OCTOBER 2026
CAREER UPDATE A HANDBOOK FOR CAREER DEVELOPMENT
19 TEACHINGSUBTITLE BEYOND BORDERS
34 CAREER XPO
SURVIVAL GUIDE
50 REJECTIONS
AND GHOSTING
Psychometric tests demystified UNDERSTANDING MODERN RECRUITMENT 46
UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | A
Contact us UWC Career Services Room 165, 1st Floor Student Centre, UWC Access Rd Bellville, Cape Town, 7535 Email for students careerxplora@uwc.ac.za Park Road
Email for recruiters cdp@uwc.ac.za Tel: 021 959 2436 UWC Career Services UWC Career Services UWC Career Services @uwccareerservices
ll
l Ha
e erw es G Jak
nue Ave sity ver Uni
Stu
WE ARE HERE!
den
t Ad
min
istra
tion
ive t Dr Wes
Stu
den
t Ce
ntre
Eas t Ro ad
Bre
wDu
Lak esid e Ro
ad
bs
EDITORIAL
Looking outward and inward CAREERS ARE NO LONGER BUILT ON A SINGLE, STRAIGHT PATH and this edition reflects that reality. Some of you will walk into a traditional graduate role. Others will freelance, start something of their own, teach on the other side of the world, or piece together a career the textbooks never described. All of these are valid and all of them are covered in the pages ahead. This edition asks you to look both outward and inward. Outward, at the practical realities of the job search: how to read between the lines of a job advertisement, how to network without losing yourself in the process, how to survive a career fair if crowds are not your natural habitat and how to keep going when rejection and silence start to feel personal. Inward, at the parts of yourself you may not yet think of as assets, the value of an arts background inside a STEM career, the quiet skills you have built outside a classroom, the resilience it takes to carry a cultural tax that others may never notice you are carrying. We have also asked harder questions in this edition: what an unpaid internship actually costs you and when it is worth it. What it means to manage up before you have any formal authority. How to become the person a team cannot function without, rather than simply the person who filled the seat. And, as the tools around us change faster than we can document them, what it means to let your CV be written by AI without you disappearing from it in the process. Whether you are a student taking your first step into the world of work, a young graduate
reflecting on your new chapter, or a staff member walking alongside our students on that journey, we hope this edition meets you exactly where you are and shows you a few of the many ways forward from here. May these pages remind you of your potential and of the network standing behind you as you find your way to it. Best Wishes UWC Career Services team
From the top, left to right: Nazrana Parker, Bridgetti Mashabane, Natalie Thomas, Aphiwe Matiso, Nina Takane, Yondela Ngqombo, Siyolise Tsitsi and Happiness Skuni.
UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 1
ON THE PAGES
Content Acknowledgements 03 A Future That Won't Stand Still Career Update is produced by Career Services, University of the Western Cape. Editors: Nazrana Parker and Bridgetti Mashabane.
From the Rector’s Desk
05 Beyond the Degree DVC's Corner
08 10 Years of UWC Career Xplora 11
Early Insights, Better Outcomes
15 STEAM, not just STEM Contributors: Natalie Thomas, Nina Takane, Siyolise Tsitsi, Happiness Skuni, Yondela Ngqombo and Aphiwe Matiso. Subbing, design & layout: Kult Creative. Printing: Fingerprint Worker's Co-operative Ltd.
19 Teaching Beyond Borders 23 From First-Year Pivots to Global Forums 29 Neurodiversity, Networking and Career Planning 34 The Career Xpo Survival Guide 39 Reading between the lines of a job advertisement 43 Don’t Let Your AI CV Walk in Without You 46 Psychometric tests demystified 50 Rejections and Ghosting
Thank you to all the writers and participants. Career Update, Oct 2026.
53 Wall of Fame 57 4 Reasons to Stay Connected with UWC
Telephone: 021 959 2436. Email: careerxplora@uwc.ac.za
58 From UWC to the Global AI Frontier
Disclaimer:
65 Durable Skills: Essential for the Future of Work
The opinions expressed in this magazine are those of the authors and writers and do not necessarily represent nor reflect the views of the University of the Western Cape. All rights reserved. Articles may only be reproduced, stored or transmitted with written permission of the copyright holder.
