The Winnie Madikizela-Mandela Local Municipality, in collaboration with the Wild Coast Sun and the Alfred Nzo District Municipality, commenced a four-day career exhibition on February 11, 2025, at the municipality’s civic center. The event is designed to expose Grade 12 learners to a variety of career paths, enabling them to make informed decisions aligned with their academic subjects.
Ms. N.P. Magudumana, a Life Orientation Subject Advisor, emphasized the importance of early career planning. “It is known that learners usually wait until the last minute, and this happens every year. We currently have thousands of learners sitting at home who did not get spaces in universities this year,” she noted. She further highlighted the necessity for students to consider diverse career options beyond traditional university education, stating, “It’s important that learners have different choices and not focus on one field; having various career choices increases their chances of acceptance.”
The event featured exhibitors such as the Department of Agriculture, King Hintsa College, the South African Institute of Chartered Accountants (SAICA), and Ingwe FET College. Participating schools included Bizana Village, Vukuzenzele, A.D. Tshayingca, and Nonkqubela Senior Secondary School just to name but a few. Local schools are expected to benefit significantly from this expo.
Reflecting on the day’s activities, Owam Mthwa, a learner from Nonkqubela Senior Secondary School, expressed gratitude: “As much as I know what career I would like to follow, some of my colleagues are still unsure, so we appreciate this experience to be part of the expo as Nonkqubela SS.”
Magudumana also advised that career guidance should begin as early as Grade 9. “Learners in Grade 9 should do what we call a SWOT analysis to help with self-introspection,” she suggested. She recommended technical schools such as Cangci Technical High School, Winnie Mandela Comprehensive Technical High School, O.R. Tambo Technical High School, Vulindlela Comprehensive Technical High School, and Thembalesizwe Comprehensive Technical Senior Secondary School for students inclined towards technical fields.
The exhibition comes in the wake of a record-breaking National Senior Certificate (NSC) pass rate. According to ITWeb, 615,429 learners passed the NSC in 2024, marking an 87.3% pass rate—the highest in South Africa’s history. Despite this achievement, many students still face challenges in securing university placements, underscoring the importance of events like this expo to broaden their perspectives on available career paths.
The career exhibition will continue over the next three days, offering more learners the opportunity to explore various professions and make informed decisions about their futures.
