world experience and references to beef up your CV. Chances are, if you knock their socks off they may even ask you to stay!

But even if you aren’t studying, consider approaching a company and offering your labour for peanuts, if not for free. Many employers will appreciate your initiative, and may even be able to finance your salary out of the youth wage subsidy scheme that was recently INTERNSHIPS AND introduced by the government.

ON-THE-JOB TRAINING Alternatively, consider Never diss the importance of good, volunteering at a local charity or old-fashioned on-the-job training church. This will at least give you as an avenue to career success. experience and may open doors Many millennials are dismissive to opportunities you’d never of the concept of starting at the bottom and working your way up the dreamed of. corporate ladder, but this remains the best way to learn the ropes.

APPRENTICESHIPS And it equips you with the practical AND LEARNERSHIPS street smarts to complement your South Africa’s shortage of skilled academic knowledge. tradespeople means that there are Several college and university great opportunities in this field. programmes require you to rack up Some companies offer learnerships, workplace experience before you providing the opportunity to work Most FET colleges are public, but there are also scores of private institutions offering specialised education and skills geared towards a particular career.

Some of these colleges require only a Grade 9 or Grade 10 certificate, making them accessible to the average would-be student.

They also offer vocational instruction to high school-age children who are able to obtain the technical equivalent of a matric.

You may be accepted at a university of technology after completing an FET course, making this a valuable bridge for those who still dream of going to varsity.

COLLEGE CHECKLIST

A college is a college is a college, right? Wrong. Not all colleges are above board. MSC Business College has some tips for prospective students: Is it accredited and can it produce a registration number?

Does it offer diplomas and/or certificates, and at what NQF level?

What are the cost implications, and are there flexible payment options?

Are there any hidden costs, such as study materials and registration fees?

Does the college offer extra-curricular activities to enhance your student life?

What study resources – such as libraries, computers and internet – are available to students?

Does it have a good reputation in the job market?

Check out www.colleges.co.za for a list of accredited and recommended colleges.

Also try the South African Qualifications Authority website for info and careers advice – www.saqa.org.za.

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funding fundi

Putting the into funding

FUN

The late Nelson Mandela was bang on the money

when he said: “Education is the most powerful weapon which you can use to change the world.” The reality is that in today’s competitive job market, simply having a matric pass will not open many doors for you. That’s why studying further is strongly recommended – and the good news is that tertiary education need not be just for the moneyed elite.

After the initial jubilation of obtaining a matric certificate – and, even better, university exemption – wears off, would-be students need to come back down to earth and start thinking seriously about their future. In fact, they should have started mulling over their career options and where they’d like to study at least a year before sitting down to write those dreaded matric final exams.

But one shadow often looms large over newly matriculated teens with big dreams and small bank balances: how to fund their studies.

PHOTO: iStock / CatLane

Your dream degree or diploma beckons, but money’s too tight to mention. Don’t despair – if you’re on the ball, it’s easy to score financial aid.

The bad news is that each year of undergraduate study at a subsidised public university can set students (and parents) back around R30 000, and even more if you’re swotting at a private college or want to go into a field such as medicine or engineering. And that’s before you even think about forking out for accommodation, transport, textbooks and socialising!

The good news is that financial help is available from a variety of sources. But there’s a catch: you have to be smart, sussed and on the ball to be the early bird that catches the funding worm.

So, instead of feeling sorry for yourself, thinking that empty pockets will put the brakes on your brilliant career, get out there and start applying for any and every bursary, scholarship and loan you can sniff out! The earlier you get your application in (you can even submit your Grade 11 results), the better the chance you’ll have of snagging a grant.

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Depending on the type of financial aid you receive, you may be required to repay it – either directly or by working for your benefactor for a certain period once you’ve finished your degree. So you need to ask yourself upfront whether you have the staying power to pursue a particular study path right through to the end, because if you don’t, you’ll still be liable for those fees. And lets face it, there’s really nothing worse than being saddled with tuition debt for abandoned studies!

