Bridging the Skills Gap
www.hwseta.org.za
Career Guidance Helping you to make an informed decision
HWSETA : Career Guidance 1
www.hwseta.org.za
Contents
A Brief Look at the HWSETA 3
Choosing a Career 4
South African Universities and Universities of Technology 6
L(earn)erships 7
HWSETA Registered Qualifications 11
Careers available in the Health, Social Development
and Veterinary Sectors 14
Interested, but Not Sure? 32
HWSETA Contact Information 33
higher education & trainingDepartment:Higher Education and Training REPUBLIC OF SOUTH AFRICA
2 HWSETA : Career Guidance
Our Vision
The creation of a skilled workforce for the health and social development needs of all South Africans
Our Mission
The Health and Welfare Sector Education and Training Authority (HWSETA) endeavours to create an integrated approach to the development and provision of appropriately skilled health and social development workers, to render quality services comparable to world-class standards.
HWSETA : Career Guidance 3
A Brief Look at the HWSETASkills development is a national priority in South Africa and a critical factor to the future success of the country. Meeting South Africas skills needs requires input from numerous public and government institutions, as well as private organisations, no matter how big or small.
South Africas economy is divided into
functional sectors that are all represented
by one of the 21 Sector Education Training
Authorities (SETAs). In short, SETAs exist
to drive skills development and act as
advisory bodies on the education and training
requirements of the sector they are appointed
to serve.
The Health and Welfare Sector Education
Training Authority (HWSETA) is responsible
for the education, training and skills
development requirements of the health and
social development sectors, as well as the
veterinary sector. When we talk about skills
development, its about changing peoples
lives, about enhancing their employability
and about aligning skills to our economy.
The health and social development sectors
can be described as personal services
industries where services are both resource
and time intensive. Effective delivery of
these services depends on the availability of
human resources with the appropriate skills.
The growing demand for health and social
development services and the introduction
of changes in the way these services are
delivered to the public drive demand for the
right type of skills and currently demand
continues to outstrip supply.
Main Functions of the HWSETA
Development of the Sector Skills Plan for
health, social development and veterinary
sectors
Skills development planning, programmes
and initiatives
Allocation of grants to companies
Monitoring of education and training in
the sector
Identification of workplaces for practical
work experience
Support and facilitate the implementation
of the National Skills Development
Strategy
Provision of opportunities for new
entrants to the labour market to gain work
experience
Improvement of employment prospects for
previously disadvantaged persons through
education and training
Provision and regulation of employment
services
Promotion of the employment of disabled
persons
When we talk about skills development, its about changing peoples lives, about
enhancing their employability and about aligning skills to our economy.
4 HWSETA : Career Guidance
Choosing a CareerYour choice of career will shape your life, so it is important that you take time
to consider your options. Many young South Africans have limited access to
reliable information on their options for education and training after school, as
well as careers and career pathways.
To guide you in making the perfect choice of study, there are certain steps that you may want to
follow to find out what type of career suits you best.
Step 1
Take time to understand what you are all
about. What are you good at? What do you
enjoy doing? What would give you career
satisfaction? What type of person are you?
What subjects have you studied at school?
Step 2:
Research! Research! Research! Gather as
much information as possible about the
options available to you.
Understand what qualification options
are available to you (for example, degree,
diploma, certificate or learnership).
Utilise every possible source available
to you to research careers that you
are interested in. Contact educational
institutions. Speak to your life orientation
teachers at school. Attend career expos.
Contact the relevant SETA/S.
Find out where you can study what
interests you. University? University
of Technology? Technical Vocational
Education and Training (TVET) College?
A private training provider?
Get as much information as possible
on important issues such as admission
requirements, deadlines for application,
fees, bursary schemes or loans available
and duration of study.
Qualifications Whatever your choice of education is or will be, always make sure that the service provider university, college or private educational provider is accredited, and offers recognised training.
Recognised qualifications available in South Africa:
Degrees:three to four years of higher education offered by universities. These are referred to as undergraduate degrees and may be followed by postgraduate qualifications such as Honours, Masters or PhD of which the duration is a minimum of one year each
NationalDiploma:A three-year qualification, offered by universities of technology that offers both theoretical and practical training. After obtaining a National Diploma, learners may enrol for a BTech degree
Diplomas: Qualifications offered by an accredited provider at higher education level, including both theoretical and practical aspects. The duration of the courses may vary
Certificates:One year or less at Further or Higher Education level offered by an accredited provider which includes both practical and skill orientated training.
HWSETA : Career Guidance 5
Step 3
If you do not have the funds to attend the
course or programme of your choice, see if
you are eligible for a bursary, a student loan
or a scholarship.
Step 4
Once you have reached your decision, do
not delay in applying. Many educational
institutions have strict closing dates for
applications.
PLACES TO GET HELP WITH CHOOSING A CAREER
The South African Qualifications
Authority (SAQA)
SAQA has a great website with loads of useful
information visit www.careerhelp.org.za
or call the SAQA career helpline on
0860 111 673. Alternatively, you can SMS
them on 0722 045 056 or e-mail them at
Career Guidance/Life Orientation Teacher
at school
If your school does not have a career
guidance/life orientation teacher try one of
the bigger schools closer to a large town or
city.
Higher Education Institutions
Universities and TVET Colleges have
dedicated student support units and career
counselling centres where professional
counselors are available to assist. Specialised
personality and vocational interest
assessments are offered that are a useful tool
to help you determine a career direction if
you are unsure.
Making Sense of University
Requirements
When applying to a University you are going
to be faced with some terms you have never
encountered before. You can expect to be
faced with the following:
Admission Points Score (APS): This is used
to measure your academic achievement based
on your school leaving results.
National Benchmark Test (NBT): The NBT
focuses on academic readiness for University
study. Each test requires you to apply prior
learning (what you know and are able to do)
to materials that reflect expectations for first
year students in university programmes.
Faculty Points Score (FPS): This is the
score used to rank applicants. It can be
based only on the APS, only on the NBT or a
combination of the APS and NBT.
You are probably a bit confused about all of
this jargon. What is important is that you get
hold of a prospectus for the institution that
you would like to study at.
What is a Prospectus?A prospectus is a comprehensive guide for school leavers that is produced by higher education institutions that details what courses are available and what the entry requirements are for each course.
This is an important part of your research activity.
6 HWSETA : Career Guidance
South African Universities and Universities of Technology
PROVINCE UNIVERSITY FINANCIAL AID/ WEBSITE CONTACT DETAILS
EasternCape Rhodes University 046 603 8248 - www.ru.ac.za
Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University 041 504 3182 www.nmmu.ac.za
University of Fort Hare 040 602 2282 www.ufh.ac.za
Walter Sisulu University 043 702 9359 www.wsu.ac.za
FreeState Central University of Technology 051
Top Related