The Career Guidance and Cybersecurity Awareness (CGCA) Engaged Scholarship team recently conducted outreach visits to the North-West and Limpopo provinces, delivering training sessions focused on career guidance and cybersecurity hygiene. The project is led by Unisa’s Department of Psychology under the College of Human Sciences.

In collaboration with youth development non-governmental organisations (NGOs), the Makapanstad Rural Development Centre and Lesedi Youth Empowerment, the CGCA team managed to offer training to 64 young people, aimed at equipping them with valuable skills to help them plan for their futures and exploit rural employment opportunities through entrepreneurial opportunities and local cooperatives.

Dr Kyle Bester from the Department of Psychology delivered a presentation on cyber hygiene practices and the digital skills necessary for functioning in the Fourth Industrial Revolution and within an educational environment that employs an Open Distance and e-Learning (ODeL) pedagogy. He highlighted the importance of adhering to cyber hygiene protocols and being aware of potential cyber threats. Additionally, Bester highlighted the need for users to understand the security limitations of mobile devices and computer technologies while also being psychologically mindful of their own digital vulnerabilities.

Dr Bongani Mtshweni and Asanda Nogqala from the Department of Psychology led training sessions on career planning, focusing on career researching strategies, identifying career pathways and goal setting using the specific, measurable, achievable, relevant and time-bound (SMART) approach. The sessions also provided informational resources on diverse career options, qualifications required for various professions, and available institutions offering the qualifications. Mtshweni and Nogqala emphasised the importance of leveraging digital resources and artificial intelligence to source career information and develop personal career profiles. Further, they shared information about innovative career pathways, and various study and business funding opportunities available to unemployed youth.  

As part of the initiative, the CGCA team established a collaboration with the Department of Applied Management’s Entrepreneurship section. The department’s representatives, Mpho Mathane and Kagiso Mahlatji, provided training sessions on entrepreneurship as a strategic career path to address youth unemployment, particularly in rural communities. Mahlatji led a session on business ideation, encouraging participants to explore entrepreneurial opportunities through the lens of successful African entrepreneurs. By showcasing relatable examples of innovation and resilience, the training aimed to empower youth with the mindset and tools needed to initiate their own ventures.

Mathane’s presentation focused on cultivating an entrepreneurial mindset by guiding participants to identify challenges within their communities and reframe them as business opportunities. A key moment in the session was the identification of dirty water as a shared concern, which served as a case study for venture creation. This exercise sparked ideas around water purification, distribution and awareness, demonstrating how local problems can be transformed into impactful and sustainable solutions. The session equipped participants with foundational knowledge, practical insights and the confidence to begin their entrepreneurial journeys.

Linked to the theme of entrepreneurship, Nature Masufi from the Department of Agriculture and Animal Science, presented various opportunities available to youth in the agricultural sector, including animal production, plant production and agricultural economics. Masufi highlighted the importance of promoting farming opportunities for youth in rural areas, particularly in animal production (especially poultry) and crop production. Additionally, the youth was guided on making use of available resources, such as underutilised land and home gardens for vegetable production. They were also advised on the importance of record-keeping and to treat any farming activities as businesses.  

Rurality presents limited opportunities for young people to access information about furthering their studies. Dr Zuzeka Prudence Mkra from the Department of Sociology delivered a presentation focused on providing youth with detailed information about higher education opportunities at TVET colleges and universities. Mkra emphasised the importance of pursuing further studies as a means of breaking cycles of unemployment and improving long-term socioeconomic prospects. Particular attention was given to the role of the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) in enabling access to higher education for students from disadvantaged backgrounds. To ensure that the participants could continue receiving support beyond the event, contact details were shared with those that might require assistance with applications or seek additional information on available study programmes.  

The CGCA engaged scholarship project employs a multidisciplinary and research-led approach to help the youth make informed decisions about their career paths, while also promoting cyber safety when they navigate their career and study journeys in digital domains. Through collaborating with NGOs, the CGCA team seeks to redress the lack of information about careers in rural areas, and serve as a funnel that connects rural youth to employment and career-related opportunities.    

* By Katlego Pilane, Communication and Marketing, College of Human Sciences