The Anglican Youth Fellowship (AYF) of St Michaels and All Angels Anglican Church in Harare held a career expo for youth last Saturday.
Guest speakers included psychologist, Thembisa France, Sivuyile Jafta who works in Information and Communication Technology (ICT), Sisa Mangena in Human Resource Management (HRM), Xabiso Nkoyiyana in internal auditing and Jeremia Moeketsi, campus manager at False Bay TVET College.
In opening, the priest-in-charge, Father Charles Ndlebe, welcomed all in attendance and our guests. The event was blessed by the visit of the newly consecrated Bishop of the Anglican Diocese of Falsebay, Bishop Stafford Moses.
The bishop emphasised the importance of following one’s dreams in a competitive world with many young graduates who are unemployed. He said young people should not let their circumstances and backgrounds define their future; and to use education to their advantage. He shared that his motto in life is “Reach for the stars”, which is derived from that of the high school he attended, and how it kept him going through challenges.
Ms France, a psychologist in the Western Cape Education Department (WCED), spoke about the importance of proper time-keeping and how this will shape young people into respecting time and prepare them for the professional space. As a psychologist, she touched on how “the brain is a diamond mine that never runs out.”
She encouraged young people to stimulate the brain by reading, limiting social media consumption and engaging in meaningful social media usage. She highlighted the existence of depression and its statical reality, encouraging young people to always be kind to one another and refrain from all forms of bullying, including cyber bullying.
Ms France emphasised the importance of having realistic, attainable goals and working hard to realise them. She told youth to choose friends wisely and practice gratitude.
Mr Moeketsi, campus manager at False Bay TVET College, provided a broader perspective on the importance of TVET colleges as an alternative to universities.
Mr Mangena joined the event virtually to demonstrate the positive use of technology in the modern job market. He gave advice on compiling a CV and tailoring it to the requirements of the specific job application. He emphasised having the right attitude that HR practitioners and employers look for when employing people.
