Five Influential Women In Education

This month we celebrate women. What better way to celebrate women, than to honour five influential women in education.

Santie Botha kicked off her career in 1987 as a marketing graduate and worked for Unilever in a variety of marketing and sales roles both in South Africa and abroad. After navigating her way up the corporate ladder, Santie became the Commercial Sales Director of van den Berg Food service, in the UK, before returning to South Africa in 1996.   

On her return, she joined the Absa Group as Marketing Director and was later appointed Group Executive Director in 1998. Santie was also a member of the executive committee of the Absa Group, a board member of Absa Bank and a member of the MasterCard AMEA Board (Africa, Middle East, Asia).

In 2003 the mobile industry benefited from Santie’s service when she joined the MTN group as Executive Director: Marketing. In addition she became a member of the MTN Group Executive Committee as well as onboard director of MTN South Africa, MTN Cameroon & MTN Yemen.  

Santie is now known as the youngest chancellor at any South African university – she joined the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University in 2010.

“People with relevant and cutting-edge knowledge and a competitive spirit, create a sustainable future through science, technology and innovation.” Santie Botha, Inaugural address, 2011

MalalaYousafzai made international news after she was shot in the head by the Taliban for campaigning for girls' education. A 16 year-old student from Swat, Pakistan, Malala is studying in 8th class. In 2009, Malala wrote a diary for BBC under the pseudonym, "GulMakai".In her diary, she wrote about the critical situation in Swat at that time. A little later, she became well-known for everything she has done for children rights in Swat, Pakistan. Nominated for a children’s award by an international organization in 2011, Malala became known as a brave girl and has the ability to speak out the truth. She fought for children's education in her region when the militants were fighting against the Pakistan Army in Swat, banning girls' from attending school.

On 8th October 2012 Malala was attacked in Swat when she was going home from school. She continues to be a voice for the rights to education. Malala is now living and studying in the United Kingdom, and she has started going to school.

“In many parts of the world, especially Pakistan and Afghanistan, terrorism, war and conflict stop children to go to their schools. We are really tired of these wars. Women and children are suffering,” MalalaYousafzai, United Nations address, 2013

Wendy Ngoma is a senior lecturer at the Wits Business School (WBS) and the current Director and Head of School. Before joining the WBS she worked at the Wits Graduate School of Public and Development for more than ten years. Over the years, Wendy taught in various Graduate, Executive and Certificate Programmes and served in various university management portfolios. She is a specialist in the fields of Organisational Behavior, Human Resource Management and Change Management teaching thought leadership and management expertise that is deeply relevant to both Africa and the international world of business.

“At WBS, we are doing our bit to create leaders who will take this continent further through innovation, creativity and entrepreneurship. We are set to be the platform to launch South Africa's aspirations for alternative thinking on markets, economies and new enterprises. The global financial markets continually call for new ideas and wisdom that will bring stability and equilibrium.” Wendy Ngoma, Director’s Outlook, 33.

Prof Shirley Zinn started her career as a school teacher, teaching English. She then moved to the University of the Western Cape where she lectured in Teacher Education. Zinn holds a doctorate in education from Harvard, as well as degrees and diplomas in education and psychology. She is also an extraordinary professor in HR management at the University of Pretoria. She has received many prestigious awards, including a Topco media award for Top Woman in Business and Government and Top Executive in Corporate South Africa. 

“I had a vision that I was not going to be poor in the township for the rest of my life and that I was not going to be a victim of a society of teenage pregnancy, drug and alcohol abuse. How I was going to find my way out of that I was not sure but I did know that education was going to play a big role in it. I also realised that I had to work exceptionally hard to achieve my goals.” Prof Shirley Zinn, Interview, 2012

Prof Mary Metcalfe holds a Master’s degree in Education. She has served on several government positions between 1994 – 2004 including Provincial MEC of Education in Gauteng, after which she joined the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) as Head of the School of Education from 2004 to 2009.

She joined the Development Bank of Southern Africa in 2011 as lead sector specialist for: Social Infrastructure. She is a visiting fellow on the Soweto campus of the University of Johannesburg, and a visiting adjunct Professor at Wits.

