Thursday, 31 October 2013

Keep Your 2014 Registration High On Your Priority List


Whether you are enrolling your child into school, just got accepted to your chosen college or received your letter of acceptance from your chosen university, you will be faced with the registration process sooner, rather than later. This week we take a look at why registration is important, no matter where you are studying:

Scholars
Scholars generally register well ahead of the academic year. If your child is attending grade 1, you might have had to pay your deposit before a deadline or you have until the start of the 2014 first school term to do so.

College students
Many colleges require you to register in the December prior to the start of your academic year.

University students
Many of these institutions will require you to pay a registration fee when you register. This often acts like a deposit for your studies and can even be a term’s school fees in advance or a percentage of your study fees.

Many people forget that they will have to cover these expenses and run into problems during the registration process… remember to confirm the registration details of your school, college or university and to make sure that you have funds available at the time of registration.

#TIP: Plan in advance. Ask the right questions and save money to ensure that you complete the registration process as quickly and efficiently as possible, so that you do not have to pay penalties for late registration, or worse, miss registration all together.


Eduloan is now open for 2014 loan applications. We have various loan options available and offer solutions that can assist you with registration fees and study fees for school, university, college or training. Contact us today to find out how we can assist you!

Monday, 28 October 2013

Year of The Artisan & Skills-Based Education: How To Become A Draughtsman


Draughtsmen and women translate the drawings and ideas of engineers, architects and scientists into detailed drawings. They prepare technical drawings and plans used by production and construction workers to build everything from manufactured products such as spacecraft or industrial machinery, to structures such as office buildings or oil and gas pipelines.           

Their drawings show the technical details of the structures that specify dimensions, materials to be used, and procedures and processes to be followed. Drafters fill in technical details, using drawings, rough sketches, specifications, codes and calculations supplied by engineers, surveyors or architects.

As a draughtsman, there are a variety of specialties that you can get into:
  • Architectural drafters draw plans for all kinds of buildings.
  • Civil engineering drafters draw plans for bridges, roads, irrigation and construction projects.
  • Mechanical engineering drafters sketch plans for machines and engine parts.
  • Electrical engineering drafters finalise plans for electrical circuits and wiring systems in buildings for example.
  • Structural engineering drafters draw designs for towers and steel frames.
  • Town and regional planning drafters draw maps of sewage, drinking water, steam, heating, cooling and conveyor installations, and they may also build models for projects.
  • Cartographical drafters draw different types of maps such as cadastral, topographical and meteorological.
  • Mining drafters draw plans of mines, including three-dimensional plans which could help for example, with the upgrading of safety standards. 

As a draughtsman, you could work at architectural firms, engineering companies, municipalities, construction companies, metal manufacturing companies, mining companies, contract draughtsman firms, various government firms or you can choose to be self-employed and to do freelance work.

If you…
  • are meticulously accurate
  • enjoy doing detailed work
  • are able to concentrate for long periods of time
  • have three-dimensional perception
  • have good vision
  • have good eye-hand coordination and free-hand drawing skills
  • are interested in and have a flair for computer work
  • have stamina (at times standing is required)

… then you could be a perfect candidate to become a draughtsman!

Draughtsmens' training consists of 18 months of academic training, available at most universities of technology, FET colleges and technicons, and 18 months of in-service training at an approved firm.

You can contact Eduloan as soon as you have decided which school or training college you would like to study at and one of our consultants will be able to give you all the information you require to get the financial assistance you need to realise your dream of becoming a draughtsman. For more information or to speak to one of our Eduloan consultants, visit our website www.eduloan.co.za.

Monday, 21 October 2013

Why Education And Experience Matter

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“Live as if you were to die tomorrow. Learn as if you were to live forever.” Mahatma Gandhi

Gandhi had many wise words, but these words align well with our topic of discussion for this week. The debate around whether education equips students with the relevant skills and expertise to function optimally in the working world, has been longstanding. This week we look at some of the key benefits of education and experience, to establish why they complement each other to ensure you are well equipped for your future career:

Your education…

  • . . . ensures that you develop basic skills that you would require in the working world. Whether your teacher encourages you to share books or other learning equipment with your fellow students or teaches you the importance of time management for example.
  • . . . gives you the theoretical framework for your chosen career, ensuring that you operate within legal and industry standards.
  • . . . gives you the opportunity to benefit from developing skills within a controlled environment, allowing you to bounce ideas off peers and experiment with different skills that you might need in the working world.
  • . . . gives your CV the “stamp of approval” and indicates to future employers that you have the required knowledge to practice in your chosen field.
Experience…
  • …allows you to observe professionals who already work in your chosen industry.
  • …offers you a real look into the day-to-day challenges of the job.
  • …encourages you to practice your skills and get rewarded for the product or service that you offer.
  • …gives you extra knowledge that you cannot learn from a textbook.
For these reasons it is very important to balance your education and your experience to get the best results and to keep on achieving more in your career. Remember that you can always continue to further your education or training, even while you are building experience and working in your chosen career!

