WHILE we encourage students to further their studies to become successful in life, it is not wise for them to obtain a university degree that is ‘not responsive to the needs of the country’.
That was the strong message from Deputy Minister for Higher Education, Mduduzi Manana, speaking at a Maritime Careers Awareness campaign held last week at the uMfolozi College in eShowe.
He said students should begin exploring career choices previously inaccessible to black communities, such as the maritime studies.
‘Times have changed. We no longer live in the old South Africa. We are no longer interested in simply producing graduates, but our focus now is to produce people would be absorbed by the labour market.
‘I’m not saying it’s wrong, but if we keep producing political scientists like myself, where are the jobs for such people? I consider myself fortunate in that I studied political science and with the help of my political party (ANC), I ended up with a good career. But what if I was not active in politics?
‘We can’t all be wearing suits, analysing the economy and politics. This country has a skills shortage. We need artisans and engineers.’
He said Technical Vocational Education and Training, formerly known as FETs, were the future, adding that not every students was destined for a university route.
‘I’m happy that we are launching this project, which is in line with President Zuma’s Operation Phakisa launched in July this year, which aims to put more focus on ocean related fields. I’m also pleased that from next year this college will offer maritime studies, which will be the second institution after Buffalo City in the Eastern Cape,’ he said.
The careers event at uMfolozi was organised by the Youth Chamber of Shipping in Africa (YCSA), a company started by six young women who saw the gap between the industry and the learners.
said a culture of going to sea should be injected into learners as early as in secondary schools.
‘We want to have a research institute on how to empower our youth in shipping, as well as inculcating a culture of entrepreneurship in this industry,’ said YCSA Director Nomfundo Mkhize.