62 Unpaid Internship? Here's How to Survive
69 Earn Your Seat, Don’t Just Fill it 71 Become Indispensable: How To Manage Up 74 Professionalism in the University Space 78 The tax you never applied for 81 5 Quick Tips to Ace the Audio-only Interview 83 Reviving the Economy One Business at a Time
2 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2025
FROM THE RECTOR’S DESK
Nor should a University be that place which prioritises answers over the importance of questions. What we do have is a long history of preparing graduates for complexities in which often the characteristics of the questions themselves suggest something of what innovations the answers may be capable of. We also believe that our students are capable of succeeding in more than one form of work or labour market. This year, I want to answer three questions that students put to us again and again.
How do I see the job market evolving over the next five to ten years?
Prof Robert John Balfour Rector and Vice-Chancellor, University of the Western Cape
A Future That Won't Stand Still WHEN I WROTE FOR THIS HANDBOOK LAST YEAR, I spoke about the gap between what students learn and what employers expect. That gap has not disappeared, but something else has become clearer in the past year. The world of work itself is moving, so the question is no longer only "am I ready for the job market?" but "am I ready for a job market that keeps changing? And, if necessary, am I ready to create work for myself with the knowledge and skills I have acquired?"
Three shifts stand out. First, careers are becoming less linear. Fewer graduates will spend decades with one employer. More will move between roles, sectors and even forms of work, including freelancing, contract work and entrepreneurship. The gig economy has moved to the centre of working life. For many young South Africans, it is the front door to employment. Second, the boundaries between disciplines are dissolving. Employers increasingly want people who can work across fields, such as scientists who can communicate, accountants who understand data and humanities graduates who are comfortable with technology. Third, the skills that hold their value are the human ones. These include judgement, ethical reasoning, the ability to work with people unlike yourself, and the willingness to keep learning. Qualifications open doors. These capabilities keep them open.
QUALIFICATIONS OPEN DOORS.
At UWC, we cannot pretend that the challenges of life have neat solutions.
THESE SKILLS KEEP THEM OPEN.
UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 3
FROM THE RECTOR’S DESK
What should you do to stay ahead? Do not wait for the future to arrive. Build a habit of learning now through short courses, campus roles, volunteering and student leadership. Treat every experience as evidence you can point to. Stay curious about fields adjacent to your own. The most interesting opportunities in the next decade will sit at the intersections.
What is the one piece of advice I always share with graduating students? Start before you feel ready. Many of our students, especially those who are the first in their families to reach university, wait for permission or for the perfect job advertisement, the complete skill set, the moment of full confidence. That moment rarely comes in life, let alone in graduation.
What role does technology, and especially AI, play in changing careers? APPLY FOR THE ROLE THAT
AI is playing a bigger role every year and I want to be candid about both sides of it. AI tools can genuinely help you. They can enhance a CV, help you prepare for an interview and make your job search more efficient. Use them. But use them as a starting point, not a substitute for who you are. Employers are already learning to spot the application that was generated instead of written and an AI-polished CV that you cannot back up in person, will not carry you far. As one of the articles in this edition puts it, don't let your AI CV walk into the interview without you!
TECHNOLOGY SHOULD EXTEND YOUR THINKING, NOT REPLACE IT.
As machines take over more routine work, the value of distinctly human abilities will continue to grow. Technology should extend your thinking, not replace it. Learn the tools of your field. Digital literacy is now as fundamental as reading. Invest just as deliberately in your integrity, your relationships and your ability to make sound decisions under pressure. These are qualities that no tool can replace. 4 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
STRETCHES YOU AND REMEMBER THAT YOUR SKILL SET EXTENDS FAR BEYOND YOUR KNOWLEDGE SET.
Apply for the role that stretches you and remember that your skill set extends far beyond your knowledge set. We often forget that how you learn and apply yourself is as important as how much you have learned. Ask the question in the meeting. Take the internship that isn't perfect and make something of it. Your first job won’t define your career, but what you do with it will. And remember where you come from. UWC graduates have never had the luxury of easy conditions, yet they lead in every sector of South African life. That is what happens when ability meets perseverance. Excellence is never a destination, but rather the combination of persistent application and insight; you carry both. The future of work will keep changing but graduates who can think critically, adapt and act with purpose will always be needed. Be one of them. CU
Your first job won’t define your career, but what you do with it will.
