The Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) will host its annual Career Day this week, to expose learners from township and rural schools to various opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM).
The event, to be held in Pretoria on Wednesday, is part of the organisation’s continued effort to promote science and technology career fields among young people.
The Career Day, which will be attended by hundreds of learners and educators, forms part of National Science Week (NSW), an initiative of the Department of Science and Innovation that aims to increase the level of public understanding of science countrywide.
This year, NSW’s theme is “Celebrating the role of basic sciences in the modern world”.
The CSIR Career Day seeks to spark STEM ambitions among grade nine to 11 learners from disadvantaged schools, who are taking mathematics and science as subjects.
CSIR researchers will use the platform on the day to showcase various technologies and science-based activities, such as science experiments, exhibitions, presentations and motivational talks, says the organisation.
According to the 2021 ICT Skills Survey, significant digital skills gaps persist, with South African organisations battling to fill tens of thousands of vacancies.
The most in-demand jobs include software developer, computer network technician, developer programmer and ICT communications assistant, according to the report.
On CSIR Career Day, learners will also have the opportunity to engage with researchers and scientists on various career opportunities, explore science and technology-focused exhibitions and see demonstrations of various projects from different clusters in the organisation.
The event will take place from 8.30am to 3pm on 3 August at the CSIR International Convention Centre. For enquiries, contact David Mandaha on dmandaha@csir.co.za.
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