Career exhibitions are a means to help learners choose the correct path once they pass their matric going forward to tertiary institutions.
Isivivana Centre in Khayelitsha hosted about four schools on Friday for an exhibition sponsored by the Transnet Foundation.
This was part of a programme aimed at promoting social cohesion between schools and the communities around the city.
Intlanganiso Secondary, Bardale Secondary, Manenberg Secondary and Tembaletu LSEN School (School for Learners with Special Education Needs) paricipated in the showcase.
Siyabulela August, the project coordinator at Transnet, said this was part of their six month long Youth Empowerment Programme which sees learners from schools in disadvantaged areas benefit from various empowerment projects.
August said the project was designed to mobilise their employees to volunteer their time to assist learners with their school work, sport, wellness, art and other empowerment projects.
The volunteered visit the schools every Thursdays.
“We chose the areas which are faced with different challenges such as substance abuse, teenage pregnancy and high rate of learners who drop out of school.
Principals from the schools are the ones who chose the learners who would be part of the programme.
Learners always look forward to Thursdays and they enjoy our programmes.
We have employees who are passionate about the project,” August said.
Among the tertiary institutions that exhibited the courses they offer were Cape Peninsula University of Technology, the University of Cape Town and False Bay College.
Zinathi Lindani, 17, Grade 10 learner from Bardale Secondary School, said the project is good for them.
“I am happy to be part of the project. It helps us in many ways and to be able to choose careers wisely. I want to be a lawyer,” Lindani said.
Ntsika Phehlane, 17, Grade 10 learner from Intlanganiso Secondary School, also applauded the Transnet for the project.
“The project is helping me to be away from bad things like gangstarism. That is why I now want to be a social worker so I can help do a positive difference in Khayalitsha. The project is really good for me and now I see life in a different way, because of it,” Phehlane said.