DVC’S CORNER
1
PREPAREDNESS CANNOT HAPPEN IN ISOLATION: Success relies on a connected ecosystem of education providers, employers, communities, policymakers, entrepreneurs and students working in unison.
2
AI RESHAPES WHAT EMPLOYERS VALUE:
Technical skills now decay faster than ever, making uniquely human capacities and adaptive skills the ultimate currency in an automated workforce.
Prof Matete Madiba Deputy Vice-Chancellor, Student Development and Support, University of the Western Cape
Beyond the Degree: Ecosystems for Navigating Future-Ready Employability YOUR DEGREE IS YOUR ENTRY KEY into an interconnected, human-centric ecosystem.
The Human-LEAD-in-the-Loop In our previous issue, we explored why students must look beyond the degree to prepare for a rapidly shifting, technologydriven world, emphasising how experiential interventions and AI upskilling can safely contribute towards strategic career pivoting. As generative AI and automation become deeply embedded across every industry, two core realities come into focus:
Competitive graduates require three complementary capabilities: deep disciplinary expertise, digital fluency and distinctly human capacities, the kind of capacities AI cannot replicate. A degree still carries immense weight, but the AI-born economy is not a threat to human work; it is a redefinition of it. While much is made of keeping the "Human-in-the-Loop" when deploying AI systems, we must take a bolder stance: Human-LEAD-in-the-Loop. In any role where AI is deployed, humans must not merely exist alongside machines. Humans must guide machines for the greater good. This is where Ubuntu plays a central role. By preparing to lead AI rather than be displaced by it, graduates can move past the fear of automation and take ownership of their career trajectories. Core capacities like analytical thinking, structured problem-solving and deep subject knowledge remain irreplaceable.
The competitive graduate is not human OR digital. The competitive graduate is human PLUS digital. UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 5
DVC’S CORNER
Higher education shouldn't be viewed merely as a pipeline into standard employment but as a catalyst for broader economic participation. Education alone doesn't create jobs; educated, adaptable people identify opportunities, drive innovation and create jobs for others.
Living the Experience Listening to students reflect on their life-changing experiences at the Entrepreneurship and Empowerment in South Africa (EESA) certification ceremony, or watching the UWC ENACTUS team polish their pitch for the national competition, serves as a powerful reminder: these experiences elevate the ultimate value of their time on campus, and the weight of the degrees they will receive. Long before they walk across the stage on graduation day, these proactive students are seizing on-campus opportunities to prepare for the road ahead. Consider EESA: a six-week experiential learning initiative that brings together students from UWC and four U.S. universities to support emerging township entrepreneurs. These small-business owners receive targeted consulting, mentorship and fresh perspectives from cross-cultural teams. It is a dynamic blend of business development, social impact and global collaboration built on solid strategic partnerships—the very ecosystems UWC continues to build to ensure our graduates are future-ready. This same spirit drives students outside the conventional business domain. Consider those crafting powerful evening theatre 6 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
performances that tackle pressing societal challenges, or the team behind the "Feel Good" music showcase—a student-led initiative organised to ease exam stress while giving creative talent room to flourish. Meanwhile, student broadcasters run the campus radio station, driving conversations around issues that matter most to their generation. Across a variety of fields, UWC students are distinguishing themselves, using their time on campus to build rich, multidimensional profiles.
The Architecture of an Ecosystem Graduate employability is a collective effort. When higher education institutions collaborate with industry, grounded in research and community engagement students gain direct access to practical insights and real economic opportunities. UWC serves as an anchor institution, delivering accredited qualifications while embedding real-world exposure. Core to the ecosystems of support for career development is UWC Career Xplora, a dedicated online career services, available 24/7/365 zero-rated via the UWC VPN. It is designed to connect students and alumni with graduate recruiters, job search resources and opportunities. It provides centralised job and internship opportunities; industry-specific notifications; skill-building and job-search document toolkits, for example: CV and motivation letter resources, review services and interview preparation guides; virtual and on-campus event integration including career xpos, bootcamps and employer masterclasses. It also provides continuity;
DVC’S CORNER
it extends access for up to three years after completion of their studies to support alumni throughout their early job searches and into the world of work.
