By: Sihle Makhowana

In many parts of the country, exam rooms are filled with tense personas and over thinking minds all wanting to come victorious on that solve for X question.

This is a very crucial time for matric students who either writing or have finished their second term examinations, as this time of the year signals the opening of many spaces in university and other learning institutions. In these difficult economic periods, most often passion is side-lined for survival. This leaves many people, especially students, choosing careers they have no interest or passion for.

Noluthando Mncwabe, a head girl from Woodhurst Secondary shared with JournalismIziko her plans for the upcoming year; what she plans to study and what she has been doing to educate herself about her field of choice.

“I want to study Medicine at the Nelson Mandela School of Medicine or do a bachelors in Surgery. I have applied through Central Applications Office and I am now working towards meeting their requirements,” said Mncwabe.

“I have done basic research on what medicine and surgery is and I have also researched the working conditions and of course the salary,” added Mncwabe.

“The school took us to a career expo earlier this year where we learnt about different careers, got to meet with our potential employers and it was indeed helpful but the internet did a lot for me, I learnt many things about medicine through the internet,” concluded Mncwabe.

Nelson Kweyama, a young educator from Ntwenhle High School in Folweni Township acknowledged the importance of career expos and the role it plays in informing and preparing learners for life after high school.

“I think career expos are essential for both grade 9 and matric students, I say this because in grade 9 learners make the biggest decisions influence their future careers, I too was never clued up of what I wanted to study after finishing my matric,” said Kweyama.

“Choosing which career path you are going to follow will be influenced by the studies you chose and a lot of people over look that and that’s where some of the fundamental career mishaps start and in matric it is just as important, as a matric student you have little or no knowledge as to where to go to pursue your career and how to go about doing it,” added Kweyama.

Kweyama emphasised the importance of research.

“Research is very vital because you get exposed to new found knowledge about a career and you may even come to find a career that is best suited for you,” said Kweyama

It appears the famous words of the late United State president Benjamin Franklin, “By failing to prepare, you are preparing to fail” may still come to haunt those matric learners who do not know their next step as they near the exit of their high school life. For many matric learners who are still in the dark as to what study.

The Rising Stars Career Expo is scheduled to start on the 29^th July from 9am to 5pm at Umlazi V-Hall Durban. Learners and the unemployed youth from ages of 15 – 28 years are all welcomed.