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08 April 2020 | Story Nonsindiso Qwabe | Photo Supplied
Career development read more
Nonhlanhla Moleleki.

Many students arriving at institutions of higher learning for the first time are often overwhelmed by the vast number of academic programmes available to them. They either end up going for study choices without much thought, or out of desperation. 

Seeing the gap between self-awareness and how it impacts career choices, the UFS introduced the Career Development Programme to teach students more about their chosen careers from the onset.  It was first introduced to first-year students on the Qwaqwa Campus in 2017. 

Project leader and registered counsellor in Student Counselling and Development on the Qwaqwa Campus, Nonhlanhla Moleleki, said the programme was implemented to assist students in better understanding their study choices and the career they have selected, and to better equip them with the relevant knowledge and skills. 

This annual project is once again available to students, and this year it has been extended to the South Campus to assist students enrolled for the University Preparation Programme to choose a study field that fits them best. 

Students are uncertain about their study choices
She said many students often settle for study options without aligning these choices with their interests, personalities, and capabilities, which frustrate them in the long run. 

“Students are often unsure about the career stream they are in and whether it suits them best, leading to poor academic performance. We’ve started receiving bookings from students on the different campuses, which shows that there is a need for the project to be implemented across all campuses. If students choose the right career path and go for options that best suit them, they have a better chance of excelling,” she said. 

Career programme carries long-term benefits for students
The programme runs for eight weeks annually through two-hour sessions per week. Moleleki said during these sessions, students are completing activities on career awareness, understanding individual abilities, and personality styles. The Student Counselling and Development team is also able to connect students with resources related to the industries that interest them.

“We also equip them with coping skills, as well as decision-making processes, in order to choose a career path that is well suited to their own interests, values, and personality styles,” she said.

She said assessments are done in the following areas: self-information, career information, integration of self-information with career knowledge, and career planning.
Moleleki said students who participated in the programme showed an increase in self-awareness and were able to better integrate this into their career choices. “In addition, they are also registered on the national Department of Labour’s database. This connects them with other graduates and potential employers.”

“This programme helps students align themselves with relevant skills and knowledge about the careers that best fit them. It also prepares them for the world of work. It’s not always about the jobs in demand, but it’s about students having a career that they will be happy with.”

News Archive

Full accreditation for MBA programme
2004-12-01

The University of the Free State (UFS) this week received full accreditation for its MBA-programme from the Council on Higher Education (CHE). The accreditation was granted after the programme was conditionally accredited earlier this year.

“The full accreditation serves as proof that the key elements of a good teaching programme are in place. After the programme received conditional accreditation, a few areas were addressed and a progress report was submitted to the CHE. This was followed by a site visit by a delegation from the CHE. We are happy about the successful outcome of the accreditation process,” said Prof Helena van Zyl, Director of the UFS’s School of Management.

“In the initial evaluation done by the CHE it was already mentioned that the UFS’s MBA-programme clearly and significantly contributes to students’ knowledge and skills, is relevant for the workplace and appropriately resourced. Now we can build on the further extension of the quality of the programme,” said Prof van Zyl.

“We welcome the CHE’s accreditation process. It confirms and protects the integrity of the group of high quality MBA-programmes in South Africa,” said Prof Frederick Fourie, Rector and Vice-Chancellor of the UFS.

The UFS’s online MBA-programme will only be evaluated next year because the CHE is still in the process of developing criteria for the on-line programmes of tertiary institutions.

Media release
Issued by: Lacea Loader
Media Representative
Tel: (051) 401-2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@mail.uovs.ac.za
7 December 2004

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