Simon Bafan Sethoga is a service consultant in one of the South Africa’s banks.
This 24 year old holds a Diploma in Business Information Technology, specialising in programing visual basic 2008.
He said it entails creating systems and databases for institutions, trouble shooting, networking and implementing codes for specified programs.
He is currently studying further towards a degree in the same field.
Speaking on the importance of education, Mr Sethoga said we get older by the day and we have to get out of our comfort zone.
“Education shapes your future at an early age, which makes it of paramount importance to know exactly what you are going to do after you have made it through grade 12.
“Education prepares you with the necessary skills for you to be placed in a working environment,” he said.
He said it all starts in high school and he advised grade 12 pupils to do research about the course they want to take.
He said they must relate to the course before they take it.
“Ask at least two people who work in that field and ask open-ended questions. Go to university or college open days to obtain detailed information about the course to avoid mismatches and dropping out of the course at a later stage,” he said.
He said when looking for a job, education sets you apart from other candidates.
He also said graduated youngsters must not relax just because they have qualifications.
“They must go out there and use things like an internet cafe to seek employment and they must also go back to the institutions where they studied and attend conferences there.
“These institutions are trying to help their former graduates,” he said.
The bank employee said the youth must stop choosing jobs based on what they have studied because no one is “over-qualified” for any field of work.
“Take myself for example. I studied information technology but I work in a bank. This is not a failure but it is experience towards my final destination,” he said.
“Any job within the semi-skill level contributes towards your work experience,” he said.
He said the youth has to be independent because they have all the resources in front of them.
“We need to become our own role models and be successful in life.”