At Eduloan, we have several loan options that you can consider – whether you are studying full-time, part-time or whether you want to further you studies with a short course, our loan offering allow you to unlock even more potential without the burden of paying off your debt after you complete your studies! Contact us today to find out how we can assist you with a study loan! 

Wednesday, 16 October 2013

5 Things You Can Do Now To Enhance Your CV


Taking great care in putting together your CV can have its benefits. We’re not only referring to the actual task of filling in your personal details and presenting your qualifications in a logical order… we are also referring to the things that you can do to enhance your CV, no matter where you are in your career! Here are 5 things that you can do to improve your CV… and that will set your CV apart from the rest.

Tip #1 – Community Service
Whether you are at school, college or university and even if you are already working, putting in the time for community service or to work as a volunteer is not only rewarding, but it also shows future employers that you like to take time out to do something for someone else.

Tip #2 – Work Experience
By gaining work experience you are showing initiative by engaging with the industry that you want to work in. Your future employer will see this as an advantage, because they will accept that you have experienced the working environment and that you do not have unrealistic expectations of the job.

Tip #3 – Get a hobby
Hobbies like photography, writing or even participating in a choir amongst others indicate that you enjoy a variety of skills and that you understand the importance of achieving balance in your life.

Tip #4 – Participate in sport
Much like having a hobby, sport indicates that you understand the importance of a healthy balanced lifestyle. It also assists with skills like hand-eye co-ordination and teamwork.

Tip #5 – Short courses
Short courses are an easy way to develop your skills in your current field of work or to develop a new set of skills that you will be able to apply immediately, once your course is completed. You get to complete these while you are still working, so you do not have to interrupt your work schedule in order to give yourself a head start! Short courses also show future employers that you are eager to continue learning.

Did you know…
Eduloan offer loans to suit your educational needs. We also have loan options that cater for specialist equipment for your course like textbooks, laptops and even tablets! If you are looking to further your career with a study loan, you can contact Eduloan and one of our consultants will be able to give you all the information you require to get the financial assistance. For more information or to speak to one of our Eduloan consultants, visit our website www.eduloan.co.za.

Tuesday, 8 October 2013

10 Ways Your Education Equips You For The Working World


They always say that every bit helps, but what does school, college and university actually offer your career? Below we take a look at 10 ways your education can get you ready for the working world:

One
Writing skills is something you get to work on every day at school, university or college. Whether you learn basic writing etiquette, how to write different types of documents or how to adjust your tone of voice, this skill will be one you will use well beyond the deadline for you 5 000 word essay.

Two
Speaking skills are important in addressing clients or suppliers and colleagues one-on-one or even speaking to a group of people. It is very important to keep in mind what you discuss, how you discuss it and how you interact with others, depending on the situation. Being able to converse in a variety of situations will help you in any industry!

Three
Group work and other projects where you have to work in teams are important for the “real world”, mainly because you will have to deal with a range of different personalities and types of people in your day-to-day life.

Four
Problem solving is an integrated part of your curriculum from preschool. In the beginning you are asked to place a shape in its allocated space or to build things with building blocks. When you get a bit older, you have a complex mathematics equation in algebra as well as other challenges such as completing something according to a ‘brief’. The ability to problem solve is applied to your day-to-day life, but is even more valuable in the workplace.

Five
Every time you participate in class or if you choose a topic for a project, you learn to take initiative. Employers love candidates who show initiative, come up with new ideas and who can track their activities throughout a project.

Six
Throughout your studies, you will be faced with deadlines. Some of them will be for larger projects that will allow you more time to meet the deadline and some tasks will have to occur in a much shorter time frame  You might have more than one subject and that means multiple deadlines. Add your extramural activities like sport, hanging out with family and friends and other commitments and you have tons of deadlines to juggle. Time management is a very important element of the working world… so start focusing on this as soon as possible, because missing a deadline in the work environment might have larger penalties than a deduction of 5% off your assignment.

Seven
Every time you choose not to copy your friend’s work or just taking information off the Internet, you choose integrity. Honesty and integrity are highly regarded values when employees look for suitable candidates.

Eight
Often your teacher will choose not to keep an eye on you, allowing you to take responsibility for your actions and for the projects that you have to do. This is to teach you responsibility. As you grow, you might not have someone available to take the responsibility on your behalf, to make decisions or to own up to problems when they occur.

Nine
By engaging in a variety of activities, you learn to develop different skills. Even if you are not sporty, partaking in sport will assist you in developing skills like hand-eye co-ordination or teamwork where as art might inspire you to get creative. By engaging in a variety of activities, you can remain stimulated and it will allow you to keep on growing your skills set.

Ten
The knowledge you learn at school, college and university will assist you directly in approaching your industry. If you are studying towards becoming an artisan, the skills that you learn are directly transferrable in the working world. Don’t discard your studies, as they can empower you to achieve even more!

