Grade 9 is an important and exciting year in the life of every South African pupil.
It is where a pupil needs to start thinking about possible careers and which set of subjects to choose in Grade 10.
The subject choice at the end of Grade 9 could determine the field of study pupils can follow.
So when making this important subject choice, pupils should consider their options for when they complete school and select accordingly.
According to Wits University’s careers counselling, Raj Naran, it is very rare that an individual is 100% sure of which direction to take.
Naran encourages job-shadowing because it builds an understanding of the world of work.
Some valuable tips for Grade 9 pupils on choosing the right subjects:
Before choosing your subjects, talk to a school or career counsellor who can assist or advise you.
Try to contact someone in the profession you wish to pursue and ask them about their education and the steps they took to get to where they are.
What are you passionate about? What do you like doing?
Which subjects do you enjoy at school?
Which subjects am I good at? Are they also the subjects I enjoy?
What are my marks in these subjects?
Can I see myself studying further?
What careers support my subject choice?
The South African Qualifications Authority (SAQA) with the Departments of Higher Education and Training and Basic Education has a career advice helpline.
Fully qualified career advisors provide career information, guidance and advice by telephone and also respond to queries received by telephone, SMS, ‘Please Call Me’, email, Facebook and Twitter.
Call them on: 086 999 0123
You can send them an SMS or a please call me (they will call you back) at 072 204 5056.
Email them on: [email protected]
Tweet them on: http://twitter.com/rsacareerhelp
Talk to them on: www.facebook.com/careerhelp
If you find making decisions about your career difficult try a career quiz to get more clarity on the career.