An Overview Of Various Career Options

The term “study” might bring back some memories, but unlike our school days, studying to pursue a career is much more interesting as you can now choose subjects based on your interests and the things you enjoy learning about. In order to make the correct career choice you need to know yourself. What are your values, interests and skills? These factors in combination with certain personality traits, will most likely define the career that is most suitable for you.

If you're creative by nature you may want to consider an arts and crafts course. Doing a course in this field will improve your skills and can turn your hobby into a profitable source of income. It’s a great opportunity to learn a new skill, develop the artist inside you or pursue a much-loved interest. A lot of people are making a decent income from their crafts – so can you!

For those interested in the development, nursing and caring of children there is a wide selection of careers focusing on babies and kids. Careers in this field are au pairs, childminders, kindergarten teachers, child care workers, occupational therapists, speech therapists etc. For the little ones there are courses available that will not only teach them new skills but also stimulate them mentally and physically.

The beauty industry is an exciting and competitive industry. If you love working with people and have a keen interest in beauty related subjects, this might just be the career for you. When you have the required qualification, you can travel the world with these skills and work in areas such as beauty salons, hair salons, film shoots, cosmetic companies and cruise ships, to name a few.

Business courses are geared toward entrepreneurs who want to start their own businesses, as well as managers who would like to see their business grow and expand. A business qualification opens doors across a wide range of industries and professions. This field is suitable for candidates interested and skilled in communication, planning, decision-making, problem solving, administration, managementand other business skills. A business course will definitely boost your employability across various industries.

Computers / IT is one of the main fields of interest for many people. Technology has become such a huge part of our lives, and thankfully we have skilled, educated people who can implement these systems, write software programs and fix our computers which can be quite temperamental at times! By doing a computer or IT related course, you are investing in your future as most companies require computer literate staff and a course such as this will never go to waste!

If you love cooking and find it more of an enjoyment than a chore, chances are you would love using this natural talent in an environment where you can express this form of art and meet other like-minded individuals. With a cooking course you have the option to either use it to better your skills or you can take it to a professional level. By exploring this field you will learn new techniques, discover new recipes and your confidence might improve with regards to experimenting.

A decorating and design course is a great option for people who love giving their homes a makeover, those interested in a career in the interior design industry and those already working in the industry. If you have a flair for colour and design and an eye for detail this is probably a field that you would enjoy studying. With a decorating and design qualification you can enjoy rewarding work as an interior decorator/consultant, independent contractor, employee of a design firm, in-store decorator/designer or as a consultant.

Although the fashion industry is a glamorous and exciting one, it can be quite demanding and is usually highly competitive. Individuals entering the field should have a good eye for colour, style, an ability to sketch and an interest in design. You can work as a designer (garments or accessories), personal assistant to a designer, fashion/beauty editor or a fashion source co-coordinator, to name a few.

The Film & Media industry is fast-paced, exciting and diverse and you can be sure that in this line of work you will hardly ever have a dull moment. Careers in this industry include broadcast and print journalism; television, radio and film production; media management, advertising and public relations and education.

If you feel comfortable outdoors, love working in the garden and have a flair for garden layout, you would probably benefit from further studies in this area. This will not only increase your knowledge in an area you love learning about, it might even inspire you to start your own business, doing what you so love. You might want to consider a career as a landscape architect, garden designer or something similar.

The Health and Wellness field covers a range of courses focusing on improving and promoting healthy living. Here you will find courses that will enable you to become one of many things, such as a fitness instructor or dietitian perhaps.

How about a career as a translator, interpreter or perhaps a language teacher to adults? Languages can open many doors and build many bridges . Are you ready to take on the challenge of learning a new language or developing the ones you already know? There are about 6900 known languages worldwide - take your pick!

If you have a passion for people and would love to assist them in growing their marriages, you shouldn’t let this wonderful gift go to waste. A pre-marital course can teach couples what to expect and how to navigate the first year of marriage, while married couples might want to learn how to better their marriages. Equip yourself, get experience in this area and consider working as a counselor or a facilitator.

Professionals in the medical field are hard pressed to keep up with the increasing demand for medical services. There is a huge demand for medical staff, such as medical reps, nursing staff, doctors and caregivers, to name a few. There are also short courses to equip you like a first aid or a CPR course.

By studying or doing a course in Publishing and Writing you can turn your dream of publishing your own book into a reality. These courses can teach you all you need to know, from how to write a book to the final steps of printing, marketing and distributing it. If you are creative, self-motivated, have good judgment and the ability to express ideas clearly in writing you can write your own books, short stories for magazines or perhaps a regular column in a magazine or newspaper.

Sports enthusiasts can look into the extensive range of academic and vocational sports courses on offer. With a qualification in sport you can work at a sports club, sport federation, gym, recreational club, school and many more. Career opportunities in this industry range from athletic trainers, managers, floor instructors, personal trainers, coaches, sport agents, masseuses and sport & recreation officers, to name a few.

The tourism and hospitality industry offers the potential for an interesting and rewarding career. Many young people are exploring this field and looking for courses that will prepare them for careers in this industry. Employment opportunities in this area are managers, chefs, travel agents, banqueting managers, food & beverage co-coordinators, catering managers, project managers, etc. If you have a sense of adventure you might want to apply for temporary employment on a cruise ship and see the world!

These are just a few career options, if you would like to find out more about any of the above or perhaps a field that wasn’t mentioned, it would be advisable to speak to a career counselor for more in-depth details or consider purchasing a book on career options in SA. This is a big decision - take your time, do some research and speak to people in different fields. If you would like to get into a certain field but are perhaps not up to studying for a lengthy period of time, have a look at our short courses.