The future of work is not about competing with machines—it is about sharpening your human strengths and stepping forward to lead with them. CU
Sustaining the Ecosystem: Your Action Plan To maximise your employability before you graduate: 1
2
Use AI as a productivity tool but double down on emotional intelligence, creative leadership, critical thinking and ethical judgment.
PLUG IN BEYOND THE CLASSROOM:
Engage with UWC Career Services, join student organisations, volunteer, or participate in the multitude of interdisciplinary initiatives across campus.
CULTIVATE HUMAN CAPABILITIES:
3
COMMIT TO LIFELONG LEARNING:
Maintain an agile mindset so you can continuously adapt as industry landscapes evolve.
UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 7
UWC CAREER XPLORA
Job Seearch Skills Project Graduatte Reecruitment Prrogramme Career Xplora Porttal Studen nt Orientation Prrogramme Gradu uate Compettency Develop pment Programme
Carreer Xpo Mock Interviews Project Em mployer Directory CV & Cover Letter Support Job Search Bootcamp
10 Years ofUWC Career Xplora A decade of preparing students for their future FOR 10 YEARS, UWC CAREER XPLORA HAS BEEN THE DIGITAL BRIDGE connecting UWC talent with top national and international employers. What started in 2016 as a vision to make career services accessible to every student has grown into an award-winning ecosystem that has informed over 30,000 student journeys.
Why 30,000+ students rely on UWC Career Xplora As mentioned in the previous article by our DVC:SDS, UWC Career Xplora is more than just a job board, it offers so much more, including an Employer Directory of 600+ companies and organisations searching for young talent. An Events Calendar with an automated newsletter and easy RSVP functionality for virtual and 8 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
on-campus JSSP workshops, Career Xpos and recruiter events. You’re backed by an award-winning career service recognised nationally by top employers.
SUSTAINED TRAFFIC:
Since 2021, UWC Career Xplora logins have exceeded 50k annually for five consecutive years and ending 2025 with 54,354 logins. Student consultations increased from <500 to 2,500+ annually. THE 30K MILESTONE:
In September 2025, the platform passed its 30,000th registered student user, since launch in 2017.
UWC CAREER XPLORA
FINALIST
2019
BEST CAREER SERVICE
WINNER
2019
BEST EMPLOYER REPRESENTATIVE
technological methodologies to support employer and student needs.
WINNER
2019
BEST WORK READINESS INITIATIVE
What's Next? From 2013 to 2018, we consistently achieved national recognition, placing in the Top 7 for both the "Best Career Service" and "Best Career Fair" categories, specifically Top 3 for both “Career Services” and “Career Fair” categories in 2014. The service reached a major milestone in 2019 again by breaking into the Top 3 for “Best Career Service” as an award finalist in the SAGEA Awards, especially winning the “Best Work Readiness Initiative” Award for revolutionising our services to students via UWC Career Xplora. During the Covid-19 pandemic, UWC Career Xplora was our digital shock absorber where we administered 5 fully virtual Career Xpos via the Simplicity app and all job search skills workshops evolved into lunch time and evening webinars. In 2021 and 2024, we placed in the Top 3 “Best Career Services” and we maintain a strong national presence as a campus of choice for recruitment among South African graduate employers. UWC consistently outperformed the national industry average across all six performance categories evaluated by graduate employers in the SAGEA Career Services Survey, especially the extent to which we use a career management system and/or other
Overcoming digital redlining Integrated UWC Career Xplora onto the UWC VPN list, making the platform completely zero-rated. Searching for opportunities must not cost money.
As we enter our next decade, UWC Career Xplora continues to evolve with smart tools to give you an even sharper edge in the job market. Watch out for new updates and tools in the near future.
Student Voice Spotlight I value the Career Xpo-Workshops & Events most, as they connected me with professionals, mentors, and career insights I wouldn't have discovered otherwise. These experiences broadened my perspective and brought me closer to the corporate world. ALIZO NCOMBO
Career Xplora has significantly enhanced my job search experience by providing me with a comprehensive platform to explore various career opportunities, connect with industry professionals, and gain valuable insights into the job market. YABANATHINKOSI DIMANE
It's streamlined my job search process, providing access to relevant opportunities, resources, and tools that help me tailor my applications and improve my chances of landing my dream job in development. BWIMA MAWAZO
Centralized hub Transitioned from scattered physical notice boards to a single, digital source of truth for all employment opportunities.