Vocational guidance counsellors may tell you one thing, but before you plunge right in, ask yourself whether your chosen path is ideally suited to your abilities and personality. In reality, will you be able to find a job at the end of it? What are the scarce skills that are in demand in the marketplace?

These days the internet is awash with institutions, government departments and companies that offer financial assistance to worthy students. So start enquiring as soon as possible, and be sure to follow up on all your applications.

Above all, don’t get despondent if you receive letters of rejection. Repeat this mantra: try, try and try again. Your persistence and optimism will inevitably pay off!

you are an artisan with a trade, there’s only a 12% chance that you won’t find work. You do the maths: it’s in your best interests to pursue higher education.

BEAT THE BURSARY BLUES • A bursary is a study grant that you don’t need to repay – unless you fail, that is. Bear in mind there may be a number of conditions attached, such as volunteer work or maintaining a certain standard of academic performance.

• A bursary is based more on financial need, while a scholarship is usually merit-based (artistic, academic or sporting ability). But that doesn’t mean you can get away with low marks when applying for bursaries – strive for excellence to propel yourself to the front of the funding queue.

• It’s important to take the correct subjects in Grade 10 that will help ease your way into your dream career. Don’t just take the easiest subjects that you’re most likely to pass – you may come to regret it!

REALITY CHECK • In 2013, South Africa’s matric pass rate was 78.2%. A total of 30.6% qualified to study at university. However, there has been much debate about the value and quality of a matric pass, and many tertiary institutions now require candidates to write an admission test before they’ll even consider you.

• Remember: A matric pass with university exemption does NOT guarantee you a place at a university.

Even though two new universities, in Nelspruit and Kimberley, opened their doors in 2014, South Africa still does not have enough places at its public universities to cater for the demand from matriculants eligible to study towards bachelor’s degrees. We have seen deadly stampedes in the past, with students desperate to register for any available course.

• The National Treasury estimates that a mindboggling 42% of economically active South Africans under the age of 30 are unemployed. That’s almost half the country’s youth population. On the flip side of the coin, economist Mike Schussler points out only 7% of degree graduates are unemployed. And – here’s an interesting fact that could influence your study path if you aren’t academically inclined – if

YOU HAVE BEEN WARNED Be wary of bogus fly-by-night colleges that exploit matriculants who are desperate to study somewhere – anywhere. Before you hand over any cash, check with the Department of Education that the institution is registered and double-check the quality of their qualifications.

• Ascertain what the minimum admission requirements are for the degree, diploma or certificate course you want to follow. Make sure you don’t merely meet those minimum standards, but exceed them. Popular courses are usually oversubscribed and you could be denied a place, even if you qualify for it on paper.

• Find out what marks are required to qualify for a bursary. Again, strive to surpass those minimum standards. The better you fare academically, the better your chances of finding funding.

• Attend the open days of universities and colleges, and gather information on all the funding options.

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funding fundi

WHAT ARE THE OPTIONS Tertiary Institutions • Apply for a bursary at the university or college where you intend to study. Visit, email or phone their financial aid office well in advance to find out more.

• Remember that many of these bursaries are only available to South African citizens.

• Once you are enrolled at university, you may also qualify for an academic merit award based on your results during your first year of study.

• Some universities also offer partial bursaries for art, cultural, sporting or leadership achievements at school.

?

• Invest in a copy of The Bursary Register (it costs about R120). This invaluable booklet will show you how to compile a CV, apply for bursaries, scholarships and loans, and advise on how to conduct yourself at an interview. Find it at academic bookshops, libraries and tertiary institutions’ financial aid offices.

The Private Sector • Many companies – particularly those operating in the scarce and critical skills sectors, such as mining and engineering – award contract bursaries, usually with conditions such as: o You have to pass your subjects – otherwise you must pay for the courses you fail; o You will be contractually bound to work at the company for a specified number of years after completing your studies; and o You will be required to study in a field specified by the company (e.g. BCom Accounting, BSc Engineering).

