Careers and Career Choices 1

Life decisions The decisions we make regarding our careers begin as early as grade 9. The subjects we choose to take for the senior phase of our high school education effect the higher education (learning after school) qualifications we achieve which in turn effects the career we go into and the jobs we will get. It’s not entirely fair to give a 15 year old child the responsibility of making a decision that will ultimately effect the rest of his or her life. A person does not have the necessary maturity and foresight to accept the consequences of possibly making the wrong decision at that age. The solution to the problem of making a demand such as this is to make these young adults aware of what effect this big decision will have on their futures and teaching them what they need to know in order to make a more educated decision.

Let’s start at the very beginning… A very good place to start; choosing subjects. Compulsory subjects: Home Language First Additional Language Mathematics or MathematicsLitracy Life Orientation

Recognized subjects (as taken from the Department of Basic Education): These are recognised as Matric subjects, each student needs to take three or more of these subjects Accounting Agricultural Management Practices Agricultural Sciences AgriculturalTechnology Business Studies Civil Technology Computer Applications Technology (previously Computer Studies Standard Grade - Literacy) Consumer Studies Dance Studies Design Dramatic Arts Economics Electrical Technology Engineering Graphics & Design Geography History Hospitality Studies (previously Home Economics) Information Technology (previously Computer Studies Higher Grade - Programming) Life Sciences (previously Biology) MechanicalTechnology Music Physical Science Religion Studies Second Additional Language Third Additional Language Tourism Various Second and ThirdAdditional Languages Visual Arts

Designated subjects (as taken from Wikipedia): Every student that wants to go to university needs to take at least four designated subjects Accounting Agricultural Sciences Business Studies Dramatic Arts Economics Engineering Graphics and Design Geography History Consumer Studies Computer Applications Technology (CAT) Information Technology Languages (one language of learning and teaching at a higher education institution and two other recognized language subjects) Life Sciences Mathematics Mathematical Literacy Music Physical Sciences Religion Studies Tourism Visual Arts

Different types of qualifications; Higher certificate; Basic knowledge Practical experience Specific job/ industry Focuses on application of knowledge University of technology Diploma; General principles Comprehensive knowledge Specific industry University oftechnology Bachelor’s degree; Broad education Focuses on theory Enables one to specialise and study further University or University of technology

Requirements for admission to higher education Higher certificate; Pass one official language at home language level – 40% (APS 3) or more Two other subjects – 40% (APS 3) or more Three subjects – 30% (APS 2) or more Various institutions require a certain APS score or specific number of points for a certain subject Diploma; Passone officiallanguage at home language level – 40% (APS 3) or more Threeother subjects – 40% (APS 3) ormore (excluding Life Orientation) Two subjects – 30% (APS 2) or more Various institutions may have other requirements such as a pass at a certain level in a certain subject

Bachelor’s Degree; Pass one official language at home language level – 40% (APS 3) or more Four subjects from the designated subject list – 50% (APS 4) or more Two subjects – 30% (APS 2) or more Various institutions require a specific subject for certain degrees

APS system explained: The APS (admission point score) system is used to determine whether your marks are good enough for you to be accepted into the course you have applied for. The marks you achieve in your NSC examinations earn points (awarded in ±10% intervals) depending directly on how well you did. These points are then added up and this score is used by institutions to determine how well you have done and whether they will accept you. Whether Life Orientation should be included in ones APS score is widely debated and different institutions have different regulations as to how they deal with the LO mark. Some institutions include the LO score while others do not, some do include it but divide the score in half as Life Orientation is only worth 10 credits instead of 20 like all other recognised subjects.

More requirements… Many higher education institutions have different combinations of requirements including recognised subjects taken as well as a specific APS score. You will not be accepted into any institution if you have only achieved the minimum, you have to do better than that in some subjects. You have to pass (30% - APS 2) at the language that the institution teaches in. For some qualifications, such as those at an FET (Further Education and Training) College you may fail one subject (less than 30%) if you have completed all the assessments in the specific subject Some higher education institutions may request that you write one or both of the National Benchmark Tests (NBT) depending on the course you are applying for to determine the level you are at compared to fellow students

National Benchmark Tests (NBT) AQL multiple-choice 3 hours and 5 minutes Academic Literacy Quantitative Literacy Mathematics 3 hours Based on gr 12 curriculum

Financial Assistance University fees are expensive and in South Africa many people that want to go to university cannot afford it. This is one of the reasons there are so many types of financial aid available to students. These include: Bursaries Study loans Scholarships Learnerships

Bursaries A bursary is an amount of money that a student is given to help pay for his or her studies at a higher education institution usually if he or she cannot afford the fees ordid wellat school. Awarded by institution, company, business or municipality Unless you fail, usually you do not have to repay a bursary however if you were awarded a contract bursary you will have to work for the company or business that awarded you the bursary for a stipulated amount of time.

Student loans A student loan is a loan given to the student by the bank to help pay for his or her tuition fees, stationery and any other education related costs. When taking out the loan a parent or guardian that is employed and can afford the monthly repayments needs to apply on behalf of the student. You need to be registered as a student to receive a student loan You have to repay the money back to the bank, with interest. There will be monthly repayments that have to be made which will be stipulated and agreed on before the loan is given.

Scholarships A scholarship is grant or payment made towards a students education on the basis of academic or other achievement. It’s usually a certain percentage of the tuition fees. A scholarship can be awarded by an institution, business or organisation. You do not have to repay the scholarship but in order to retain the scholarship you have to do well in your studies or the specific area you received the scholarship for.

Learnerships Alearnershipis a job, related to your field of study, that pays you while you are studying. You learn the theoretical knowledge at the higher education institution and put it to practice in your job. Students often do not get paid full salaries but receive an allowance from the company while they are working. It is not necessary for you to pay for alearnership.

Questions?

References: https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Senior_Certificate#Group_B:_Electives https://en.wikipedia.org/wiki/National_Senior_Certificate#University_entrance http://www.education.gov.za/LinkClick.aspx?fileticket=G9gafuxByQg%3D&tabid=390&mid=1127 https://www.google.co.za/search?q=define+bursary&biw=1366&bih=667&source=lnms&sa=X&ei=BjGHVejtLMLQ7Abn-ouQAw&ved=0CAUQ_AUoAA&dpr=1# https://www.google.co.za/search?q=define+bursary&biw=1366&bih=667&source=lnms&sa=X&ei=BjGHVejtLMLQ7Abn-ouQAw&ved=0CAUQ_AUoAA&dpr=1#q=define+learnership https://www.google.co.za/search?q=define+bursary&biw=1366&bih=667&source=lnms&sa=X&ei=BjGHVejtLMLQ7Abn-ouQAw&ved=0CAUQ_AUoAA&dpr=1#q=define+scholarship https://www.google.co.za/search?q=define+bursary&biw=1366&bih=667&source=lnms&sa=X&ei=BjGHVejtLMLQ7Abn-ouQAw&ved=0CAUQ_AUoAA&dpr=1#q=define+student+loan