Towards the end of grade nine, learners will need to have an idea of the school subjects that they will choose in their next grade, as these are the subjects that will determine their career path.
According to skills and education expert, Dr Ivor Blumenthal, while parents are able to provide their children with information, the child has to make the final decision, without being influenced by anyone.
It is worth noting that a good combination of subjects can help the teenager with their future studies and career paths.
It can be difficult to determine what the best possible combination is for each child, however, using the National Career Advice Portal (NCAP) can be an extremely helpful tool for parents and learners to see which career paths and subjects are suited to each other.
The NCAP is an online self-help tool designed to facilitate informed career and study decisions. The portal is an initiative of the Department of Higher Education and Training.
The transition from high school to post-school is not easy and squarely depends on the subjects choices that the individual had taken from Grade ten and upwards.
It is therefore important that learners do not conform to peer pressure and rather allow themselves to anticipate changing their choices down the line, beyond the compulsory choices.
As early as this may seem, some experts also believe that making a career choice involves knowing yourself, identifying and preparing for opportunities, and also choosing a career linked to your interests.
