…At recent Techno Exhibition
By Molefi Sompane
SASOLBURG – Thousands of high school and tertiary students of all races from the Vaal area on Monday attended the Annual Techno Expo organised by the South African oil, gas and coal company, Sasol to give them greater insight into various post-education careers.
Albert Mamabolo from the University of Limpopo advised learners not to choose careers to compete with each other. He said many learners are used to do what their peers are doing.
“That has resulted in many abandoning their careers and ending up lost in life,” he said.
SiyabulelaNjingila of SakuBusha Secondary said the expo provided an opportunity to see how many careers are the in the world.
Njingila, a matric student from Vanderbijlpark said it was interesting to listen to the lectures that do things different than their usual teacher. “The lectures here do things different from educators. They capture your attention and you’re forced to listen to them,” he said.
“It is good for me as a born free to have been born in times of opportunities. This expo is very huge and I am happy and proud of the organisers for the success of this expo.”
A student from Cedar Secondary School told Public Eye she had the opportunity to ask a lot of questions regarding careers in the South African Police Service.
“They have forensic investigators and I am willing to take it up once I finish school. However, I initially wanted to be a police officer but it is a good to know career ranges within each institution,” KutlwanoSetshego said.
His friend SelloManesa said he was interested in how to become a climatologist. “People from the weather services have told me what to do in order to follow my career,” he said.
Retired educator TumeloMbuli said children should take this exhibition seriously as they act as an eye opener.
“I would have helped immensely if these expos were organised for blacks in the past. There are plenty of opportunities out there for this generation of students to grab.”
Another learner from Parys Hendrick Van Niekerk said she had always wanted to serve the community and prevent crime. “I have learned about most of the careers and out of all of those I still love to be a police officer to keep an eye on criminals.”
Angelina Martins added that events of this nature were important as they keep learners abreast of career opportunities and encourage them to chart a roadmap for their future. “They also help us to know how and what to expect at the tertiary institutions. I really thank the organisers.”