Pupils need better career guidance

AS THE pupils who wrote matric last year jostle for space in the country’s institutions of higher learning, there should be a concerted effort to ensure that they pursue careers that fill the void of critical skills that enhance their employability and are critical to the country’s development trajectory.

The fact that there are so many graduates who can’t find employment is testimony to the issue of lack of proper guidance in terms of career choices.

It is interesting to note that South Africa, a country that ranks among the driest in the world, does not have a decent number of young people who choose to pursue careers in the water sector.

Nowadays, there is much talk about the Fourth Revolution and the truth is that as a country we can never participate meaningfully in this revolution without having the necessary skills in the water sector.

Therefore, of the pupils who achieved bachelor passes and those who qualified to enrol for diplomas, a great number of them should follow careers in the water sector.

There is a huge skills shortage in this sector. We should therefore make it our collective responsibility to direct young people towards careers that ensure they are presented with employment opportunities while they contribute to the economy.

HOSIA SITHOLE Department of Water and Sanitation