A team of local young people hosted the Burgersdorp Career Exhibition at the Burgersdorp State of the Art School recently.

Nsovo Hlungwani partnered with First Hope and Akanani Foundation with the hopes of helping Grade 12 learners to make informed and wise decisions when choosing their tertiary studies.

About eight schools from the Shiluvana Circuit were part of this important occasion including local pastors, traditional authorities and different kinds of tertiary institutions including the University of Johannesburg. Hlungwani founded the project in 2018 and says her reasons for the expo was to give back to her community which is poverty stricken with a high rate of teenage pregnancy.

“We have realised that there are more urban learners in universities than from rural areas and this career expo serves as a tool to bridge the gap,” explained Hlungwani. Different experts from the following fields, media (print and broadcasting), finance, transportation and logistics taught the learners about these industries.

Experts such as Ernest Ntimbana from the Tzaneen Greater FM and Mercy Maila, an internal auditor from SAPS among others.

The main speaker on the day was Tzaneen sensation, Omee Otis who encouraged the matriculants to also nurture their natural born talents and to embark on business.

“If 100 000 students graduated last year, it means that those graduates are fighting against each other for employment opportunities and this years graduates are also battling for the same position. Be wise start a business and become an employer or turn to art and entertainment to determine your own income, because the country is facing a high rate of unemployment,” Omee explained.

The Greater Tzaneen Economic Development affectionately known as GTEDA donated 300 packs of sanitary pads to the learners.

Pastor Themba Hlungwana, closed the program with a prayer and also encouraged learners to study theology in order to become a pastor. The day was concluded by a filling lunch and music by the resident DJ.