Solidarity offers a helping hand to pupils
ROSEBANK - Pupils need to understand the importance of making informed decisions when selecting subjects to study in high school.
This advice was given by Riaan du Plooy, deputy chief executive of Solidarity Helping Hand, to pupils preparing for life beyond high school.
Du Plooy stated that, according to an Adcorp Employment Index report, about 344 000 South Africans with degrees, diplomas and certificates find themselves unemployed because they lack the skills required by employers.
Furthermore, the number of retrenchments made during January was the highest in ten years, with 36 290 South Africans having lost their jobs.
This makes selecting the correct subjects crucial as a pupil’s choice can affect future job prospects.
“The wrong subject choice could mean matriculants are not selected for high level study fields after matric and that they end up with a tertiary qualification that is not useful in the current employment market,” Du Plooy said.
He further stressed the need to invest in professional career guidance, citing that tertiary training is too expensive to make hasty choices.
This is where Solidarity’s Helping Hand Career Guidance programme plays a role in guiding pupils on the best career choice for them. The career guidance service includes an informal discussion with the parents and the pupil, the assessment itself, and a professional report following the assessment.
The organisation has several packages such as psychometric testing and aptitude tests.
Details: Solidarity Helping Hand 012 644 4390
012 644 4390; diens@helpendehand.co.za
