Near the city of Lichtenburg lies Itsoseng township, a community often overlooked amidst the broader socio-economic issues. For many high school learners in this and surrounding areas, overcrowded classrooms, and a lack of access to information are grim realities.
In this environment, high-quality career guidance becomes a distant dream for many young minds seeking direction. However, Food For Mzansi’s 2024 AgriCareers Roadshow, held last week, brought a glimmer of hope to rural youth in North West.
The AgriCareers event saw close to 750 high school learners seize the golden opportunity to gain valuable career guidance and explore the endless possibilities in agriculture. This year’s AgriCareers roadshow is backed by AgriSETA and Standard Bank. Food for Mzansi has already reached over 90 000 learners since it launched AgriCareers in 2019.
Bafana Tshabalala, North West regional coordinator for Tangible Africa, said accessing information is a problem for these learners.
“Events like the AgriCareers roadshow never happen in this area. If they do, it happens on a much smaller scale,” he explained.
Tshabalala said the day made a big difference in learners’ lives.
“I feel that coming out of the AgriCareers roadshow they are going out different people because of the information that was being shared. They were very attentive when they were being told about careers that they can follow.”
Exploring opportunities in animal health
Jeremiah Moiloa, an agricultural sales agent at Afrivet, noted a particular interest among learners in animal health following his speech at the AgriCareers event in Itsoseng.
“There seems to be some kind of interest in animal health. I had a learner ask me about what opportunities Afrivet has for him regarding animal training.”
While there is a growing curiosity and awareness of career options within the veterinary and animal health fields, Moiloa emphasised the importance of bridging the gap between high school education and the opportunities available in the agricultural sector.
“I learned that we still have a lot that we can teach our high school learners about agriculture.
“My wish for them is so that they can go and sit down and do research on what they want to be in the future. Thereafter go and register at the universities or colleges of their choice,” Moiloa said.
Eye-opening sessions
Lesedi Diseke, a grade 11 learner from Tswelelopele Science High in Itsoseng, found himself captivated by the intersection of agriculture and technology during the AgriCareers roadshow.
“I was really fascinated by the interaction between agriculture and technology because I’m really a tech fan,” he confessed.
While acknowledging the importance of agriculture, Diseke said he will remain open-minded about his career options.
“When I came here, I didn’t know that agriculture played such an important role, but now I know. I’m not yet convinced that agriculture is the sector for me, so I will still explore other options,” he said.
Remmogo Magano, also a grade 11 learner from Tswelelopele Science High, shared her enthusiasm for agriculture following after attending the event.
“I’ve learned a lot from farming to food processing, from food processing to taking care of animals,” she shared, adding that she hoped to pursue a career in farming.
“My grandmother loves gardening a lot. She taught me a few things like how to identify the fertile soils and so forth.”
In the next stage of its journey, Food For Mzansi will bring its AgriCareers roadshow to the Eastern Cape, expecting over a thousand eager learners to attend on Friday, 19 April at St. John’s College, Mthatha.
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