Digital onboarding Launched aggressive digital literacy campaigns to get team and students fluent in the new digital ecosystem.
UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 9
UWC CAREER XPLORA
It helps us in being aware of the different career paths of an accounting and financial accounting student. It also enabled us to see which organisations are ideal for growth and long-term stability for a fresh graduate. TUMELO LEKHELEBANE
It [Opportunities Board] has helped me open up to the possibilities of finding nearby work for students. The app is smooth and easy to navigate through, so it helped reduce technical barriers I'd sometimes face when applying for a job on other platforms. LWEZI MAJOZI
Through this component [Opportunities Board]I was able to apply and get accepted for vacation work at two law firms in the past year... It has made it easier for me to get job opportunities unlike scrolling through the internet for opportunities. IRISH KEITUMETSI MOEKETSI
Your 4-Year Playbook on UWC Career Xplora Year 1: Settle and Explore Access UWC Career Xplora using your iKamva log in details, complete your account settings (very importantly indicate your majors), explore the various tools and services on offer.
Year 2: Build and Connect As you connect, discover and grow, download the CV toolkit to build your career strategy and market yourself effectively. Utilise the Employer Directory to identify and follow your ideal employers. Attend job search skill workshops and recruitment events to build insight into realities of the job search. Build your LinkedIn presence. 10 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
Final Year: Launch and Apply Get your job search documents professionally reviewed by Career Services, ensure that your notifications for your opportunities are set to receive the weekly opportunities blast and recruitment events newsletter, practice mock interviews using the Mock Interview tool and apply for a myriad of opportunities.
Post Graduate and Alumni: 1,095 Days of Support Retain platform access for 3 full years after the completion of your studies to smooth your transition into the world of work. Return and support undergraduates at Xpos, guest talks, Journey to employability Bootcamps, by conducting mock interviews or sharing advice in the annual Career Update Handbook. Don't leave your career to chance. Log in at: https://uwc-csm.symplicity.com/students or download the “Symplicity Jobs and Careers App”. CU
STUDENT SUCCESS THERMOMETER
Early Insights, Better Outcomes How Predictive Analytics Supports Student Well-Being by the Office for Academic Skills, Centre for Student Support Services
10 Reasons to Use the Student Success Thermometer© 1
It's designed for the realities of the first-year transition and adjustment to university life. No student, especially first-generation students, arrives on campus fully prepared for the leap into tertiary studies. The SST meets you where you are in this ongoing journey of adapting into a unique and complex, ever-evolving, multidimensional fusion of academic and social environments.
2
It's a confidential self-assessment, so you stay in control and you are the only one who has access to your results. You conduct an evaluation yourself, which means the insights are honest, non-judgemental, personal and immediately useful.
3
It covers all six domains of your edu-socio bubble. Using 22 elements across the six domains, it maps the full environment that shapes your academic performance and not just your study skills in isolation.
4
It allows you to track your progress throughout the year. Complete it once
THE OFFICE FOR ACADEMIC SKILLS (OAS) IN THE CENTRE FOR STUDENT SUPPORT SERVICES has developed the Student Success Thermometer © (SST), an early warning self-assessment instrument designed to assist you in turning your academic journey into a successful career after graduation. The Student Success Thermometer has been recognised for its research excellence at the 2nd International Conference on Education Research (ICER) in Portugal during November 2025, and at two successive Southern African Association for Counselling and Development in Higher Education (SAACDHE) Conferences during September 2023 and 2024, the 2nd International Higher Education Teaching, Learning and Student Support Conference during May 2025 at UNISA as well as the International Conference on Academic Advising and Student Success (IC2ASS-26) during June 2026 in Mauritius.
The Student Success Thermometer © has been recognised for its research excellence.
UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 11
STUDENT SUCCESS THERMOMETER
per semester to see where you've grown, where you've slipped and how well you're adapting to your year level. 5
It gives you tailored resources, not just generic advice. Based on your personal results, the SST points you to specific guidance and support matched to your actual areas of development and strengths.
5
It tackles the hidden side of academic struggle. A low test or assignment mark is rarely just about studying harder; it is most probably a symptom of deeper issues in your personal and social environment. The SST helps you uncover what's really going on beneath the surface.
