Call for matrics to use the calm before the storm
It's important for Grade 12 learners to look at qualifications and institutions that will prepare them for a specific career and the world of work.
With the preliminary exams on the horizon, Grade 12 learners are on the cusp of entering one of the most stressful and important periods in their school careers.
Natasha Madhav, Senior Head of Programme: Faculty of ICT at the Independent Institute of Education, encouraged matric students to effectively use the relatively calm few weeks before the exams to plan and finalise their post-school options.
Using this time to alleviate the burden of finalising where to study and what to study will free learners’ physical and emotional energy so that they can wholly focus on doing their best in the final matric exams.
“Deciding what to study and where to study can be hugely stressful, particularly when you don’t have a clear idea of what you want to do with your life, which is the case for many thousands of learners,” Natasha said.
Natasha said the most important advice she has for prospective students, given the difficult economic climate and associated challenges of finding suitable employment after graduation, is to look at qualifications and institutions that will prepare them for a specific career and the world of work.
Additionally, they should ideally line up at least one or two additional options, as they may find their circumstances and preferences have changed by the end of the year.
Natasha said learners who don’t know what to study, should consider what kind of work they would find interesting, and then work backwards to determine a suitable qualification.
“It is also worth remembering that there are new fields and careers opening up every year – things that your teachers, parents, and friends may not even have heard about,” Natasha said.
“The world of work is rapidly evolving, and to be competitive in the job market, candidates must try to match their qualifications as closely as possible to the work they would want to do one day,” she added.
• Source: Meropa Communications
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