The Career Centre (CC ) is one of the strategic priorities of the North-West University (NWU) and from January 2008 the CC endeavors to assist all students with career related enquiries and information required about possible job opportunities with various organisations and companies. Together with national stakeholders, the North-West University (NWU) is committed to achieve the overall goal of the Accelerated and Shared Growth Initiative for SA (ASGISA), i.e. to achieve a growth rate of more than 6% per annum, in order to create jobs, drive development and alleviate poverty. More specifically, HESA and its members have committed themselves to the Joint Initiative on Priority Skills Acquisition (JIPSA) that focuses on identifying and accelerating priority skills development

In this regard, the NWU’s main contribution to the national project remains to produce well rounded graduates able to think laterally and critically (i.e. with high level skills) in service of the country and its entire people. It is generally known that a good degree is important to employers, but increasingly organisations want graduates to demonstrate that they have some work experience. In this regard, experiential learning opportunities and internships could assist to solidify students' academic foundation, and also allow for a better understanding of the relationship between the classroom and the marketplace.

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Services of the Career Centre

The services of the Career Centre will be focused on three main target groups, namely Students, the University and the Employers.

Students can expect the following services from the Career Centre :

• A service which is focused, impartial, objective, transparent, accessible, confidential;
• Staff who are welcoming, courteous and approachable as well as professional and appropriately qualified;
• Equality of opportunity regardless of gender, racial group (including colour, race, nationality or ethnic group), sexual orientation, age or marital status.

The minimum level of service to students :

• A Careers Guide - a comprehensive picture of all aspects of effective career search and planning and the services the Career Centre offers; which will be distributed to all second year undergraduates; and to all postgraduate students when they register.
• An Online Career Portal - a comprehensive and up to date career portal covering all aspects of career planning and advice, as well as vacancies available.
• Careers Information - access to a wide range of quality information, to help the student to identify and explore appropriate opportunities in the workplace.
• Individual Assistance - drop-in discussions with a Career Adviser for quick queries; pre-booked, longer discussions with a Career Adviser, to help the student with any aspect of his or her career search and planning; access to the Online Career Portal; where a visit to the Centre is not practicable, access to a Career Adviser by telephone or e-mail.
• Vacancy information - all vacancy information, including work experience opportunities, is published on the Career Portal of the North-West University's website; the vacancies will also be distributed to the relevant faculties through the Faculty Representative on each campus, as well as the SRC's on each campus.
• Skills training - workshops on life skills, preparing for interviews and writing professional CV's, to help the student to develop career management and other transferable skills.
• Career Fairs and information events - the programme of employer presentations and fairs will be communicated through different mediums, such as Faculty Representatives on each campus and the SRC's.  Details and updates will also be available on the website.

The Career Centre is the first stop for students looking for advice on possible career opportunities, CV writing, interviewing techniques and other resources regarding their career. The NWU's interactive website will put students and companies in the job market in contact with each other. This will give students greater access to possible job opportunities in various industries.

The Career Centre will also assist employers in finding qualified individuals to meet their employment requirements.

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Where are we

In our quest to establish the Career Centre on every campus of the NWU, we are happy to report that suitable facilities have been identified and will be established soon on the Mafikeng and Vaal Triangle Campuses, and we are hopeful that the Potchefstroom Campus will soon follow suit. In the mean time, be sure to contact the Career Centre Campus Liaison officer on your Campus. 

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Maps

• Map of the Potchefstroom Campus 
• Route map to the Potchefstroom Campus
• Route map to the Vaal Triangle Campus
• Route map to the Mafikeng Campus

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Hours

10:00-13:00 & 14:00-16:30 when you need quick Career related information (CV's, Cover letters, CareerZone assistance).

Bookings for in-depth discussions : Contact your Campus Liaison Officer

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For counseling Services (Therapy Sessions) contact Student Counseling Services  for one of the following therapists: Marliaan Erasmus +27 (0) 18 299 2890 or Leonie Roets +27 (0) 18 299 2891.

For courses presented at NWU contact Admissions  +27 (0) 18 299 2458)  or Marketing and Communication +27 (0) 18 299 2762).

Don't know what to study? Want to change your Course? Contact Izelle Muller at +27 (0) 18 299 2893) to make an appointment for psychometric testing on Tuesdays or Thursdays. Career Guidance by a Career Counsellor will follow after the testing. If you are a NWU student this service is free of charge.  If you are not a member of  the NWU, you will pay a fee.

For Career Guidance & Counseling Services contact Sydney Vos  at the Vaal Triange Campus.

For Career Guidance contact Clayton Wallace at the Mafikeng Campus.

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Updated by Alta van den Berg on 3 June 2010.