6
It strengthens your "scaffolding" for your academic and career success. Academic performance rests on non-academic competencies such as the tenacity, habits and support systems that carry you through university and into your career. The SST helps you build and reinforce that scaffolding.
7
It only takes 6-7 minutes. A few minutes of reflection could shape whether you pass, fail, coast or excel academically and open doors for your career. Few investments of your time have this kind of return.
8
It's free and available to every UWC student: no barriers, no cost, just open access to a tool designed for you.
9
It's proven and recognised. SST composite data now shapes targeted OAS workshops and the Graduate Development Programme.
12 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
Get started! Scan the QR code on the poster with your smartphone or access the website at: www.studentsuccessthermometer.com
Once you have completed the Student Success Thermometer ©, you will gain access to a navigator for each of the six domains of your edu-socio bubble.
Example of how your assessment results will be presented
STUDENT SUCCESS THERMOMETER
Leading Self 100 80 Personal Health
60
: 61
40 20 0 Leading Self
Self-Discipline
Self-Esteem
Personal Relationships
Conflict Resolution
Personal Health
You are highly motivated and able to comprehend and internalize the bigger picture. You have a strong sense of purpose, which you can use as a tool for success.
Clicking on the element in the graph will provide you with resources similar to this:
We encourage you to complete a selfassessment twice a year, once in the first semester and once in the second semester, to assess how well you have adapted to the university environment and your academic year level. Monitor your progress or regression across all 22 elements within the six measured domains to develop into a well-rounded student and successful graduate. The students who have already completed the Student Success Thermometer © are a testimony to how it has benefited their studies. CU I like how it’s able to give a representation of me as a person and shows where I may have overestimated myself. It was straightforward, and they asked clear questions with grammar that accommodates all. The fact that the results mentioned a true reflection of my behaviour. I felt I could be honest because nobody else have access to my results.
UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 13
SUBTITLE
LAW, REIMAGINED. At Werksmans, we believe the best legal minds adapt without losing their identity. Join a curated group of law graduates and rotate through dynamic practice areas within a supportive firm designed for meaningful connection and real influence.
14 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
A STEAM APPROACH
STEAM, not just STEM Equipping graduates to approach challenges holistically solutions are not only effective but also socially and culturally relevant. At UWC, we advocate for a STEAM approach that incorporates the Arts and Humanities into these disciplines.
5 Key Areas Where Arts & Humanities Students Lead by Nazrana Parker 1. Multilingual Technology GLOBALLY, THERE IS A STRONG EMPHASIS ON STEM (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) to address pressing challenges in technology and innovation. According to Prof Fiona Moolla, Dean of Arts and Humanities, while STEM advances technical knowledge, the Arts and Humanities provide the ethical, cultural and social frameworks needed to guide these advancements. By asking critical questions about meaning, purpose and impact, STEAM equips graduates to approach challenges holistically, ensuring that
THE FUTURE OF WORK NEEDS PEOPLE WHO CAN DESIGN, EXPLAIN, QUESTION AND CONNECT.
South Africa's unique language landscape creates a direct demand for human-centric tech roles: • Localisation: Adapting software, apps and digital platforms to fit local regional languages and cultural norms. • Language data work: Training AI models and speech-recognition systems to understand South Africa's diverse accents and dialects. • Inclusive interface design: Ensuring digital services are accessible to users across different educational and linguistic backgrounds. • Education technology: Developing digital learning tools in local languages to improve national literacy and education. UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 15
A STEAM APPROACH
2. Heritage and Creative Industries
4. Ethical and Human-Centred AI
Preserving our past while building the future offers incredible potential in:
As AI systems expand rapidly into hiring, banking, and governance, South Africa needs critical thinkers to ask:
• Digital archives: Moving historical documents and cultural artefacts into secure, equitable and searchable digital formats. • Museum and cultural tech: Enhancing how people interact with physical exhibitions using digital touchpoints. • Gaming with African narratives: Designing storylines and worldbuilding for video games rooted in authentic African mythologies and histories. • AR/VR storytelling: Using immersive technologies to bring local history and identity alive for modern audiences. • XR UX research to analyse how users psychologically and physically navigate digital overlays.
3. Public-Interest Innovation Humanities students are naturally suited for work at the intersection of technology, community engagement, policy, education and social justice. This includes: • Civic tech: Developing public digital platforms that increase transparency and make it easier for citizens to access municipal services. • Public health campaigns: Using data and targeted messaging to guide community health initiatives. • Research-led innovation: Investigating how systemic changes or technological deployments impact daily community life.