“We want to start immediately getting teachers teaching and students learning. We want to see in every area reconstruction and development conferences in education taking place to plan for the immediate rehabilitation of schools and setting up of parent-teacher-student associations. In this way, people will come together.” Mary Metcalfe, Interview, 1994.

Year Of The Artisan &Skills-Based Education: How To Become A Plumber

This year has been declared the “Year of the Artisan and Skills-Based Education” by government, to promote the diplomas and courses offered by Further Education and Training (FET) colleges in South Africa. This month we will be looking at what it means to become a plumber and what you will have to study to qualify as one.

Plumbers fix and replace damaged pipework. They also install new bathrooms, taps and sinks at large construction sites, private homes or in large buildings such as offices, schools or public buildings. 
Their projects can either consist of smaller tasks or larger assignments that might take several days or weeks to complete.

As a plumber in South Africa, you have a variety of job opportunities including working for companies that operate in the construction industry, or specific agencies that specialise in contracting out plumbers to private households or companies. You could also become an independent contractor and work for yourself.

We have three reasons why you should think of becoming a plumber:

1. You can earn good money
2. Your skill is always in demand
3. You have a choice of either becoming an independent contractor or you can work on construction sites.

What you have to do to become a plumber

Plumbers require specialized training in order to operate as a qualified artisan to ensure you comply with local and industry laws and standards. This is moderated and monitored by the National Building Regulators.

There are two ways that you can become a plumber:

1. You can work as a plumbing assistant and do a two year apprenticeship. After your two years, you will be eligible to write your trade test certificate in plumbing.
2. You can complete a two year learnership at a Construction Education & Training Authority (CETA) accredited training college or school that consists of a variety of training modules. After completing your two year learnership, you will be eligible to write your trade test certificate in plumbing.

If you choose to do the two year apprenticeship, you can always do a short course to ensure that you have the practical knowledge required to be able to pass your trade test. Whether you study a short course or a full time programme, make sure your college or school is CETA accredited.

There is a complete list of schools and colleges listed on CETA website. These schools and colleges adhere to the CETA standards and comply with their principles to ensure the best standards in plumbing.

It might also be a good idea to talk to a plumber to find out how they enjoy their day-to-day activities and to gauge whether it is something that you would like to do.

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 to realize your dream of becoming a plumber. For more information or to speak to one of our Eduloan consultants, visit our website www.eduloan.co.za

Getting ready for matric exams?

What you need to succeed

At Eduloan we aim to unlock your potential, so we have compiled a list of things that you can keep in mind while getting ready for your matric exams:

Study Tip One

Focus on time management! Compile a study schedule. Plan your time in advance and be realistic. Everyone is different so there is no prescribed schedule, but make sure that you don’t start too early and risk burning out, or start studying too late and then run out of time to prepare sufficiently. Listen to your body clock, this will allow you to establish when you should be studying (during the day or at night). You have to break up your studies to make sure you are concentrating and it is also good to work towards a goal and then to reward yourself if you do.

Study Tip Two

Get your hands on a study guide. A study guide is also a good resource to getting insight into the way questions are asked. Study guides sum up the curriculum pretty well and often include sample questions after each chapter.  Chat to your teachers about where you can get these.

Study Tip Three

Start a study group. By setting up a time to meet you study towards a deadline. Whether you give each member in the group a topic or whether you use the group to discuss certain topics, it is a good way for you to alternate your study schedule and gain additional knowledge from others as well.

Study Tip Four

Ask friends and family for past papers. You can also buy these online or from various book stores. Past papers are great for getting used to the way in which certain information is questioned in exams. Practice these to test your knowledge and to make sure you are not caught off guard just because a question is posed in a different manner.

Study Tip Five

Select your study space carefully. Whether it is at a library, at home or in an empty class room at school, make sure that you have all the resources and textbooks at hand so that you do not have to interrupt your studies. It could be a good idea to make sure that your study location is quiet and that you won’t be interrupted by family members, loud noises or peers.

Study Tip Six

Ask questions. Don’t be afraid to ask your teachers questions. Many teachers will give you time to ask them questions or to attend additional revision classes. Make use of this resource!

