The Gordon Institute of Business Science will once again be hosting its annual CareerExpo on Saturday, 14 May at its Illovo campus in Sandton. Now in its eleventh consecutive year, the CareerExpo which has grown exponentially over the years, having reached over 20,000 learners thus far, promises to be an enlightening experience for all invited learners.
 
The expo which is a GIBS Centre for Leadership and Dialogue (CL&D) initiative in conjunction with MTN is targeted at high-achieving grade 11 and 12 learners from non-fee paying, inner city and township schools to former model C and private schools around Gauteng. It aims to empower these learners with information on possible career choices, bursaries and work opportunities post matric. It is not uncommon to find that learners often do not get opportunities to engage and reflect their future prospects and find themselves choosing the wrong careers and tertiary studies due to lack of information. The CareerExpo serves as a platform to help these youth make the right choices in their transition from high school toward a better informed future.
 
The easy-to-navigate floor plan which spread over two floors will feature pavilions dedicated to recruiting, career services, youth employment, education & training and entrepreneurship. This will give the learners an opportunity to engage with over 75 exhibitors on the day. In addition, the expo will give students the opportunity to participate in break-away sessions with professionals such as entrepreneurs, architects, scientists, engineers, lawyers, aviation experts, to name a few where they will have the opportunity to ask questions and get advice on their prospective career choices.
 
Educators accompanying learners will once again be taken through the popular; “Teach like a hero” programme which is aimed at their personal development. It is not surprising that this session has been highly rated by past participants as it is designed to inspire, encourage and equip educators with tools that will help them guide learners reach their fullest potential.
 
“Because of the economic down-swing, we feel it is imperative that we continue with this initiative and give learners an opportunity that will help them make better informed decisions about their future choices. South Africa is grappling with the dilemma of skills shortage vs graduates who are either underemployed or not employed at all. There is a mismatch which needs intervention and initiatives like the GIBS CareerExpo have a huge impact on the lives of learners who are transitioning from high school to the next level,” says Shireen Chengadu executive director of the Centre for Leadership and Dialogue at GIBS.
 
“MTN is delighted that once again it will be partnering with GIBS on this worthy initiative of showcasing available career opportunities. Our partnership with GIBS gives expression to the ethos espoused by the organisation, of facilitating access to quality education by leveraging the power of ICT and partnering with government and like-minded organisations. We hope that this expo will open a window of possibilities for the learners and will motivate them to work harder to realise their dreams,” says Larry Annetts, chief consumer officer: MTN SA.

Education and job creation are key ingredients for future growth and prosperity of the country, it is important that the future workforce is exposed to opportunities that will help them transition from high school to work.