• Companies that award bursaries include: Spoornet, Transnet, Sasol, Absa, Anglo American, Gold Fields, Anglo Platinum, Eskom, Sasol, Iscor, De Beers, Edgars, SA Breweries, Harmony, Mintek, AECI, Engen, Group 5, Murray & Roberts, PPC, the SA Institute of Race Relations, the SA Weather Service, Vodacom and Old Mutual.

• Eduloan is a private company that provides loans to students whose parents are permanently employed.

Visit website: www.eduloan.co.za.

Government Institutions • Approach your local municipality, or the provincial or national government department relevant to your studies – they often have a number of bursaries up for grabs.

PHOTO: iStock / izusek

• Apply early! The closing date for some bursary schemes can be as early as 12 months in advance of you starting your studies.

• Make sure your CV is a knockout! First impressions count. It must look professional and neat, and be error-free. Motivate strongly why you should be considered for a bursary.

• Have certified copies made of your results (Grade 11 and/or prelims) and your ID document. This can be done for free at your local police station.

The National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) • If you’re considering taking out a loan, the Department of Higher Education’s National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) is a good place to start. NSFAS is a statutory body that awards study loans and bursaries to financially needy and academically competent South African undergraduate students.

• In 2014, NSFAS budgeted over R9 billion for more than 430 000 students at public universities and FET colleges. Loans range from R2 000 to R30 000 and cover tuition, accommodation, transport, food and textbook costs. post matric 2014 // 29

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• The scheme offers study loans at a low interest rate without the need for surety, and you only have to begin your repayments once you are earning R30 000 a year. You do, however, need to prove that your household income is less than R122 000 a year.

• Loans are awarded for studies at public universities or further education and training (FET) colleges, but not private colleges.

• If you pass all your courses, you could get 40% of your NSFAS loan converted into a bursary. But if you fail or drop out, you’ll have to repay every cent.

• NSFAS also administers bursary funds for aspiring teachers, social workers and those studying in scarce-skills disciplines, and FET college bursaries.

• Contact NSFAS at 0860 NSFAS (067327) or 021 763 3232, SMS 32261 or write to Private Bag X1, Plumstead 7801, South Africa. You can also email info@nsfas.org.za or visit www.nsfas.org.za.

Study While you Work • If you’re already working, why not find out if your employer can pay for your studies? Larger companies have to pay a skills development

levy, which goes to Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs) and the Skills Development Fund. These funds are made available to finance the training of a company’s own employees.

• Employers can claim a SARS refund if they train their workers. So, if you want to study through your company – as long as it is related to your job – you could get your tuition paid by your boss. Wouldn’t that be cool?

Bank Loans • The major banks all offer student loans, to be repaid with interest once you’ve completed your studies.

You will need someone to sign surety for you.

• South African citizens and non-South Africans with valid study permits can apply for these study loans, which can be taken out for studies at a university, FET college or SA Qualifications Authority-accredited private college.

• Contact the big four banks: Standard Bank: 0860 123 000, www.standardbank.co.za First National Bank: 0860 100 762, www.fnb.co.za ABSA: 0860 100 372, www.absa.co.za Nedbank: 0860 555 111, www.nedbank.co.za

HANDY LINKS n www.nsfas.org.za n www.thecareersportal.co.za n www.gal.co.za n http://sa.gostudy.info or www.gostudy.mobi n www.studentbrands.co.za n www.hcifoundation.co.za/bursary

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Contact Details Helpline:

0860 111 673 “Please call me” / SMS Service:

072 204 5056 Email: help@careerhelp.org.za Careers website:

www.careerhelp.org.za Twitter:

@NQFcareerhelp Facebook:

www.facebook.com/careerhelp

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What is the NQF AND Career Advice Services Helpline?

How does the public benefit from the helpline’s services?

Making a career choice is one of the most important decisions a learner faces; it is therefore imperative that learners receive relevant information and useful advice to assist them in this process.

Members of the public benefit from the NQF and Career Advice Helpline in that they can access a wide variety of advice, including information on post-school options, genuine qualifications, career options, financial assistance for study, scarce and critical skills, learnerships and other opportunities, as well as options available to less privileged learners. This information is made available in all the African languages.

