UP Career Services is a centre of employability support that aims to equip students and graduates with workplace skills. Here’s more on how this unit works to build the confidence and competencies of UP students on the cusp on entering the workforce.

In the contemporary professional landscape, graduates entering the labour market must possess attributes beyond academic credentials to achieve success.

“The prevailing exigencies of the workforce demand an elevated preparedness,” says Tando Tyakume, acting manager of Career Services. “In this paradigm, career services emerge as an unequivocal guiding beacon, dedicated to equipping students with the requisite acumen to navigate the complexities of the professional arena and commence their journey with efficacy.”

Student career services help students to explore and align their academic pursuits with future career goals, offering valuable resources such as counselling, CV building and interview preparation. These services play a pivotal role in equipping students with the necessary skills and insights to navigate the job market, fostering a smooth transition from education to meaningful careers

Among others, the following services are available to all UP students:

Employability support:

• Crafting a captivating CV and composing compelling cover letters
• Mastering the art of the interview
• Embarking on targeted job searches
• Developing soft skills through LinkedIn Learning
• Creating a LinkedIn profile
• Free online Ready for Work Programme

Mentorship programme:

• Links final-year students with industry experts to ensure they have exposure to the world of work
• Dedicated one-on-one support from an experienced professional
• An opportunity to network and build contacts within an industry
• Gaining insight into a chosen industry or career
• Help in recognising abilities and limitations concerning one’s career ideas, and highlighting areas for development

Engaging with employers:

• Job advertisements for vacancies, graduate programmes, internships, vacation work and more
• Graduate recruitment events through industry presentations, industry networking events and campus interviews
• Career fair events, offering an opportunity for students to interact with employers
• Graduate handbook with an employer directory and opportunities

Internship programme and graduate placement:

• Opportunities to gain work experience for recent UP graduates
• Assistance with career goals
• Creating a professional network
• Building a strong CV
• Securing good references and recommendations

All these opportunities are advertised on online platform TuksCareers, which is accessible via the UP Student Portal. Students can view and book for upcoming events, and apply for advertised job vacancies.

The Career Services website has resources and career development resources to help students become career fit so that they can integrate smoothly into the workplace with the necessary confidence and competencies.

Contact information:

Tel:    +27 (0)12 420 6438

Email: [email protected]

Address: Old Chemistry Building, Room 1 – 6