Primarashni Pillay describes the Wits by Appointment initiative
Are your grade 11 and 12 learners still uncertain about their career paths and the institution they want to study at after matric?
Wits University is hosting three career orientation days in the next few weeks. Instead of having the usual Open Day, the university has again opted to host three Wits by Appointment days on May 18 and 25 and June 1.
Grade 11 and 12 learners from 200 schools as well as parents have been invited to attend these career orientation days.
These meetings will entail learners receiving individual attention from faculty staff. Learners will have the opportunity to interact with staff and current students on various aspects of university life at Wits. Each faculty has created its own presentation, designed to focus on career paths.
Peter Bezuidenhoudt, Wits’ Director of marketing and communications, says last year’s Wits by Appointment was an extremely popular event. About 2 500 learners and their parents passed through the university campus over three afternoons. ”Learners had the opportunity to get an in-depth view of what each of the programme offerings within a faculty entails. This was done through formal lectures, informal discussions with key faculty members, conversations with current students as well as guided tours of the facilities.”
He says the university is confident that learners gained substantial insight into what to expect at Wits.
Bezuidenhoudt adds: ”If a learner is still unsure of what he or she wants to study, Wits by Appointment is structured in such a way that they can visit a different faculty on three different afternoons.”
Numbers are however limited, and if there is excess demand, the university will set aside extra afternoons later this year for presentations.
”We know this personal approach is what our future learners want – the fact that more than 50% of those who attended last year’s session finally applied to study at Wits must surely bear testimony to this,” says Bezuidenhoudt.
If you are interested in arranging for your learners to attend these functions, please call 0861 200 717. Booking is essential.
Prim Pillay is head of Wits communications.
– The Teacher/M&G Media, May 2001.
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