The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) is a body set up by Parliament to oversee the further development and implementation of the National Qualifications Framework (NQF). Under the leadership of the Department of Higher Education and Training (DHET), SAQA has established the NQF and Career Advice Helpline.

The NQF and Career Advice Helpline was designed as a national, comprehensive, multichannel service to bring information and advice to South Africans, particularly those with little or no access to information on gaining qualifications and choosing careers.

The aim is to equip learners with information that will help them decide on work and study paths, enabling them to increase their employability and manage their own career development. Citizens of South Africa – irrespective of their race, gender, background, geographical location or religion, can access the NQF and Career Advice Helpline through various available channels.

WHAT SHOULD YOU CONSIDER WHEN DECIDING ON A CAREER? When deciding on a career, it is important to know which qualification(s) you need to obtain in order to follow that path.

Choose a qualification that is registered on the NQF and that is offered by an education and training institution registered with the relevant authorities.

Your qualification will be recognised by employers and other institutions, should you need to study further. You should also find out which qualifications are in demand in the world of work.

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SAQA and DHET have developed the National Career Advice Portal (NCAP), an online portal that provides information on occupations and learning pathways.

It also offers a Learning Directory that gives contact and geographic location details of public education and training institutions and the quality-assured qualifications they offer.

The portal also has an e-Portfolio which guides learners in developing their own career action plans.

Tell us a bit more about the helpline’s channels?

The NQF and Career Advice Helpline comprises telephonic, email, SMS messaging, postal and walk-in services.

Qualified career advisors deal with all enquiries that come through these channels. Advisors also go out to career exhibitions, particularly in areas where there is little or no access to information on qualifications and careers. The career advisors conduct workshops with life orientation educators and officials in other career advice organisations/centres.

The NQF and Career Advice Helpline uses social media – namely Facebook and Twitter, a mobi-site and website, as well as publications and weekly African languages radio programmes – to reach the public as widely as possible.

2014/05/19 9:51 AM

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SEFIKENG CAMPUS Tel. 058 713 6064/5

2014/06/24 10:44 AM

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accupuncturist security services

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sales/healthcare

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accupuncturist sports coaching

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management

Gugu Moetanalo

COMPANY SECRETARY FASSET

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financial

Luzuko Mrwebo

GRADUATE STOCKBROKER TRAINEE LEGAE SECURITIES

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event management

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accupuncturist dietetics

Dr Kath Megaw

PAEDIATRIC DIETITIAN

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radio broadcasting

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administration

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design

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marketing

Lorna Williams

JUNIOR BRAND MANAGER LEMONBUZZ BRAND ACTIVATION GROUP

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accupuncturist media management

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tradesmanship

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internal auditing

Shirley Machaba

NATIONAL ENTERPRISE RISK AND INTERNAL AUDIT LEADER PWC

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science

REACH FOR THE STARS

WHAT CAREER CHALLENGES HAVE YOU FACED AND OVERCOME?

Did you know South Africa has a space agency? The South African National Space Agency (SANSA) was established in 2010 and aims to be a leading contributor to advancing society through space science, engineering and technology.

The space agency is involved in satellite development, launch support and monitoring the Earth from space using satellite imagery.

SANSA also conducts space physics research and works in interesting places like Antarctica and Marion Island as well as collaborating with other African countries, Europe, Asia and America. The Agency hosts the only Space Weather Centre in Africa which monitors solar activity; keeping our satellite communication systems safe.

SANSA has four directorates; Earth Observation, Space Operations, Space Science and Space Engineering, dedicated to the promotion and use of space and space-related activities. The SANSA team is a diverse group of scientists, engineers, educators and support staff members working together in service of humanity.

For more info contact: SANSA T: +27 12 844 0399 E: information@sansa.org.za Web: www.sansa.org.za South African National Space Agency

@SANSA7

Dr Zama Katamzi

SPACE PHYSICS RESEARCHER SANSA SPACE SCIENCE

HOW DID YOU BECOME A SPACE PHYSICISTS?

After school, I did an undergraduate BSc degree in Physics at UCT. I then completed an Honours degree in Astrophysics and Space Science under the National Astrophysics and Space Science Programme (NASSP).

