Police aid local youth unlock career options at Sosh expo
Young people had the opportunity to learn about different careers to choose from and had a close-up view of equipment used in certain professions.
Youth in the north of Pretoria explored various career options at an eye-opening career exhibition recently.
SAPS Soshanguve hosted a career exhibition aimed at inspiring the youth at Marry Me informal settlement on July 4.
Sergeant Lesiba Mehala explained that the decision to organise the event was prompted by the high rate of unemployment in the area.
“We have seen when we patrol around this area that there are many young people who are unemployed.”
He said they wanted stakeholders to inform the youth about different careers.
“We invited various stakeholders to come and share information with the youth and how they can apply for employment in their organisations,” he said.
Many young people attended the event to explore the career paths available to them.
They had the opportunity to learn about various police units, including the explosives unit, the K9 unit, and forensic evidence collection, as well as to get a close-up view of police vehicles and equipment.
Calvin Mthombeni (21) shared how the exhibition broadened his understanding of the different careers he can pursue in the police sector.
“I learnt a lot of things about policing. I didn’t know about the many different units in policing,” he said.
He also shared that being unemployed and uncertain about his future will no longer be his reality because the exhibition provided him with a clear direction for choosing a career path.
“I now understand that there are many careers beyond those that we learn about in school or those that are put in the spotlight. There are many other career opportunities that we are often afraid to explore,” he said.
Representatives from participating organisations offered insights into their training programmes and the academic qualifications required for different departments.
Boepelo Mahlangu from Sow a Seed Youth Empowerment shared how the organisation helps youth in the community in exploring career opportunities.
“We help youth, especially high school learners, to apply to different institutions, and guide them in selecting qualifications that match their interests.”
She said they also assist them in selecting the ideal subjects to study from Grade 9 onwards if they want to pursue careers in certain industries.
Nthabiseng Matlala (19) shared that as someone who took a gap year due to not knowing what she was going to study at varsity, the exhibition has given her an idea of which career path to explore.
“With the qualifications that we usually want to do in university, courses get full because we all run to the same thing,” she said, adding that knowing about other qualifications she can study has brought her relief.
“The qualifications that no one usually talks about are the ones that will help reduce unemployment in our communities if more people consider them,” she said.
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