Study Tip Seven

Make sure you complete any administration requirements like tertiary applications and student loan applications well in advance of your exam period so that you are not distracted or unnecessarily stressed. Keep in mind that most universities and colleges open applications in April and some close as early as 30 June. You do not have to wait for your preliminary exam results as many of them only accept your grade 11 end-of-year exam results. You can also apply for your study loan early to make sure all your focus is exactly where it should be – on passing your Matric exams.

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).

Getting The Right Career Advice

Why it’s important to decide what you want to study early

From the day you can choose your subjects, you are constantly made aware of how your choices will affect your future. Even if you have chosen a career, it can be difficult to decide on the right subjects or courses to support your career path. Starting the process early and planning in advance will make sure that you don’t have to catch-up or run into dead-ends.

Deciding on a career

Deciding on a career might be a daunting task. Visit your school or college’s career counselor, who will be able to help you with your decisions. You can also do some thinking yourself! Ask yourself what your interests are and if you have any skills or personal strengths? By recognizing your interests, skills and strengths, you might be able to identify or narrow down your options.

You can complete our free Career Aptitude test to assess your skills and interests, which will give you an indication of the type of career that you are best fitted for. We cannot guarantee that this fun assessment will match you with your perfect career, but it is a wonderful tool to narrow down your choices and open avenues that you might never have thought to explore!

Speak to family or friends already working in your chosen industry. Ask them questions about their day-to-day activities, their responsibilities, what they enjoy and perhaps even what they do not enjoy about their job.

It might be worth contacting a company or business and commit to job shadowing or work experience. Job shadowing and work experience will give you a chance to observe day-to-day activities (for example, you might not expect a teacher to do as much administration).

Choosing the right subjects, degree, diploma or qualification

Once you know what career you would like to follow, you can speak to a career advisor to make sure that you choose the correct subjects required to meet a degree or diploma’s prerequisites (you might need mathematics and science for certain careers). Many careers also involve specific qualifications to make sure that you have the knowledge and skills required to do the job (for example, you cannot just decide to become an electrician if you do not have knowledge of important laws and safety standards).

What if I changed my mind?

You always have the option of changing your mind. Many people choose to change their career paths after working for some years or choose to further their studies to take on more responsibility (a plumber might choose to do a business management course to help him become a manager and eventually owning his own business, for example). Keep in mind that you might have to go back to college or university and this process will take time and money.

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

Matrics of 2013, Are You Prepared For 2014?

It’s your matric year and you are faced with tight deadlines - the looming exams, heaps of administrative paperwork, trying to enjoy time with family and friends, participating in extra-curricular activities as well as preparing for the Matric Dance. Whether you really want to enjoy your final year of school or whether you are looking forward to getting this year behind you, we have three steps to make sure that you are ready for 2014:

Step 1: Set Goals for Yourself

Matric is a busy year, most students aim to ensure they live in the moment while preparing for the future. Plan in advance and set yourself goals to make sure you keep up with everything you need to.

For example:

-       I want to summarise chapters 1 to 6 of my biology textbook by Friday

-       Make a list of institutions where I can study by 31 May 2013

-       I would like to achieve 5% more on my mathematics preliminary exam

Work towards these goals and reward yourself when you achieve them. This will help you to maintain balance and keep exam stress under control.

Step 2: Compile A Calendar To Mark Important Dates

By adding important dates to a calendar or diary, you can plan ahead and avoid missing deadlines or being caught off-guard, causing unnecessary stress. List important dates associated with your 2013 academic year as well as dates that mark deadlines that will affect your 2014 academic year:

For example:

-       Matric preliminary and final exam dates

-       Dates for university or college open day’s

-       University or college application deadlines

-       Entrance exam deadlines

Step 3: Understand What Comes Next

Visit your career counselor at school or make contact with a university or college career counselor to discuss your options. A career counselor can also help if you do not know what courses to take to get all your credits for a certain degree, diploma or certification. You might choose to take an aptitude test (ap·ti·tude test. noun. A test designed to determine a person's ability in a skill or field of knowledge) to assess your interests and skills. Make use of Eduloan’s free Career Aptitude test to assess your skills and interests, which will give you an indication of the type of career that you are best fitted for. We cannot guarantee that this fun assessment will match you with your perfect career, but it is a wonderful tool to narrow down your choices and open avenues that you might never have thought to explore!

