Volume 65 December 2026-January 2026 : Career Corner

Human Resource Development Council (previously known as Tertiary Education Council) will be hosting the Botswana Tertiary Education Fair (BTEF) on the 26th to the 29th of March 2014 for students who will be interested in applying for tertiary education.

The theme for this year is “Gateway to Realising your potential and shaping your future” as indeed this will be a great opportunity in shaping the students future career paths.

The fair is held in Gaborone, therefore as another way to reach out to other parts of the country, HRDC will before the BTEF go on a roadshow around the country in districts such as Central, North East, Chobe, North West, Ghanzi and Kgalagadi to engage the students on career guidance and counselling services and career opportunities offered by various institutions. HRDC will communicate further information with all its stakeholders via local media.

All students are encouraged to attend the fair. This forum will give individuals an opportunity to interact, share information and network with higher-level institutions. The objectives of the Botswana Tertiary Education Fair are;

To introduce participants to different tertiary institutions and their programmes
To boost participants interest in tertiary education
To introduce participants to the different vocational training programmes available
To inform participants of the point requirements of the participating institutions
To introduce participants to the financing options available to them for pursuing higher education.

Before    the fair, a student should discuss their college or varsity plans with family, career coach, teachers, and friends about the;

Different types of schools one would like to attend, for example, what programmes they offer, how long are the programmes, extracurricular activities, etc.

Research about the institutions online, or better yet visit them and enquire from their admissions office. Make a list of the institutions you would like to attend so that once you get to the fair those are the first that you target.

The fair is a long day event and it can be tiring going from one stall to the next. Ensure you focus on the key institutions first.
Keep track of the application dates and registrations deadlines for your interested programmes.

Compile a list of questions you would like to ask the institutions representatives at the fair. Focus on your interests; ask about the majors, careers prospects, sponsorship, student life and so forth.

Some of the potential questions you can ask the institution representatives are;

What are the entrance requirements?
What does the admission committee particularly look for in the selection of students?
Does the institution have a counselling service department to assist students with course selection, career plans, school difficulties, and/or personal problems?
What is the average grade point that is required to remain in tertiary throughout the programme?
How many students per class on average?
How many computer labs are available for the students and what are their operational hours.
Is the course that you are applying for offered on scholarship and what are the terms and conditions of the scholarship? (The T`s and C`s of sponsorship details might be best asked to the Department of Tertiary Education Financing, DTEF as they are responsible for the sponsorship of students).
Is there a possibility of on-campus or off-campus part-time jobs available?
Is accommodation available for students? Where does the majority of the students stay?

Even though the fair is mainly for school leavers seeking to undertake studies at tertiary level, current secondary school students, employed persons seeking to enhance their career and unemployed persons who are seeking to undertake their skills training are all invited to attend.

One of the most important things at the moment is for the student who is about to go to college or tertiary is to figure out what career path they are interested in. A student does not want to make the mistake of choosing a career path that does not best suit their interest. In order to invest in one`s career development, a student who is waiting to go to tertiary can keep busy with the following;

Research careers.
Work on your CV.
Do voluntary work.
Find a part time job.
Network with other students.
Join Botswana Student Network.
Look for a mentor- someone who is already in college/ university whom you can always ask varsity related questions.

Remember in your quest for career development to follow your passion. Your Career Choice is YOUR CHOICE, do not do a course based on what external relations say, it has to be something related to your interests, your strengthens also considering your weaknesses. That is why thorough research is important. Do not miss this crucial step.

The great Nelson Mandela once said, “Education is the great engine of personal development. It is through education that the daughter of a peasant can become a doctor, that the son of a mineworker can become the head of the mine, that a child of farmworkers can become the president of a great nation. It is what we make out of what we have, not what we are given, that separates one person from another”.

You can contact us via ccbotswana@gmail.com if you need assistance with CV writing, preparing for interviews or any career related enquiries. Ends

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