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#YouthMonth: UFS makes strides in youth career development

30 June 2023 | Story Valentino Ndaba | Photo Supplied

CareerHub: connecting UFS students to dream jobs

In response to the alarming rate of unemployment facing South Africa's young population, the government has launched various youth development and empowerment projects as part of the Presidential Youth Employment Intervention, aiming to encourage greater youth participation in the economy.

To combat the high rate of graduate unemployment, the University of the Free State (UFS) Career Services in the Division of Student Affairs plans to launch the CareerHub on 3 July 2023. CareerHub is an innovative job portal aimed at revolutionising the job search process and connecting employers with highly qualified UFS candidates. The platform boasts a wide range of opportunities, collaborates with reputable companies, offers advanced search filters, and enables employers to create detailed company profiles to attract top talent. Job seekers can personalise their search criteria and set preferences to streamline their job search.

UFS Youth Month campaign

Highlighting the positive impact of the UFS in youth career development, the institution's Department of Communication and Marketing launched a campaign in June 2023 aimed at showcasing the success stories of alumni who have studied at the university and are now employed by the institution.

One such success story is Katleho Lechoo, who joined the UFS as an undergraduate student and is now a football administrator in KovsieSport. Lechoo's journey exemplifies his commitment to excellence, having served as the President of the Institutional Student Representative Council during his time as a student. Reflecting on his experiences, Lechoo expressed gratitude for the opportunities to contribute positively and to make a difference in the UFS community.

“I was recently elected as the youngest Institutional Forum member at the University of the Free State. A position I look at and remind myself that – apart from my ordinary position at the university – I also have an opportunity to contribute and influence the space positively and otherwise for its benefit. I wake up knowing that I have yet another day to do good unto others as I would expect from them. And to sum up my experience thus far? As Roy T Bennett simply puts it: ‘Be thankful for everything that happens in your life; it’s all an experience’,” said Lechoo.

Annelize Kruger shared Lechoo’s sentiments. Kruger graduated in 2020 with a Master of Science in Occupational Therapy and now serves as a lecturer in the Department of Occupational Therapy. She credits the UFS for providing her with a solid foundation to excel in her profession and to contribute to the training of future occupational therapists.

Maximising impact through the SDG lens

The introduction of CareerHub aligns with the UFS' Vision 130 strategy, which aims to maximise societal impact and contribute to the development of the Free State and South Africa. The platform addresses a pressing local issue – youth unemployment – by leveraging the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) as a framework for assessing societal impact.

SDG Goal eight, focusing on Decent Work and Economic Growth, highlights the importance of providing young people with opportunities for decent jobs. This involves investing in quality education and training, matching skills with market demands, ensuring social protection and basic services, and promoting equal opportunities for productive employment, irrespective of gender, income level, or socio-economic background.

WATCH: UFS ends Youth Month on a high note with a performance from the 1992 film Sarafina!

News Archive

Translation Day Seminar

2007-10-22

Subverting the West? Engaging language practice as African interpretation.

With the above-mentioned title in mind, about 30 people gathered at the Main Campus of the University of the Free State (FS) in Bloemfontein for a Translation Day Seminar. The day was attended by academics, language practitioners, government departments, students, and other stakeholders in language practice.

Prof. Jackie Naudé, the Programme Director for the Programme in Language Practice at the UFS, gave a short historical overview of developments in research and training in language practice of the past decade. He argued in favour of a socio-constructivist approach to teaching and research in language practice. His point was that students need to be given the opportunity to engage with the complexities of real-life problems, specifically the complexities of the African context.

Dr Kobus Marais, Senior Lecturer in Translation Studies at the UFS, gave an overview of the state of the art of translation research. This meant that language practitioners are agents in communication, not mere conduits of meaning. He argued that translators’ agency implied that they have to make informed choices, the most important of which is whether to indigenise or foreignise when translating. He developed wisdom as a notion in translation, indicating that translators need to be wise to interpret their context and translate in such a way that (Western) ideology does not ride piggy-back on their translations into the African target culture.

Prof. Joan Connoly, Associate Professor in the Centre for Higher Education Development at Durban University of Technology (DUT), took the audience on a breathtaking journey on the topic of oral knowledge. Her presentation showed examples, both European and African oral knowledge and had a clear message for language practitioners: What can Africans learn from the Western mind? Her answer: "Africans can learn how easy it is to loose one’s oral knowledge base. Africans can look at the West and see what the consequences are when a culture loses its oral-based knowledge. Language practitioners have it in their power to consider this possible loss and do something about it."

Lastly, Ms Lolie Makhubu, Head of the Department of Language and Translation at DUT, spoke about enticement in interpreting to use loan words to impress either the audience or peers or clients. Her argument boils down to the interpreter’s attitude towards African culture and language. If Western culture is regarded as higher than African culture, interpreters will be tempted to boast their knowledge of Western culture by means of their choice of words. However, if interpreters are “Proudly South African”, as she put it, they have not need for showing off by using loan words.

Dr Kobus Marais (Senior Lecturer in Translation Studies at the UFS) during the seminar.
Photo (supplied)

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