 

Once you know what you would like to study, you can research tertiary institutions to find out what courses are on offer, what the application prerequisites are and what process you need to follow in order to apply (some courses might require certain subjects, community service hours or a portfolio for example).

Once you have made these decisions, you can contact Eduloan to discuss a study loan that is tailored to your needs. Applying for a study loan early, means that you will be able to gain approval before your registration fees are due, easing the pressure during your final exams. We even offer you a chance to apply for a loan to cover your registration fee to make sure all the costs associated with your studies are covered!

The checklist below will make sure that you stay on top of your administration for 2014:

þ I have completed the Eduloan aptitude test and visited a career counselor to get the career advice I require to unlock my potential

þ I have compiled a list of tertiary institutions that offer the courses I require for my chosen field of study and selected the ones that I would like to apply to

þ I have researched the prerequisites for my degree, diploma or qualification and I meet all of these requirements (remember that every university, collage or training school will have their own application requirements)

þ I have all the open days, application deadlines and entry exam dates noted in my diary

þ I have completed all of the application forms and prepared all of the supporting documents, portfolios, community service or work experience required for applying for my line of study

þ I have applied to the student residence of my choice

þ I have contacted Eduloan to speak to a consultant about personalising my study loan to ensure that I have funds to cover my study fees, accommodation, my textbooks and a laptop or tablet

We wish you all the best for your matric exams and hope that these tips will help you prepare to the best of your ability. 

February Frustration - why the time to start putting your career plan into action is now

The beginning of the year is the time most people consider making a change. Whether you’ve just finished school and are making those first few steps towards tertiary education or you have been working for many years, it’s possible that you are wondering if you’ve made the right decisions and asking yourself if it’s too late to make a change towards finding your passion.

Today, more than ever, people have to take the responsibility for building their own careers, but the good news is it’s never too late to try and make a change for the better.

If you have plans to further your education, getting a better job or starting your own company, you shouldn’t view your current job as a comfortable place to wait for it to happen. Your job will get busier and busier, you’ll get caught up in the rat race, and you could burn up the energy you should be using to realize your dreams.

First, ask yourself these questions and put your answers down on paper:
 
What do I love?
What are my dreams?
If I could do anything, what would I do?
What matters to me?
What do I believe in?
What brings me joy?
What do I find beautiful?
Who am I?
How do I want to spend my day?
Where do I want to live?
Who do I want to be around?

Take some time to get to know yourself. Themes will begin to appear, and your passion will start to emerge if you take the time to find it.

Whether you are just starting, or you have several years of experience, these tips might help you advance your career:

1. Never stop learning

Life-long learning is of key importance. The world is constantly changing, and everybody is looking for new ways of doing business. If you have decided that your current skills are good enough, you have also decided that your current job is good enough, but if you want to build a career out of your current profession, you should add regular updates to your skills and knowledge.

2. Ask, listen and learn

A good listener can learn a lot. Listen to people who you look up to. You can learn a lot from their experience. Ask about issues that interest you, and listen to what they say. Let them tell you about how things work, and what you could have done better. Most people would love to be your mentor and tutor if you ask them.

3. Fulfill your current job

If you’re lucky enough to be in employment, your current job might be best place to start your career. It is often very little that separates successful people from the average. But nothing comes for free. If you do your job well and fulfill your responsibilities, this is often the best way to start a new career. Talk to your supervisor about things you can do. Suggest improvements. Offer your help when help is needed. In return ask for help to build a better career. It is often possible - right inside your own organization - especially if you have proven yourself as a valued employee.

4. Build your network

Your next career step might arise from your contact network. Did you know that more than 50% of all jobs are obtained from contacts? If you have a good network of friends and colleagues, it is also a good place to discover future careers, to explore new trends, and to learn about new opportunities. Spend some time building new contacts, and don't forget to maintain the ones you already have. One of the best ways to get serious information from your network is to regularly ask your contacts how they are, what they do, and what’s new in their careers.

5. Be productive now

Make sure you don't fill up your days doing tasks that won’t bring you closer to your career goals. This is waste of time and talent. When you start in a new job, talk to your superior about your role’s priorities. If you're not sure about what is most important, then ask him or her. And then ask again. Often you will be surprised about the differences between what you assume, and what is really important.

