Shukuma Senior Secondary School (SSS), located in the deeply rural area of Bizana, faces significant challenges in providing students with access to career knowledge. This lack of resources often leads students to make uninformed decisions about their future paths. To address this issue, the school’s management, in collaboration with the Mbizana Career Development Centre, Ingwe TVET College, and Walter Sisulu University, recently hosted a career guidance session for students in grades eight to twelve.
We are looking into making this collaboration an annual program to give learners better insight into their career options. This session will also assist us as teachers in providing proper guidance, especially regarding information related to TVET colleges, – said Principal Gama-Mlambi.
Mrs. Mlambi emphasized the importance of providing students with accurate information to avoid pressuring those who struggle academically into TVET colleges without proper understanding. Through this initiative, the school has gained valuable insights into which type of student is better suited for TVET education versus university, and the reasons behind these choices.
In rural areas, it is common for students to choose their high school subjects based on peer influence rather than personal aptitude. To combat this trend, the Mbizana Career Development Centre introduced students to John Holland’s theory, which helps individuals identify their career paths based on six personality types: Realistic, Investigative, Artistic, Social, Enterprising, and Conventional. While these personality types serve as hypotheses rather than rigid categories, they offer students a clearer understanding of their strengths and interests.
The Shukuma SSS career guidance session is expected to become an annual event, with hopes of attracting more support from institutions and initiatives dedicated to career guidance and counseling. The school management believes that this ongoing program will play a crucial role in helping students make more informed decisions about their future careers.
