WSU helping graduates to be workplace-ready

Walter Sisulu University has launched an employability skills programme that aims to bridge the gap between academic knowledge and practical skills. 

At Buffalo Park Cricket Stadium in Quigney on Thursday, the university vowed to forge meaningful relationships with the private and public sectors to help make its graduates more marketable and prepared for the workplace, with two networking sessions a year.

The university said it would assist students and graduates with skills for CV writing, interviews, emotional intelligence, and how to find jobs, including the effective use of online platforms.

Institutional student representative council secretary Sihle Mdingi said the programme was vital for students..

“This programme is essential because the rate of graduate unemployment is very high.

“Such programmes at WSU won’t only assist us students but will also assist the institution by ensuring our graduates are employable.

“It is important that all students who go through this programme will gain skills and will be able to network with people who are part of the institution.”

WSU convocation deputy president Sandiso Mbongo said graduates who still owed fees to the university and therefore did not get their diploma or degree certificates found themselves in a difficult situation. 

They were unable to apply for jobs as the market no longer accepted transcripts of diplomas or degrees.

“Not having degree certificates is very limiting.

“Companies want hard-core certificates, but if they’re withheld by the institution, this becomes a challenge.

“This doesn’t give the graduates a fair chance to compete through the systems.”

The Small Enterprise Development Agency’s (Seda) human resources business partner, Lester Cox, said “bridging” programmes were valuable as they helped graduates cross the gap between university and the workplace. 

“After university there is a gap and that is where businesses come in, to get graduates ready for work.

“They get necessary exposure so they are ready when they enter the workplace.” 

Cox said Seda was looking at possible partnerships with WSU. 

Border-Kei Chamber of Business executive director Lizelle Maurice said cities and countries throughout the world competed for skills.

“If we do not position ourselves to be competitive as a city, we are going to lose our investors, scarce skills, and much more.

“I have had a long relationship with the university’s hospitality management department.

“This programme is needed, and I congratulate the university. We are in full support of it.”

Maurice said graduates often had no experience or people skills, which put them at a disadvantage. 

Vice-chancellor Prof Rushiella Songca said the university had co-ordinated work-integrated learning placements for students in various faculties. 

“What we are trying to do is to institutionalise it and have a framework run by student affairs that will run academic boards.

“Fortunately for the past year or so we have streamlined work-integrated learning opportunities, which was an issue previously.

“We’ve introduced faculty boards which go further to look at our programmes and advise our students on what to expect when they get to a working environment.” 

Songca said the transition from high school to university and from university to the workplace had different challenges.

“This is the beginning of the journey and we just need to be consistent.

“What we are trying to do is to institutionalise it and have a framework about it with faculty boards that will be run by student affairs.

“Our goal is to create more opportunities for our students to get work.

“This will address the negative perception of our students and show the world that they are capable, agile and able to adjust.

“People are still wary of them because of the whole negative picture that has been created over the years.

“If we can clean that up and allow them to be seen for who they are, people will embrace their qualities.” 

DispatchLIVE