Graduate Career Day

With a 31.9% unemployment rate in South Africa, according to the latest Quarterly Labour Force Survey (QLFS), finding work after graduation remains a pressing concern for young South Africans and their families. In response, The School of Management Studies at the Westville campus, in partnership with non-profit organisation Student Focus, recently hosted a Career Development Day for unemployed graduates at the BAT Centre.

The collaborative community initiative aimed to equip the unemployed graduates with practical tools to improve their employability which included guidance on effective job searching, CV writing, interview preparation and professional presentation. Industry partners RCL Foods, Standard Bank and Unilever supported the initiative by sharing career insights, engaging directly with students and offering real-world perspectives on what employers are looking for.

"The Career Development Day was an overwhelming success," said Siva Moodley (Head of Management Studies at the Westville campus). "Graduates valued the practical skills they gained, the exposure to corporate representatives and the motivation to actively pursue employment opportunities with renewed confidence. Given the impact of this initiative, we are exploring opportunities to make it a regular community engagement programme in partnership with Student Focus and our industry partners".

A key highlight of the day was a panel discussion featuring industry representatives alongside the Westville academic team which included School of Management Studies lecturers Avinash Singh, Sushant Jaggeth and John Foster, Academic Support Co-ordinator Sheree Thavarayan, and Moodley. The discussion focused on employer expectations, workplace readiness and navigating early career challenges.

Kamilla Govender (Talent Manager at RCL Foods) emphasised the importance of attitude, authenticity and of gaining experience. "Employers are looking for people who are willing to go the extra mile," she said. "When I started my career, I didn't receive a salary for six months just to gain experience and strengthen my CV. That experience helped me secure my first position in Human Resources".

Nikhailyn Rambali (Acquisitions Manager at Standard Bank) highlighted the value of recommendations and resilience. "Even with an Honours degree, I started at the bottom doing manual labour," he said. "What mattered was my hunger to learn and my willingness to grow. Over the past few years, I've continued studying and have been promoted three times. Setting clear goals and being prepared to take small steps is critical".

Tameez Osman (Unilever's Employee Brand Lead for Southern Africa) encouraged students to focus on potential as well as skills. She advised graduates to actively build professional networks on LinkedIn and to seek out mentors who can guide their career development.

Thavarayan reinforced the importance of tailoring CVs to specific roles. "Graduates shouldn't send out a single generic CV," she said. "It's important to carefully review the job description and clearly show how your skills align with what the employer is looking for".

In addition to the panel discussion, the programme included a Student Q&A with recruiters, a Financial Awareness session for graduates, and practical workshops on CV and LinkedIn optimisation and interview skills.

Students Sibonile Gqoboka, Siphilele Msibi and Thobeka Mwandla expressed their appreciation for the initiative, describing the guidance as honest, practical and empowering. They highlighted the value of advice on personal branding, interview preparation and career flexibility. "The financial literacy session was especially impactful, helping us understand cost-to-company and long term financial planning," they said. "The introduction to Unilever's LevelUp programme was motivating and showed us that support can continue beyond this event".

The partnership with Student Focus was inspired by the Westville campus second year IIE Bachelor of Commerce student Mpilo Mkhabela, who previously participated as a panellist at the NPO’s June 2025 Student Convention. He later shared a powerful testimonial with the campus about the positive role the organisation played in his life. Student Focus is led by Founder and Convener Mandisa Pepeta, whose work in youth development and student empowerment has positively impacted many young people.

"The high level of engagement and enthusiasm demonstrated the success of the event," said Pepeta. "Graduates felt seen, supported and inspired. It showed the power of academia, industry and community organisations working together to prepare future-ready professionals. Even if we cannot employ every graduate, we can all play a role in equipping them with the skills, confidence and purpose to thrive".