UFS Career Week: Natural and Agricultural Sciences

LISTEN: Article recording of Natural and Agricultural Sciences Career Week 2023.

From 2 to 5 May 2023, UFS Career Services hosted its annual Natural and Agricultural Sciences Career Week. The importance of STEM fields (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) has been emphasised during the past decade. Especially women are encouraged to venture into these careers, with ample opportunities locally and abroad. Lurking food shortages coupled with climate change challenges also require innovative agricultural practices. Therefore, students from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences are uniquely positioned to make a positive impact on the future.

The week began with a Career Fair Preparation Webinar, followed by a jam-packed programme covering topics such as crop research, opportunities in geography, biogeochemistry, carbon connections, engineering, and aerial geological image classification. As with all career weeks, special attention was also given to CV writing and building an impactful LinkedIn profile.
 

 
On the second-last day of the event, students were treated to a university choir performance at the Career Fair, where they could also engage with potential employers. A large percentage of first-year students attended this event, indicating that students realise the importance of employability early on. A handful of students from other faculties also attended to make sure that they do not miss out on any information about the world of work.

Students from the Faculty of Natural and Agricultural Sciences are uniquely positioned to make a positive impact on the future.

Some students expressed the need for a greater variety of employers but appreciated the opportunity to make connections in the world of work. “Interacting with the representatives of the companies made it much easier for me to grasp the real-world application of what I am studying,” one commented, noting that they had renewed passion for their chosen field of study. Look out for more communication from UFS Career Services to join the next event.
 

We would like to thank the following participants:

Dr Ntabheleng Rammile, Prof André Minnaar-Ontong, Eldalize Kruger, Dr Marinanna Erasmus, Prof Angelinus Franke, Dr Martin Clark, Louis Lagrange