MEDIA STATEMENT Thursday, 10 March 2022
Att: Editors All Journalists All media houses
The Agricultural Sector Education Training Authority (AgriSETA) in partnership with the Department of Agriculture and Rural Development held a one-day career exhibition for agricultural secondary schools in North West at the Taung Agricultural College. AgriSETA is an organisation required to develop skills within the agricultural sector so that learners are able to benefit from its activities. The purpose of the event was to encourage young people to consider agriculture as a career, share opportunities in the sector and teach them on ways they can take to make a living within the industry. AgriSETA Head of Marketing Mandy Rutgers said in her address to the estimated 400 learners that, the Skills Development Plan that emanates from the National Development Plan is being prioritised by all SETAs by means of sharing bursaries, skills development and knowledge of careers in agriculture among the youth as they have the potential of taking the sector to new heights. The Noord-Wes Koporasie, MICTSETA, EW SETA, Citrus Academy, National Department of Agriculture, Land Reform and Rural Development were amongst the exhibitors that were displaying and partaking in the information sharing sessions to which Tumiso Sempe (18) from a participant from Marubising Secondary School in Cokonyane acknowledged the importance of.
“The exhibition was an eye-opening experience that afforded me the opportunity of learning about different careers in the agricultural sector. I am interested in pursuing studies in Animal Production or Land Surveying at the University of Cape Town upon my matric completion. These are careers I did not know about prior to the exhibition and I am now aware of the immense contribution each of them have in the industry. My studies will also enable me to impart knowledge on our communities about a lot of things in regards to agriculture,” said Tumiso. Tselaathuto Secondary School from Lower Majakgoro in Itireleng was one of the several well represented schools at the Taung Agricultural College. The learner from this school energised Itumeleng Seeqela (19) expressed gratitude at the efforts made by the exhibitors to answer in detail questions learners had about various careers. He stated that he learned so much from the event. “My interest in being a Veterinarian has been evoked as I have a great love for animals; especially Rhinos which we know are an endangered species due to poaching. I’ve also become conscious of the fact that there aren’t as many black Vets in the country thus I’d like to follow this career path to show young people from my village that it is possible to achieve anything we dream of as black people in South Africa” said the grade twelve (12) learner.
Northern Cape schools also saw prospect in having their learners present. Mr Samuel Ndluzela, a grade eleven (11) teacher from the Northern Cape Agricultural High School in Jan Kemp had his Agricultural Practices and Technology pupils at the event. “Learners received valuable information that we as teachers are not able to share as we may have limited information about some of these careers in agriculture and related industries. I am happy to see so any learners being inquisitive and visiting all the stalls even though the suggestion was to target what they are interested in. This is a beneficial experience for all and I hope that they will share with their peers about the different job opportunities they learned about today” said Mr Ndluzela.
Issued by the Communication Services Directorate
Enquiries: Ms Emelda Setlhako
Tel: 018 389 5684 / 5719
Cell: 060 745 4020
Email: ESetlhako@nwpg.gov.za
Website:www.nwpg.gov.za/Agriculture/
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Twitter: @nwpg _dard