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08 June 2023 | Story Danelle Fisher | Photo Lunga Luthuli
Career Services
Pictured are student representatives from House Vergeet-My-Nie, winners of the 2023 Inter-residence Work Readiness Challenge. With them is Nobesuthu Sonti, Senior Officer, Career Services (holding a mic), and on the right is Petunia Rooibaaidjie, Career Ambassador.
The Career Services division within the Department of Student Affairs recently (May 2023) held their first-ever Inter-residence Work Readiness Challenge. The challenge, targeted at students in residences, called on students to submit their CVs and cover letters to the UFS Careers Office. 

Students from the Bloemfontein Campus residences were challenged to submit as many CVs, cover letters, and LinkedIn profiles as possible, with the most submissions winning the challenge. “Having the Inter-residence Work Readiness Challenge was to increase the employability of the University of the Free State students through a healthy competition among students on the Bloemfontein Campus,” states Nobesuthu Sonti, Senior Officer in the Career Services office. 

Nineteen out of 28 residences competed, with students submitting their documents on Blackboard; Career Services recorded 486 submissions in one month. “The response from students is an indication that they were not aware of the support that Career Services can offer regarding their CVs and cover letters,” explains Sonti. 

The initiative also revealed the challenges students have in compiling CVs and writing cover letters, and how to articulate themselves during mock interviews. 

Sonti said: "Most students were not aware of what to include in their document, which affected the quality of content submitted. Through the mock interviews, we found that students struggle to articulate themselves and are not able to sell themselves,” said Sonti. 

House Vergeet-My-Nie came out as victors in the end, having submitted more CVs and cover letters than the other residences. Sonti encourages students to seek career guidance and contact the office to assess their career paths and be offered private career coaching.

  • The Career Services office offers students workshops on how to write CVs and cover letters, networking, and job-hunting skills to improve their employability. It further offers career guidance and mock interviews, together with a career closet where students can pick out interview-appropriate outfits for their interviews.
You can contact the Career Service office at the following email address: career@ufs.ac.za

News Archive

Kovsies offer prospective students countless opportunities at Open Day
2017-05-16

Description: Bloem Open Day 2017 Tags: Bloem Open Day 2017

The University of the Free State Bloemfontein
Campus opened its doors to prospective 2018
students at this year’s Open Day to learn what
being a Kovsie entails.
Photo: Johan Roux

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“It is important for us not to be stressed or confused, as you need to understand where your passion lies.”

These were the encouraging words of Prof Francis Petersen, Vice-Chancellor and Rector of the University of the Free State (UFS), to the learners in the Callie Human Centre on the Bloemfontein Campus during this year’s Open Day on 13 May 2017.

Prospective learners, teachers, as well as parents came out in numbers to learn and see what the UFS has to offer. The audience was also set ‘In the Mood’ by the enchanting voices of the Swing-City band.

UFS represent diversity, inclusivity as well as academic excellence
Prof Petersen highlighted the importance of the values which the UFS stands for, namely diversity, inclusivity, and academic excellence, as vital reasons why learners should consider coming to the UFS.

“We believe that innovation is part of the curriculum, it is part of the way we do things, and it is also embedded as a key attribute that we will expose potential Kovsie students to,” he said.

Mpho Maloka, a parent from Welkom, says: “It (the UFS) represents the Free State and it is home-brewed. We want our kids to have the best education, and with many of my colleagues that graduated from the UFS, you can see the quality, the enthusiasm, and the success that comes from this university.”

Graduates to impact society through innovation
Prof Petersen said that the UFS will not only develop them as individuals, but will also assist them in making a contribution to society. “If you really want to have an excellent degree, well-rounded exposure to Kovsie life, make an impact on society through innovative thought, and also have the value of being exposed to a richness of diversity, then Kovsies is the place to be.”

Sergio Abdiziet, a learner from Heidedal, said that he’d like to be part of the UFS, because it is one of the best universities in the country.

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