Choose the right career to succeed

As first years prepare to head off to higher education for the first time, many are having second thoughts about their chosen course or institution.

While feelings of uncertainty are healthy and normal, an education expert also warns parents and prospective students to rather look at all their options now and change course right away if necessary, instead of taking a wait-and-see approach.

“South Africa’s first-year dropout rate is significant, but at an individual level this costly outcome could in many instances have been avoided if prospective students took more time to ensure they investigated all offerings in terms of institutions and qualifications,” said Dr Felicity Coughlan, director of The Independent Institute of Education.

She said students often applied for the same qualifications or at the same institutions as their friends. They also opted for the standard three-year degree without knowing much about what it entails or decided on their course because of pressure and expectations from others.

“There is research evidence that success in the first year requires that students are doing something that has meaning to them and [isn’t] what they have always been expected to do. So if there is any chance that there is a better fit available, even at this late stage, we encourage students and their families to make the move now.

“This applies equally to high performing students, who are often the ones who have the most choices, and yet still find themselves doing something they do not actually want to do or being somewhere that does not match their personal needs.”

The pressure – particularly for students who excel – to pursue a traditional degree at a traditional institution is very strong.

Now that they have their excellent results in their hands, those with an interest in a career-focused professional qualification such as accounting, law or teaching, or those whose interests lie in a new and exciting career path such as brand management, digital marketing, network engineering, game design and development, or application and cloud development, should make sure that they are making the right choices for themselves.

This means looking beyond the public system too.

“Private higher education is increasingly becoming the study route of choice, in line with international trends, for students who want quality workplace-oriented and recognised qualifications, niche degrees, smaller class sizes and modern campuses.”

Coughlan points out that because South Africa has a single quality assurance system and one National Qualifications Framework, any institution offering a registered and accredited qualification – whether public or private – is offering a qualification of equal standing, which means that prospective students may have many more, exciting, options than they may have realized.

And while there is no state subsidy for private institutions, which means that the cost of private higher education is still sometimes higher than at public universities, this cost is often counteracted in the long run due to improved results.

“Private institutions are often far more affordable – from a broader perspective – than members of the public seem to realise. And because these campuses are mostly relatively small with class sizes rarely exceeding 100 students, individual focus and higher success rates are the norm.

“As a result, proportionally more students graduate, making the overall educational experience a real value for money opportunity.”

Coughlan said tertiary education choices must be based on a thorough assessment of the fit between personal aspiration, circumstances and the institutional choices available. And if a prospective student is already having second thoughts, the time to re-assess is now, while there is still time.

Is your line of work related to your qualification? Share your comments with our editor, Daniella Potter, by emailing daniellap@caxton.co.za