Tshwane University of Technology’s Department of Management and Entrepreneurship hosted the WIL Workplace Readiness Workshop Vol. 2, on Wednesday, April 22, at the prestigious auditorium (TUT Pretoria Campus). The goal was to educate third-year final students on how to navigate the world of work with confidence by bringing in compatible guest speakers.
Lecturer and WIL Coordinator Landiwe Manana
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Landiwe Manana, the part-time lecturer and WIL coordinator, revealed that she organized this session for students after becoming a lecturer in 2023 and realizing that they were unprepared for the job market and lacked workplace ethics.
Entrepreneurs, business coaches, project leaders, and other well-known speakers collaborated to guide and motivate students who aspire to go on similar adventures. Last year, the department organized a workshop with speakers who merely spoke to students and did not engage with them, whereas this year’s session attracted government strategist speakers to expose students to the public and private sectors.
Students engage with guest speakers.
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According to Manana, students’ WIL workplace preparation will enable them to identify the reasons behind their failure to secure long-term employment at their host. Additionally, the session taught students how to avoid human trafficking and distinguish between genuine and fraudulent job invitations. The significance of social media ethics was underlined in the training. Manana said, “Employers are looking at how you behave in social media space.”
Luthando Xaba addresses the students.
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Mr. Luthando Xaba, deputy secretary of management science, stated that he focused a lot on business as he started his own construction business last year, where he worked with GVK, TCB, and Collar Boys. This year he founded BME, which is a consulting company. He outlined that students should start opening their businesses in varsity as opportunities are reachable and not wait for WIL to start. Their business does not start at the bottom.
Tsheliso Kadi, a management sciences student, said she gained a lot from the program, which was both instructive and instructional. She noted that the program was crucial because it taught them how to establish a business at an early age, which will lead to new opportunities and contacts.
The hall is full of students eager to learn.
Photo Credit: TshwaneFm Media Team
The program was a big success since it provided students with advice on how to run and act in their own businesses or workplaces, as well as feedback from experts. During this session, which will also take place in August, the department will test first- and second-year students with the aim of preparing them for the job.