HRDC ENGAGES LEARNERS AT SHAKAWE SENIOR SECONDARY SCHOOL CAREER GUIDANCE DAY

Career Guidance and Counselling is crucial in helping learners to acquire the knowledge and skills necessary to identify options, explore alternatives in choosing careers. In this regard, the Human Resource Development Council (HRDC) continues to work in collaboration with Education and Training Providers (TEPs), other stakeholders in the Education and Training sector and Career Guidance specialists to offer Career Guidance and Counselling to learners across the Country.

HRDC commits to undertake strategic initiatives such as Career Guidance and Counselling to deal with human capital development particularly aligning skills needs and the supply of graduates. The idea towards this approach is to advise learners about programmes of study which are relevant to Botswana’s labour market as identified by HRDC. This undertaking should help reduce the degree of mismatch between the demand and supply of skills in the labour market. Since to research for potential careers may be an overwhelming exercise, information on the skill sets and education needed for a particular career may be contradictory or difficult to find, HRDC plays a crucial role in assisting learners through providing valuable information in these areas and others through Career Guidance and Clinics. On the 6^th August 2019, HRDC participated at the Shakawe Senior Secondary School Career Guidance Day. This event was intended to encourage academic excellence which will prepare learners to effectively make informed career choices.

The Council also undertakes these career guidance activities to share Occupations in Demand as identified by the HRDC with learners as well as sharing the mandate and its functions. Learners are regarded as one of HRDC’s strategic stakeholders, therefore it is the Council’s responsibility to constantly interact with learners across the Country on matters and issues pertaining to education and training.

During the Shakawe Senior School Career Guidance Fair, Mr Lucky Kgosithebe, HRDC Student Planner informed leaners that in order to work towards making informed career choices, they need to reflect on their academic strengths, passion, acquire Top Occupations in Demand information from HRDC and research more on their preferred career choices. “It is important to critically reflect on these factors as they will help you process your preferred career choice. In this regard, HRDC facilitates making informed career choices by sharing with you the Top Occupations in Demand which are relevant to Botswana’s labour market” said Mr Kgosithebe. During the event, learners were interested to know more about the different Top Priority occupations identified by HRDC and also further enquired about the HRDC mandate and its functions.

Since this initiative is beneficial to learners, HRDC will continue to address learners at different schools across the Country including those preparing for at Botswana General Certificate of Secondary Education (BGCSE), Junior Secondary and Primary School Examination (PSLE) particularly those from underserved far-flung areas. This initiative is an extension of the Botswana Human Resource Development Skills (BHRDS) Fair and Career Clinics held annually in Gaborone, Francistown and Maun and are organised by HRDC and its strategic partners.