6. Identify your ideal job

Your dream job must be identified. Before you start planning your future career, be sure you have identified your dream job. In your dream job, you will be doing all the things you enjoy, and none (or very few) of the things you don't enjoy. What kind of job would that be? Do you like or dislike having responsibility for others? Do you like to work with technology or with people? Do you want to run your own business or be a manager? Do you want to be an artist, a designer or a skilled engineer?

7. Prepare yourself

Your dream might show up tomorrow. Be prepared. Don't wait a second. Update your CV now, and continue to update it regularly. Tomorrow your dream job may show up right before your nose. Prepare for it with a professional CV and be ready to describe yourself as a valuable commodity to anyone that will try to recruit you. If you don't know how to write a CV, or how to describe yourself, start learning how now.

8. Equip yourself for the job

You can build your future career using a lot of different tools. You can add a lot to your career by studying books and tutorials. Doing short time courses or diplomas at FET colleges might add valuable weight to your CV and make you the ideal candidate for your dream position.

9. Get professional

Your employer may not tell you exactly their own view of what being professional means. Make sure you finish tasks or projects timeously and provide feedback. Be prepared when attending meetings. Avoid gossiping at work with colleagues. Make sure you always treat people (both co-workers and customers) with respect, do what you promise and don’t keep them waiting unnecessarily.

The more you put these principles into practice, the better your chances will be to create a positive reputation for yourself. This can ultimately translate into raises and promotions, chances to work on more assignments that you enjoy, and the respect of peers and senior management. You also benefit from feelings of increased self-worth and confidence, plus you keep yourself marketable for further career opportunities in the future.

10. Realize Your Dreams

Put your dreams into action. Don't let a busy job kill your dreams. If you have higher goals, put them into action now.

“Your attitude, not your aptitude, will determine your altitude.” - Zig Ziglar

Reflections from Education Week 2012 – our interview with Michelle Branco

We caught up with Eduloan’s Chief Commercial and Marketing Officer, Michelle Branco, to give us her views on the recent African Education Week Expo 2012 and Eduloan’s One Day is Today campaign.

We’ve split the interview into 6 parts so you can view each one as an answer to the questions we asked. Scroll down to see the videos – they’re a must watch!

Q: What was your overall impression of Education Week and what did you take away from it?



Q: How accessible is new classroom technology going to be in reality and do you think it’s possible to address the digital divide?



Q: We believe you were presenting at the conference – what topic did you discuss?




Q: Do you believe that South Africa’s education woes are going to come to an end any time soon – e.g. do you believe that the poverty-stricken who live in rural areas will one day have better access to education?



Q: Eduloan has recently started a campaign called One Day is Today – can you explain a little bit more about the objectives behind it?

 

Q: Lastly, how does one know when it’s time for a career change? For instance, what made you decide to make the transition from the telecommunications industry into education?

Reflections from Education Week 2012 – our interview with Antoinette Norman

The GM National Sales for Eduloan, Antoinette Norman, recently attended the African Education Week Expo 2012 at the Sandton Convention Centre. We asked her about her insights into the development of education in South Africa and her overall impression of the conference.

Highlights from the interview:

Q: What was your overall impression of Education Week and what did you take away from it?

AN: It was my first impression, it was the first time I attended the event. I was ecstatic to see students as well as business partners in the education sector come together on one platform and collaborate with each other. I managed to integrate with a lot of the stakeholders that I deal with and it’s allowed me to form a thorough understanding of how the various stakeholders work together with one vision and that is to make South Africa a better country for education.

Q: Are there any big policy changes on the horizon for tertiary education and what will they mean for the student or corporate client?

AN: Government has mandated a huge portion of the national budget towards education. With this mindset, education will become easily accessible, and affordable, to all people wanting to study further. I noticed that more bursars are coming on board, in order to fund education, and that is from all aspects of tertiary levels, including your FETs and universities, and that is where we come into play and we are an arm to financing students and making that a reality.

Q: How is Eduloan enabling greater access to education?

AN: Eduloan is at the forefront of servicing the reality of education. We’re not just a finance provider; we’re unlocking potential in each South African in order to expand their knowledge and skills in all aspects of their lives – and that will affect the country as a whole. We come into play at the very forefront of the person wanting to study further and wanting to push themselves to greater heights.

Watch the clip below for the full interview: