Those leaving school are advised to earnestly embark on study to acquire a qualification, be it a degree, diploma or even a one-year certificate.
This is according to human resource (HR) and recruitment experts, who state that it is best to initially start and complete at least one-year tertiary education for a qualification in whatever it is that a person wants to pursue.
“My view right now is that if you are looking for a job in a country with a 25% unemployment rate, it makes sense to have a formal qualification. On top of that, you need to add short courses,” says Teryl Schroenn, CEO of Accsys.
The company is a member of the Business Connexion Group (BCX) and a national supplier of people management software and hardware solutions within the HR, payroll and time and attendance space.
It offers a two-year National Diploma course in Payroll Administration, as well as a one-year certificate course, for those keen on making a career out of payroll within commerce.
Schroenn explains that it is important to consider the relevance of short courses, particularly in terms of CPD (continuing professional development) points going forward.
CPD is the means by which people update their skills in order to ensure competence to practice their work. By general definition this can involve any relevant learning activity, formal/structured or informal and self-managed.
“Keep yourself current. If you are looking for a new job, even backed up with years of experience, the question of undergraduate qualification is inevitably raised,” says Schroenn. Short courses are designed to sharpen skills sets and keep them relevant.
The skills development and skills availability issue in South Africa is exacerbated by the fact that for many, the option to study further after school is a luxury that cannot be afforded.
Schroenn advises people entering the job market to do all they can to try to further their education and begin to develop skills.
“There are several avenues one could explore, from internship to e-learning, to broaden knowledge. Businesses also offer bursaries and scholarship programmes, which can be used to acquire recognised tuition. This can only help,” Schroenn adds.
This is according to human resource (HR) and recruitment experts, who state that it is best to initially start and complete at least one-year tertiary education for a qualification in whatever it is that a person wants to pursue.
“My view right now is that if you are looking for a job in a country with a 25% unemployment rate, it makes sense to have a formal qualification. On top of that, you need to add short courses,” says Teryl Schroenn, CEO of Accsys.
The company is a member of the Business Connexion Group (BCX) and a national supplier of people management software and hardware solutions within the HR, payroll and time and attendance space.
It offers a two-year National Diploma course in Payroll Administration, as well as a one-year certificate course, for those keen on making a career out of payroll within commerce.
Schroenn explains that it is important to consider the relevance of short courses, particularly in terms of CPD (continuing professional development) points going forward.
CPD is the means by which people update their skills in order to ensure competence to practice their work. By general definition this can involve any relevant learning activity, formal/structured or informal and self-managed.
“Keep yourself current. If you are looking for a new job, even backed up with years of experience, the question of undergraduate qualification is inevitably raised,” says Schroenn. Short courses are designed to sharpen skills sets and keep them relevant.
The skills development and skills availability issue in South Africa is exacerbated by the fact that for many, the option to study further after school is a luxury that cannot be afforded.
Schroenn advises people entering the job market to do all they can to try to further their education and begin to develop skills.
“There are several avenues one could explore, from internship to e-learning, to broaden knowledge. Businesses also offer bursaries and scholarship programmes, which can be used to acquire recognised tuition. This can only help,” Schroenn adds.