After that, I graduated with a Master’s Degree in Astrophysics at Rhodes University, and then I went on to get my PhD from the University of Bath (UK), where I specialised in ionospheric physics.

WHAT DO YOU ENJOY ABOUT THE WORLD OF SCIENCE?

Science is a way of discovering what’s going on in the universe and how things work today, how they worked in the past, and how they are likely to work in the future. I really enjoy the thrill of figuring out something that no one else ever has before. Science is like a mystery inviting anyone who is interested in the world around them to become a detective and join in the fun.

When I matriculated from school, I didn’t have enough points to qualify for an undergraduate BSc degree, however, I was accepted for an extended programme. I also couldn’t get a bursary and didn’t qualify for financial aid.

When I started the extended programme, I decided that I was going to work very hard in order to finish my degree within the allocated time and do well enough to get a sponsorship.

By the end of my second year at university I got onto the Dean’s Merit list, and got scholarships for the remainder of my BSc degree and postgraduate degrees.

WHAT ACCOMPLISHMENTS ARE YOU MOST PROUD OF?

Getting a PhD before the age of 30, and getting my first academic paper published in 2011.

WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE PLANS/GOALS?

To be a highly respected expert in my field of research (space physics). I’m still at the beginning of my career and working towards achieving that goal. I also want to contribute to the growth of the space science field, especially in South Africa, by helping train students to be future space scientists.

WHAT CHARACTERISTICS ARE REQUIRED IN ORDER TO EXCEL IN THIS PROFESSION? One needs to be inquisitive, dedicated and honest; a good communicator, and determined to succeed.

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WHAT TRAINING DID YOU UNDERGO?

I studied BSc Software Engineering at UNISA.

IS THERE A PERSONALITY BEST SUITED TO THIS WORK?

Yes, I believe an analytical and creative personality would be very strong in this field, enabling logical out-of-the-box thinking.

Riaan Stegmann

DATA SOFTWARE ENGINEER SANSA EARTH OBSERVATION

WHY THIS PROFESSION?

Because of the prospect of making something out of nothing and solving a real-world problem using my creativity and technical knowledge. Also, the application of my field is extremely wide, which provides constant challenges. I am never bored.

WHY ENGINEERING?

I enjoyed physics, maths and computer science at school.

Instead of becoming a computer programmer, I chose engineering as it teaches you the art of problem-solving. You also learn about how physical devices work, which is huge fun.

WHAT TRAINING DID YOU UNDERGO?

I attained a BSc (Hons) degree in Electronic Engineering at the University of Natal. I then took an online course in Lumped Circuit Abstraction from MIT (USA), wrote the exam and passed it!

WHAT MAKES A ‘GOOD’ ENGINEER?

You need to be hard-working, dedicated and have an enquiring mind. It is an intense degree, with only 20% or less of first year students making it through.

There are long hours of lectures/ studying, but it’s worth it, as you end up in a rewarding career.

DESCRIBE A TYPICAL DAY ON THE JOB I arrive at work and usually get caught up solving a software

DESCRIBE A TYPICAL DAY ON THE JOB

I begin my day with validating the operational status of my systems, then I focus on the projects that require new development, developing and testing component by component.

WHAT DO YOU LIKE THE MOST ABOUT YOUR JOB?

I love the fact that each day brings a new challenge and a new problem to solve.

WHICH ASPECTS ARE YOU LEAST ENTHUSIASTIC ABOUT?

Documenting what you do is always the most mundane part of the job, however, documentation is imperative as this will aid future software engineers to resolve issues, and make improvements.

WHAT ARE YOUR GOALS FOR THE FUTURE?

I intend to further my studies in the field of artificial intelligence and robotics.

ADVICE FOR SOMEONE STARTING OUT IN YOUR CAREER?

Play, and don’t be afraid to break something. In the world of software engineering, the best way to learn is to play with something until it breaks!

