Embarking on the entrepreneurial journey is a thrilling and rewarding venture, but it is also fraught with challenges and uncertainties. Many young people, when considering their after-school path, are attracted to the prospect of becoming an entrepreneur. However, becoming a successful entrepreneur requires more than just plunging into your business idea, with a business strategy of “crossing that bridge when we get there.”

According to Dr Bronwyn Batchelor at The Independent Institute of Education, career guidance is crucial during the early high school years, as it not only helps to determine a student’s passion and purpose, but also aligns their high school path to future qualification opportunities. This allows them to make strategic – rather than ill-informed – education and career choices that will set them up for success throughout their academic journey and the world of work.

While Intelligence Quotient (IQ), Emotional Quotient (EQ) and Adaptability Quotient (AQ) have for some time been considered key indicators in determining how effectively one navigates one’s educational and career journeys, two additional factors are now emerging as considerations when hiring and promoting candidates: Social Quotient (SQ) and Cultural Quotient (CQ).

 According to an education expert, too many graduates in South Africa leave university with little more than academic knowledge, and it is crucial for universities to partner with professional industry experts in developing curricula that not only reflect the evolving world of work but also prepare students optimally for the demands of their profession following graduation.

Dr Bronwyn Le Ann Batchelor, Head of Faculty at The Independent Institute of Education, explains that law clinics serviced by legal students under the supervision of professional practitioners, not only benefit individuals and communities, but also provide the students with practical and relevant training that will help them develop into empathetic legal professionals.

Prospective students are often advised to consider the current job landscape and projections for the future before deciding on what career to pursue and what they need to study after school. These projections can however be a tricky call, which is why guidance in this regard is crucial, an education expert says.

Matric exams are crucial as they can significantly impact students’ future educational and career opportunities – and although the five months until finals begin may seem like plenty of time to prepare, an education expert cautions that it will catch up with students who haven’t yet developed their final strategy or settled into the habit of studying based on a revision plan.

Despite its critical role in ensuring access to higher education for hundreds of thousands of South African students, the National Student Financial Aid Scheme (NSFAS) has left students perpetually in the lurch as it limps from one crisis to another – and The Independent Institute of Education (The IIE) says a complete overhaul of NSFAS is long overdue, instead of simply applying a band-aid each time the next problem arises.

Shevon Lurie, Director of The Independent Institute of Education – the higher education division of ADvTECH which includes IIE Varsity College, IIE MSA, IIE Vega and IIE Rosebank College – says they are committed to supporting affected Educor students in successfully completing their qualification and ensuring the sustainability, growth and development of higher education in South Africa as a whole.

Dingaan Moropane, Acting Deputy Dean: Teaching and Learning at The Independent Institute of Education’s Rosebank College, outlines the minimum requirements for various Higher Certificate, Diploma, and Bachelor's Degree programmes, and explains why the prelim exams are more than a test run for finals.