Stellenbosch University’s Development and Alumni Relations Division warmly invites you to our World of Work week — our first career development event for young alumni. The World of Work is a “town-hall” styled career discourse event where young alumni can ask alumni experts and industry pioneers questions, share their opinions, and challenge the current trajectory of the world of work. Ultimately, this discourse should assist you in assessing your current career path and influence you to build a path for success.
For this week-long series, we have chosen six exciting topics.
Setting the scene to the world of work in South Africa
Entering the world of work can be very daunting, particularly when looking at the current graduate unemployment statistics. As a young graduate you might be wondering what the current state of vis-à-vis young graduates is:
- Starting salaries for interns and young graduates
- The stats available on recruitment and the selection process for positions for which young graduates are ideally placed
- Who the employers of choice are in SA and why?
- The growth in self-employment among young graduates.
Date: Monday, 30 August 2021
Time: 18:00 – 19:30
Venue: Online
Speakers: Cathy Sims, Executive Director of the South African Graduate Employers Association (SAGEA), in conversation with Candice Egan, Fundraiser at the Division for Development and Alumni Relations, unpacks these and other questions on employment of graduates in South Africa today.
RSVP: Click here to register your RSVP by Thursday, 26 August 2021
Data science in practice: From start-ups to the corporate frontiers
Data scientists are highly sought after in various industries from retail to government to healthcare. Businesses are generating information at a rapid pace, but they need the right resources to analyse and interpret the raw data. With such a lucrative career path, what core skills do you need to become a data scientist? Can you become a data scientist without formal training? Where is the best place to start when considering a path in the field of data science? What are employers looking for when they want to hire a data scientist? These are some of the questions notable experts will answer.
Date: Tuesday, 31 August 2021
Time: 18:00 – 19:30
Venue: Online
Speaker: Wim Delva, founder and Director of start-up data company Wimmy, shares his own experience and tips as an employer.
RSVP: Click here to register your RSVP by Thursday 26 August 2021
The road less travelled – unconventional and non-linear career paths based on your BSc
The idea of a career path sounds like something very linear. We go to university, we get a degree, we get a job, then we slowly work our way up the ladder. It sounds very simple, doesn’t it? But this is only a rough idea of what happens. In reality, a massive 69% of university graduates land jobs that have nothing to do with what they’ve studied years for. This can be demotivating or help you to open up to unique opportunities in life if you’re willing to accept a non-linear career path.
Join us to hear more from two alumni who completed BSc degrees – one in applied maths and one in soil science – but what they do today is very different. As achievers in the financial sector, they will share their journeys and ideas.
Date: Wednesday, 1 September 2021
Time: 18:00 – 19:30
Venue: Online
Speaker: Meryl Awkes, Senior Manager at Standard Bank South Africa
RSVP: Click here to register your RSVP by Friday, 27 August 2021
Law in the 21st century: Does a law degree give you the most versatile career?
Law predates modern civilisation and with advances in technology it is no surprise that law has expanded beyond the conventional career paths of attorney, advocate, and judge. With emerging sectors in the IT and telecommunications space, and urgency for solutions to climate change law graduates have new opportunities to specialise in unique areas. What are these opportunities we speak of? Join us as we have lawyers share their wealth of knowledge on the trajectory of law as a professional qualification and the vast opportunities that exist.
Date: Thursday, 2 September 2021
Time: 18:00 – 19:30
Where: Online
Speakers: Derick Swart, technology lawyer and Managing Director of the law firm Swart Law and Nicole Loser, Attorney and Programme Head: Pollution & Climate Change Centre for Environmental Rights NPC
RSVP: Click here to register your RSVP by Monday, 30 August 2021
The business of agricultural science: Careers that are more than simply farming
Do you have an agriscience degree but don’t have a farm, or want to farm? As a multi-billion-rand industry, many job seekers are unaware of the incredible, high-paying opportunities agriculture has to offer. It’s an industry that is constantly evolving and consistently in desperate need of new talent. But what are these opportunities that qualified candidates and university graduates could find?
Hear from a range of speakers who work in various areas of the agribusiness. We hope that their journeys will broaden your strategies as you look forward to your first, or second job in the agriculture industry.
Date: Monday, 6 September 2021
Time: 18:00 – 19:30
Venue: Online
Speakers: Willem Schoonbee, Director at Aquaculture Consulting and Management Services and Christo van der Rheede, Executive director at AgriSA
RSVP: Click here to register your RSVP by Monday, 30 August 2021
Succeeding in the world of business: What are the glass ceilings?
It can be very intimidating for young graduates to claim their space in the competitive business world. Ageism and sexism remain very much part of the workplace and can be highly demoralising. Santie Botha, a successful alumna who broke through many barriers at a young age, shares her journey from being a board member to later becoming a corporate CEO. Among others, she will be sharing how she managed to be taken seriously and have an impact on her colleagues as a young professional. Join us as Santie tells us more about her journey, the importance of boards, how to identify good employers, how to secure high-profile roles at respected companies and organisations, and – particularly in light of the challenges of 2021 – how to stay sane.
Date: Tuesday, 7 September 2021
Time: 18:00 – 19:30
Speaker: Santie Botha, independent non-executive chair
RSVP: Click here to register your RSVP by Wednesday, 1 September 2021
Santie is the chairperson of Famous Brands Ltd and Capitec Bank Holdings Ltd. She has extensive knowledge and experience in different sectors, ranging from fast-moving consumer goods (FMCGs), at the start of her career (occupying various positions at Unilever in both Durban and London, UK; 1987 to 1996) to banking (Executive Director of ABSA; 1996 to 2003) and telecommunications (Executive Director of MTN; 2003 to 2010). In 2010, Santie was named Businesswoman of the Year. She also served as Chancellor of Nelson Mandela University, from 2011 to 2017.
Please Note: A link will be emailed two days before a specific event.
We look forward to welcoming you online!