DESCRIBE YOUR JOB IN THREE WORDS

Challenging • Rewarding • Interesting

or hardware problem at an antenna. This can take the whole morning and I’ll either be modifying software or writing new automation software. This is my most productive and creative part of the day. After lunch, there’s more programming, and checking of emails. I leave paperwork for the afternoon.

WHAT DO YOU APPRECIATE MOST?

The ability to create new things from scratch.

ADVICE FOR SOMEONE STARTING OUT IN ENGINEERING?

Read lots of books like How to Win Friends & Influence People, or Skill with People by Les Giblin. You can be the most brilliant engineer, but if you don’t have a personality that relates well to people, you will not progress far. Also, keep a positive mindset, and respect everyone for who they are – from the cleaner to the CEO.

Shravan Singh

ELECTRONIC ENGINEER SANSA SPACE OPERATIONS

WHAT’S BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT OF YOUR CAREER TO DATE?

Designing the control software for a NASA-funded project in Washington DC in 2002. It was a complex piece of code for a very sensitive optical instrument. I worked on it for six months and loved it. post matric 2014 // 55

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insurance

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engineering

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Life-changing careers begin with a St John training course If you’re thinking about a rewarding career in medicine or nursing, begin your journey by completing a St John First Aid or Community Health Work training programme. Our First Aid NQF Level 1 (US 119567) and First Aid NQF Level 2 (US 120496) short courses are accredited with the Health & Welfare SETA, as is our Community Health Work Level 2 full qualification. St John is registered with the Department of Labour for First Aid Level 1, 2 & 3, which is a requirement of the OHS Act of 1993.

Choose a St John training programme as part of your vocational or full qualification education.

Contact St John today to make your booking: St John – Bloemfontein (051) 444-6276 St John - Cape Town (021) 461-8420 St John - Durban (031) 305-6588 St John - Johannesburg (011) 403-4227 St John - Port Elizabeth (041) 364-2701 Visit our website www.stjohn.org.za for more info on our range of courses.

FIND YOUR CAREER

www.postmatric.co.za Loads of career profiles to choose from, including: >> inspirational interviews >> what qualifications you’ll need >> where you can study >> how to secure funding >> what subjects you’ll need

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tourism

Riaan Renke

TOUR OPERATOR/CULTURAL GUIDE WINE FLIES

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auto-repairs

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accupuncturist radio broadcasting

Moeti Tsiki – Mo Flava

MORNING DRIVE-TIME DJ & TV PERSONALITY YFM

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hospitality

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backchat

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MICT SETA CONNECTING YOU TO YOUR FUTURE The Media, Information and Communication Technologies Sector Education and Training Authority, known as ‘MICT SETA’, was established in terms of the Skills Development Act of 1998 and is responsible for skills development in the Advertising, Electronic Media and Film, Electronics, Information Technology, and Telecommunications sub-sectors.

The MICT SETA Sector Skills Plan (SSP) document indicates that by March 2014, there will be a demand for some 6 281 potential vacancies in the MICT sector. The SSP document further indicates that the Advertising, Electronic Media and Film, Electronics, Information Technology, and Telecommunications sub-sectors require employees to have degrees, diplomas or certificates to meet the required standards of their businesses. Continuing professional development, through conferences, seminars and short courses, over and above initial qualifications, is needed to equip employees with top-up skills.

The MICT sector anticipates employment growing by some 3.4% over the next three years if skilled workers are available.

The Information Technology sub-sector is anticipated to be the fastest growing.

MICT SETA endeavours to develop strategic quality human capital in relation to the needs of the South African MICT Sector. This will contribute to social upliftment and stimulation of economic growth, by raising the quality levels and relevance of education and training in the sector.

MICT SETA intends to engage in learning programmes that lead to employment and will assist in bridging the digital divide, especially in rural areas.

MICT SETA has, over the years, funded Learnerships, Internships and Skills Programmes in its respective sub-sectors and still continues to commit to funding and supporting such programmes to qualify learners so they succeed in their chosen careers.

MICT SETA engages with hundreds of MICT sector businesses, including training providers, to accelerate quality skills towards an information savvy society.

To find out more about learnerships and internships: Tel: 011 207 2600 Web: www.mict.org.za

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