Career day event aims to inspire Northern Cape pupils
IN AN EFFORT to inspire the youth of the Northern Cape, stakeholders from 27 tertiary education institutions hosted over 700 learners in Aggeneys and Pofadder for a career day event.
With Aggeneys Solar and Konkoonsies II Solar as primary funding partners, various provincial and local government departments and 18 professionals across a wide range of industries came together to host the successful event.
Local Independent Power Producers (IPPs) in the Khâi-Ma municipal area, sectoral government partners, and local NGOs also collaborated in the effort.
The programme aimed to address the challenge of limited career guidance, which many learners, particularly those from isolated communities, face when making career decisions.
This challenge is often linked to academic performance and future career choices.
Spanning two days at the start of the third school term, the programme focused on empowering learners from three local schools – Boesmanland High School, Aggeneys High School and Aggeneys International Academy.
It aimed to increase career awareness, helping students make informed subject and career choices as they prepare for their futures.
The first day targeted learners in Grades 8 to 10 at Boesmanland High School, while the second day focused on learners in Grades 9, 11, and 12 at the Aggeneys sports ground.
The programme included skills development sessions, an entrepreneurship and innovation hub with interactive activities, and career exploration workshops with professionals across various industries.
Highlights included a University Fair with representatives from South African universities and STEM exploration workshops featuring interactive activities and demonstrations by private companies and STEM specialists.
The success of this initiative will be measured by tracking the number of learners who apply to tertiary institutions as a direct result of the career guidance provided during the event.
A wide array of career options was showcased, many of which learners may not have considered before. Professionals in fields such as IT, environmental sciences, engineering, physiotherapy, business and even coding/robotics were available to engage with the learners.
The latter proved especially popular among attendees, igniting interest in STEM fields.
Sharing her thoughts on the impact of the event, the principal of Boesmanland High School in Pofadder, Mias Majavie, pointed out how eager the learners were to engage with the universities and professionals.
“The event provided them with insight into opportunities that they hadn’t previously considered, offering a clearer sense of their future possibilities,” said Majavie.
The social performance co-ordinator at Aggeneys Solar and Konkoonsies II Solar, Jeremy Prins, highlighted that the event was undoubtedly a once-in-a-lifetime experience for these Grade 8 to matric learners
He highlighted that career events give learners an up-close look at different career paths and connects their learning to the real world.
“Key stakeholders and professionals across a wide range of fields come together to share insights about their careers and the education and training necessary for success,” said Prins.
The participating tertiary institutions were: Sol Plaatje University, Northern Cape Rural TVET College, South African Theological Seminary, Taletso TVET College (Kimberley Campus), University of Cape Town, University of the Western Cape, False Bay College, West Coast TVET College, North-West University, University of Limpopo, University of South Africa (UNISA) - Mafikeng Campus, Orbit TVET College, Vuselela TVET College, University of the Free State, Central University of Technology, Motheo TVET College, Flavius Mareka TVET College, Aros, CPUT, HFPA/Uxi Sport, IMM Stellenbosch, Northlink College, OVC Bloemfontein, Rhodes University, STADIO Higher Education, Stellenbosch University and TPTT Academy.
The government departments involved were: SEDA, SAPS, Nama Khoi Municipality, Department of Health, Khâi-Ma, Department of Social Development and Africa Skills Pofadder.
The funders and private companies that took part were: IPPs in the Khâi-Ma region, including Xina Solar (Engie), Kaxu Solar (Atlantica), Konkoonsies Solar Power (Globeleq) and Aggeneys Solar and Konkoonsies II Solar (Engie), BVI Consulting Engineers, Kangnas Wind Farm, Alexkor and Orion Minerals.
