CHS connects students with support, careers and opportunities

For more than 300 students at Unisa’s Sunnyside Campus, 20 August 2026 was an opportunity to look beyond their qualifications and start thinking more deliberately about where their studies could take them.

The inaugural College of Human Sciences (CHS) Student Support Information Session brought students together with academic departments, industry professionals and support services to explore career possibilities and better understand the opportunities available to graduates in the humanities.

Hosted by the CHS Student Retention Unit in partnership with the Human Sciences Student Association (HSSA), the session was designed to help students connect their academic journeys with their professional aspirations.

As Unisa’s largest college, CHS has a diverse student population studying across a wide range of disciplines. While these qualifications can lead to careers in many sectors, students may not always know how to translate their academic knowledge into workplace opportunities.

The information session sought to address this gap by giving students practical insights into career pathways, professional requirements and developments in different industries.

Representatives from the Departments of Psychology, Social Work and English shared information about career options in their respective fields, including professional registration requirements and potential employment opportunities.

Students also heard from external organisations, including the National Prosecuting Authority (NPA) and the South African State Theatre.

The engagements demonstrated the breadth of opportunities available to graduates and highlighted how humanities qualifications can be applied in different professional environments.

The involvement of industry partners added an important practical dimension to the session.

For students, engaging directly with professionals and organisations provided an opportunity to better understand what employers look for and how their academic knowledge can be applied beyond the university environment.

The initiative forms part of CHS’s broader commitment to student success, graduate employability and career development.

By bringing academic departments, students and external stakeholders into the same space, the college is creating opportunities for students to gain information, ask questions and make more informed decisions about their futures.

While career development was an important focus of the event, the session also formed part of CHS’s wider student retention strategy.

The Student Retention Unit works to identify students who may be at risk of not completing their studies. These include students who do not submit assignments, repeatedly fail modules or do not sit for examinations.

Through targeted interventions and referrals to appropriate support services, the unit seeks to address challenges that may affect students’ academic progress.

The aim is not only to improve retention and academic performance, but also to support students towards successful completion of their qualifications and ultimately improve their chances of becoming work-ready graduates.

The inaugural Student Support Information Session demonstrated the value of bringing career guidance, academic support and industry engagement together.

For CHS students, understanding the possibilities that lie beyond their qualifications can be an important step towards shaping their professional futures. At the same time, knowing where to turn for academic and personal support can make the difference between struggling alone and completing a qualification.

Through initiatives such as the information session, CHS continues to place students at the centre of its efforts to improve retention, strengthen graduate employability and help students turn their academic potential into meaningful opportunities.

* By Dr Khabo Maduna, Communication and Marketing Specialist, CHS