Career and career choices

Types of qualifications

- Higher certificate

- Diploma

- Bachelors degree

Higher certificate

Allows you to work in a specific industry, eg. tourism

- usually includes work experience

- Enables you to study further

Diploma

Allows you to work in a specific profession

- focus on general principles of knowledge application

- Gives access to a number of careers

Bachelor's degree

Provides you with a broad education/literacy

- Focus on principles, theory and research

- allows you to pursue a career as a professional

What is a FET college

an institute registered with the Department of Higher Education , with the aim of providing vocational education in a specific

What do vocational courses do?

they get you ready for a particular job or a particular kind of employment

What does FET stand for?

Further Education and Training.

What happens when you're enrolled into a FET college?

you have a wide range of courses to choose from that best suit your skill and direction

What do FET colleges aim to achieve?

a bridge between training and applying that training in the real world

How FET colleges do what they aim for?

they provide opportunities for workplace experience and also stimulate workplace experience as part of the courses

South African education system

- General Education (GE)

- Further Education and Training (FET)

- Higher Education (HE)

How long does general education take?

first 9 years of your school education

How long does FET take?

final 3 years of school or complete a certificate or diploma at a technical college or educational institution

How does Higher Education take?

university-level teaching, theoretical in nature

AET

Adult Education and Training. This is for adults who want to complete their senior certificate

Admission requirements for FET colleges

- accept learners after grade 9

- If you have Grade 12 NSC, you have a better chance at getting into a FET college

Industries supported by FET colleges

- agriculture

- business

- trade

- management

- education

Promotion requirements NSC

One official language or home language - minimum 40%

Two other subjects - minimum 40%

Three subjects - minimum 30%

You may fail one subject (less than 30%) if you have completed all the school-based assessments in this class.

Admission point score (APS)

gives you points for the marks you obtained in the NSC Exams. Admission to Higher Education Institutions depends on the total marks you have obtained.

Nationally approved subjects

- 11 official languages

- mathematics or mathematical literacy

- Lo

- agriculture science

- creative arts

- business, trade and management studies

- official and non-official languages

- engineering and technology

- human and social sciences

- physical, mathematics, computer science and life sciences

- services

higher certification requirements

NSC with a minimum of 40% in the language of learning and teaching of the tertiary institution

diploma requirements

NSC with a minimum of 40% in the language of learning and teaching of the tertiary institution with a performannce rating of 3 (Moderate achhievement: 40%-49%)

BA degree

NSC with a minimum of 40% in the language of learning and teaching of the tertiary institution with a performance rating of 4

SAQA

South African Qualifications Authority

What is the SAQA?

ensures that standards and qualifications of different institutions at international level are comparable.

NQF

National Qualification Framework

What is NQF?

the framework on which the standards of colleges are registered.

NBT

National Benchmark Test, academic literacy test is a multi-choice test that takes 3 hours and 5 minutes

Academic Literacy Tests (NBT)

test your ability. eg) vocabulary, evaluate evidence, draw conclusions, choose main ideas

Quantitative

test your ability to apply formulas, read and interpret graphs, maps and tables, perform calculations, measure geometrics shapes, reason logically

Mathematics

3 hours multi-choice test based on the Grade 12 curriculum

Types of Financial assistance

- bursaries

- scholarships/merit awards

- study loans

- nsfas

- Apprenticeships

- Setas'

Bursaries

a sum of money given to you to help you pay for your studies

- given to students who stand out

- you'll have to pay the back by working one year for each year during which you studied

Where can you receive bursaries?

- higher education institution or company

- institutions such as De Beer, Old Mutual, SA institute for Racial Affairs

Contract bursary

if you agree to work for the company after your studies

Scholarship

money that a company, enterprise or organization awards you because you have performed well in your studies

- you do not have to repay, but you must do well in your studies

Merit

awarded based on your school results or end of year study results when you have achieved good results

Study loans

You can apply to a bank for a student loan. A company or business can lend you money

NSFAS

National Student Financial Aid Scheme

- SA's only student loan scheme that helps academic students who deserve it and need financial assistance

apprenticeship

when a job pays you while you study

- a company you work for can finance your studies > in return, students work for them on a contract basis

SETA's

Sector Education and Training Authority

How many Setas does SA have?

25 for various industries

Types of SETAs

- AgriSETA

- BankSETA

- CetaSETA

Who organises the apprenticeships system

Setas

How to pay for your FET College studies

Department of Higher Education and Training offers a FET college bursary scheme

- SA citizenship

- Enrolled or intending to enroll for a National Certificate (Vocational)

- Need financial assistance

- Shows potential for academic success