The third annual Community Action Africa (CAA) career expo recently took place at Buffalo City College.
Pupils from 17 disadvantaged schools were given an array of advice on planning their futures.
Keynote speaker Professor Farhard Aghdasi spoke to the pupils learners about the link between the Fourth Industrial Revolution (4IR) and the change in career choices.
“You must make sure that you have an advantage over other people applying for that one job. The profession you choose should be something you love,” Aghdasi said.
Aghdasi, Walter Sisulu University’s engineering and technology faculty dean, also told pupils to think outside the box.
Academy High School grade 9 pupil, Yeyethu Sikisi, said one of the things she took away from the event was is to have a passion for her career path.
“I support technological growth as there are lots of options now, some of which have helped narrow down my career choice,” Sikisi said.
However, the high school pupils students were given a sobering account of youth unemployment statistics presented by the provincial branch of Statistics SA.
Of the 1.1 million youth who that are economically active, 534,000 are unemployed.
CAA CEO Musa Sebugwawo said they wanted to bridge the gap between high school and tertiary education.
“Our work prepares our students for a sterling future. We want them to keep abreast of the career choices available to them by creating such platforms,” Sebugwawo said.
The non-profit organisation is geared towards supporting and guiding the youth to improve their academic grades, specifically in maths, science and English.
