I am struck by the sustained attention, by many sectors
of our society, on the top achievers at schools each year. This is, of course, to be expected. High achievers bring recognition to schools,
and appear to suggest that the school is doing something right. As such they are used to help market schools in a
tough and competitive environment, so that each year we see local newspaper
plastered with pictures of top achieving finalists. This is probably accurate, although it would
be short-sighted to disregard the substantial expenditure on extra tuition by
middle-class parents, which often contribute to the performances of their
children at school.
Be that as it may, there remains in each senior class
annually, a majority of learners who are not high achievers and who do not have
much prospects of entering university.
Some are on the fringe: close to a place in hire education, but just not
competitive enough. Others are among the
better performers at their schools, but despite being the pride of their class
locally, cannot compete for a place.
Others still simply underperform at school, and are no match for other
competitors for a coveted place at a college or university.
It is probably safe to say that parents and teachers want
the best for their children and students.
While this is reasonable, I am bemused at the extent to which we put
pressure on young adults in South Africa to go to university. Yes, a grade 12 learner who is doing well
academically appears to have the first hurdle to university admission
covered. Often this is a subjective
assessment by teachers and others who know these students personally.
If you are not going to university after school, you're
in good company. The majority of
school-leavers will not be going to university this year. There are several reasons for this, but two
of the most prominent reasons relate to limited capacity in universities, and
the inadequate academic performance by grade 12 learners. In South Africa there is also a substantial
dropout of learners
before reaching grade 12, which inflates the percentage
of youth who do not study further at a university. So, what are the possibilities for this large
body of South African annually?
Before we look at
opportunities for personal development, it is worth stating a minor prerequisite: unless an individual student actually wants to
study, or train, after school, there is no point to continuing the search for
opportunities. So much depends on the individual, and his/her commitment to embracing opportunities that may exist.
In truth, a serious and determined school-leaver can take significant strides after school with the right decisions. Here are a few options:
If your academic achievements in school were not up to standard, and you could not be admitted to a university, you may want to consider doing a diploma programme at a university of technology. If you are unable to get into a diploma programme because of your results, some universities of technology even offer bridging programmes. Bridging programmes help prepare you for admission to a later academic programme, but do not guarantee you admission, and you still need to work at it!
Another option may be a more vocational option, such as doing a programme through an Further Education & Training (FET) College. The advantage of these programmes is that they are very practical from the outset, and prepare students for a range of trades, many of which can lead to own businesses. There are many FET Colleges throughout the country. A good starting place is www.fetcolleges.co.za.
Learnerships are offered by Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs), parastatals and also private companies. It is a convenient way of acquiring skills while located in the workplace, instead of a classroom. It has the added advantage of exposing you to potential employers while you are learning skills, and acquiring some useful experience with which to fill your CV. This is extremely important, since most people you know do not have jobs with a title in a manual. Instead, they have skills which are transferable, and use them to earn a living across a wide range of industries.
Whichever route you choose to go after school, your first priority is to acquire new skills. This is what will fuel your career development. Even if it means going to wotk as an unskilled worker in the short term. Your career can be developed at any stage later, even if you are unable to access opportunities immediately. Whatever you, work hard at accessing something, so that you do not start spending idle time at home. a few months could lead to one or more years, and an acute lack of personal motivation.
Good luck!
@carlwherman