Eduloan has a solution for full-time and part-time students and even offer you the opportunity to deduct your fixed monthly repayments from your salary. For more information and to speak to one of our Eduloan consultants, visit our website (www.eduloan.co.za), like our page on Facebook         (www.facebook.com/EduloanSA) and follow us on Twitter (@EduloanSA).

Here are four tips for making study or career decisions
·       Identify career opportunities that suit your interests
·       Evaluate your skills and strengths
·       Research the prerequisites of your chosen career (do you need science or biology or do you need a certain qualification to make sure that you have the knowledge to practice in your field?)
·       Constantly develop skills and experience


Friday, 4 October 2013

5 Reasons Work Experience Can Give You A Head Start


Whether you are in school or still busy with your full-time studies, work experience is a term that might cross your path at some stage. Many schools, colleges and universities encourage students to commit to work experience… but what is all the fuss about? It might be cutting into your holidays or keeping you from going on a trip with friends, but the truth is that work experience can be exactly what you need to give yourself a head start. This week, we look at 5 reasons why you should sign up for work experience:

Reason #1 - Getting direction
Not too sure what industry you would like to work in? Work experience can give you the opportunity to sample different occupations and different industries. By committing to different kinds of work experience opportunities, you can sample the different working environments, assessing which one you enjoy most and which environments unlocks most of your potential!

Reason #2 – Get in touch with the real world
So you’ve already decided which industry you want to work in and perhaps even what job you would like to have… but are you ready for the daily demands? Every job has its challenges, and work experience allows you to get a feel for the environment you will be working in. Whether you have to stand all day, work in an open plan office or whether you have to do all or most of that dreaded administration, there are a host of hidden daily activities that might not be include in your college or university curriculum. Take time to do a couple of days’ work to experience and get a feel for the day-to-day activities to make sure you know exactly what you are in for!

Reason #3 –Identify your key strengths
By working at a company, in your chosen field, you will quickly learn where you core strengths are. Perhaps you are really good with people, or your creative eye can help you add a little more value to your temporary job-description. By identifying you key strengths, you can focus on these to ensure that you position yourself so that you can perform to the best of your abilities!

Reason #4 – Getting a foot in the door
More often than not, who you know is almost as important and what you know. If you can prove to a company that you have the potential, they might keep you in mind when they look to hire juniors at the company. Get to know and understand your industry – it is as important as studying for that degree or diploma!

Reason #5 –You’ve got the power!
When an employer takes a look at your CV, they often look beyond your education and qualifications. Extramural activities, community service and work experience are small things you can list on your CV that will have a great effect. Work experience proves that you took initiative, that you are willing to put in the hours and that you have a better understanding of the working-environment. Make sure that the work experience is related to the industry that you are applying to!


These are just a couple of reasons we think you should pick up the phone or send that email to make contact with a company in your chosen industry. Tell us about your work experience? Comment below and let us hear your story.Whether you are in school or still busy with your full-time studies, work experience is a term that might cross your path at some stage. Many schools, colleges and universities encourage students to commit to work experience… but what is all the fuss about? It might be cutting into your holidays or keeping you from going on a trip with friends, but the truth is that work experience can be exactly what you need to give yourself a head start. This week, we look at 5 reasons why you should sign up for work experience:

Reason #1 - Getting direction
Not too sure what industry you would like to work in? Work experience can give you the opportunity to sample different occupations and different industries. By committing to different kinds of work experience opportunities, you can sample the different working environments, assessing which one you enjoy most and which environments unlocks most of your potential!

Reason #2 – Get in touch with the real world
So you’ve already decided which industry you want to work in and perhaps even what job you would like to have… but are you ready for the daily demands? Every job has its challenges, and work experience allows you to get a feel for the environment you will be working in. Whether you have to stand all day, work in an open plan office or whether you have to do all or most of that dreaded administration, there are a host of hidden daily activities that might not be include in your college or university curriculum. Take time to do a couple of days’ work to experience and get a feel for the day-to-day activities to make sure you know exactly what you are in for!

Reason #3 –Identify your key strengths
By working at a company, in your chosen field, you will quickly learn where you core strengths are. Perhaps you are really good with people, or your creative eye can help you add a little more value to your temporary job-description. By identifying you key strengths, you can focus on these to ensure that you position yourself so that you can perform to the best of your abilities!

Reason #4 – Getting a foot in the door
More often than not, who you know is almost as important and what you know. If you can prove to a company that you have the potential, they might keep you in mind when they look to hire juniors at the company. Get to know and understand your industry – it is as important as studying for that degree or diploma!

Reason #5 –You’ve got the power!
When an employer takes a look at your CV, they often look beyond your education and qualifications. Extramural activities, community service and work experience are small things you can list on your CV that will have a great effect. Work experience proves that you took initiative, that you are willing to put in the hours and that you have a better understanding of the working-environment. Make sure that the work experience is related to the industry that you are applying to!

These are just a couple of reasons we think you should pick up the phone or send that email to make contact with a company in your chosen industry. Tell us about your work experience? Comment below and let us hear your story.