When Namatshegang Moeng, a pupil from Rakoko senior secondary school, walked into the first annual “The Rural” Career Expo in North West, Mabaalstad, she did not expect it to change how she saw her future.
“I didn’t even know which universities are available; we have limited access to information and the internet,” said Moeng.
Moeng was one of about 4,000 pupils from eight high schools who attended the two-day career expo this week, which focused on careers linked to artificial intelligence, agriculture, STEM fields, accountancy, innovation and skills-based professions.
The expo was organised by The Princess & Friends Non-Profit Company in collaboration with the Baphiring Tribal Authority and brought together universities, TVET colleges, short-course providers, entrepreneurs and technology platforms.
The Princess & Friends NPC, founded by HRH Princess Lerato M, is a non-profit organisation empowering rural pupils with career guidance, inspiration and opportunities.
Several pupils said they had not previously been exposed to a wide range of career and study options.
Kitso Mabe, a pupil at Rantlaka high school, said the expo provided guidance at a time when many pupils are expected to make decisions about their future.
“I am in matric, and I am still not sure which career I want to pursue,” said Mabe.
Koketso Mothoa said her understanding of careers had been shaped by what she commonly heard about in her community.
“I always wanted to be a teacher or an actor because those are the careers we know or hear about in rural areas,” said Mothoa. “This expo showed us different possibilities.”
At the expo, pupils were introduced to a range of post-school options:
• Universities and entry requirements
• TVET colleges offering practical and skills-based qualifications
• Short courses in fields such as agriculture, digital skills and innovation
• TVET programmes that allow pupils to upgrade matric marks or rewrite key subjects
• Careers linked to AI, STEM, accountancy, finance and modern agriculture
Amogelang Mabule, a pupil from Kalafi high school, said the expo changed how he viewed his academic performance and future options.
“I have always thought some careers were not for me, even though I do well at school,” he said.
School principals attending the event said limited access to career guidance continues to affect pupil outcomes in rural areas.
Dorrin Motwane, principal at Moefi secondary school, said many pupils struggle to transition after matric.
“Most of them stay at home after matric, even with good marks. There is very little motivation and exposure in rural areas.”
Motwane said subject choices also remain a challenge, with few pupils taking mathematics, science and accounting.
“We have two streams at Moefi secondary school, mathematics and science, and accounting with maths literacy, which is not wrong,” she said. “If experts in maths and accounting could support pupils, more would take those subjects.”
The principal added that agriculture could offer employment opportunities in the province.
“The North West has a lot of land and experienced farmers,” Motwane said. “Learners can study, return and improve their communities.”
Agricultural careers were highlighted by Ryan Mkandawire (19), a stakeholder at Blessed and Beautiful Farmers, who said agriculture involves more than farming.
“Agriculture includes mechanical engineers, chemical engineers and geologists. There are many careers involved in producing food.”
Mkandawire told TimesLIVE that pupils often lack guidance about alternatives to traditional university pathways.
“There are smaller colleges, skills-based opportunities and practical careers, but learners miss them because they don’t have information,” said Mkandawire.
The expo also featured digital platforms aimed at improving access to services. Royal Highness Kgosatsana Ramokoka, founder of Addressdox, presented a WhatsApp-based system that allows residents to obtain proof of residence, a document required for university and job applications.
Ramokoka said the platform was developed to address challenges faced by rural communities.
“People often have to travel long distances to access basic services. This platform allows them to apply remotely. The initiative also trains young people as digital champions, providing them with skills and certificates,” said Ramokoka.
For pupils such as Moeng, the expo provided access to information that is not always readily available where pupils live.
“There are more options than I knew before,” she said.
TimesLIVE
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