The exams are over and the holidays are here. Thousands of Matriculates from the class of 2019 are taking well-deserved breaks. Throughout the year, most of the learners applied for their first year of varsity and are now preparing for a new phase of life as young adults. Others were so busy with the business of their last year at school that they either neglected to consider their post-school options or simply couldn’t manage to get all the university application admin done in time? Or those who didn’t consider further study, but have now had a change of heart.
“Now that all the work and stress of the exams are behind them, and as the view turns to the future, many matriculates are finding themselves in a situation where they have no real plan or focus for the coming year which can be unsettling,” says Wonga Ntshinga, Senior Head of Programme: Faculty of ICT at South Africa’s private higher education institution, The Independent Institute of Education.
Ntshinga says that although registration for study at public universities are closed, prospective students who left it too late still have excellent options for pursuing their interests at those private higher education institutions which still accept applications during December. He suggests enrolling for a short course instead of committing yourself to a degree “Doing a short course will also allow you to both explore and refine your interests, and could lead to you identifying exactly what it is you want to do with your life if you haven’t been sure until now.” He also recommends enrolling for a higher certificate. A higher certificate is also a good option for those Matrics who do not expect to achieve a Bachelor’s pass, as it gives access to degree study and If you have made up your mind that you want to pursue a degree next year, there is still a chance that you can gain access at a private higher education institution provided you move quickly, says Ntshinga.
The fourth industrial revolution (4IR) is one of the most popular discussion points of the last few years. If you consider how 4IR has disrupted education, business and industry sectors worldwide, we can safely assume that South Africa will also need to make provisions to do the same, but what will the future employment landscape look like? Melissa van Aswegen, ETQA Manager at The Skills Development Corporation adds that the “4IR technologies are transforming the way we live, work and govern ourselves and preparing for the future presents significant transformation opportunities,”
Trade-Schools.net says the many future jobs will exist because of the scientific and technological efforts being made today. “Although this is great news from a global perspective, locally, both public and private sectors need to be doing significantly more now to connect potential students to skills development opportunities, especially in outer lying areas,” says van Aswegen. Government is supporting this growth strategy by providing an opportunity for businesses to benefit through the skills development efforts they make within their organization.
The Skills Development Corporation is introducing dynamic and interactive blended learning interfaces that deliver real-time feedback and qualification endorsement where students can learn in the classroom, as well as online. “To prepare for the workforce of the future, we need to educate a new generation of forward-thinking individuals with forward thinking methods of learning,” she concludes.
By : Amanda Mkhize