16 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
• Is this system fair? • Who is excluded by this algorithm? • Does it work accurately across local languages and communities? • What are the cultural consequences of automated decision-making? These are central questions.
5. Emerging and Under-Exposed Industries Some of the most promising STEAM pathways sit in fast-growing sectors that rarely get the attention they deserve and they are wide open to Arts and Humanities talent. Renewable energy and the just energy transition As South Africa moves away from coal, the energy sector needs far more than engineers. It needs people who can communicate complex structural changes, engage affected communities and shape fair policy. Consider roles in: • Community engagement and mediation for new energy projects. • Science and climate communication for corporate and public audiences. • Energy policy, ethics and social justice research. • "Just transition" advocacy that actively protects workers and vulnerable communities.
A STEAM APPROACH
Green and climate careers Sustainability is now a cross-cutting priority, not a niche field. Every green project requires storytellers, researchers, educators and ethicists. Consider roles in: • Environmental communication and corporate ESG (environmental, social, governance) reporting. • Climate education and regional awareness programmes. • Conservation storytelling, eco-tourism content creation and environmental advocacy. Upcycling and the circular economy Moving from a "take-make-waste" model to a circular economy requires a massive cultural shift, not just a technical redesign. Humanities students are uniquely equipped to drive this via: • Design thinking applied to product reuse, repair strategies and consumer upcycling. • Behaviour-change mapping and consumer awareness campaigns. • Heritage and craft-led sustainable design that honours local crafting traditions while repurposing resources. Bio-tech, digital health and longevity Medical science and digital health applications are growing quickly across the continent. These rapid advancements must be balanced with human empathy and rigorous ethical analysis. Consider roles in: • Bioethics and health policy, advising on genetic data privacy and local medical tech deployment. • Digital therapeutics (DTx) design, building digital mental health and wellness applications that keep
patients consistently engaged. • Medical humanities, studying how diverse local communities experience illness and trust healthcare systems. Geopolitical risk and disaster resilience In an era of global instability, supply chain shifts and rapid automated propaganda, organisations require human-centric analysts to navigate complex socio-political climates. Consider roles in: • Geopolitical forecasting, using deep historical and cultural contexts to guide corporate and NGO strategies. • Disaster sociology, designing emergency response and evacuation frameworks that account for human panic and regional community dynamics. • Digital warfare and disinformation analysis, tracking and countering online manipulation on social networks. Why does this matter to you? These sectors are still defining themselves, which means fewer rigid entry requirements and more room for people who can think across disciplines. Discover localised examples on LinkedIn to find people who studied: • Literature and now work in UX • History and now work in museum tech • Languages and now work in localisation or AI language tools • Philosophy and now work in AI ethics or policy • Fine arts and now work in creative tech or animation • Sociology, history or anthropology and now work in geopolitical risk forecasting, XR user research or corporate environmental, social and governance strategy UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 17
A STEAM APPROACH
This shows you both their training and their career pathways. Also register for electives in another faculty or online microlearning courses to upskill in design, digital tools, AI literacy and coding.
"What To Do Next" Pathway: Expose Î Equip Î Experience Î Employ • Expose: Attend university career talks and expos, follow cross-disciplinary STEAM professionals on social media, explore emerging industries and find alumni mentors. • Equip: Commit to completing at least one online micro-credential or short course per semester (e.g., AI literacy, basic data design, digital tools). • Experience: Your portfolios (academic assessment, CV and LinkedIn) should demonstrate more than academic performance, as many STEAM roles are hired through demonstrated projects, not just marks. Join mixed teams tackle
real South African problems, enter hackathons, support community projects, pursue internships and choose cross-faculty electives. Aim to add one practical co-curricular project to your portfolio each semester. • Employ: Intentionally design skillsforward project portfolios, use Career Services for focused consultations and CV/LinkedIn profile reviews and actively network. Reach out to the Centre for Entrepreneurship and Innovation (CEI) and the EMS Business Clinic if you have an innovative business idea you wish to turn into a reality.
As a graduate you can research, communicate, design and ask critical questions, to help shape industries that are still being built across the African continent. CU
STRENGTH
STEAM-LINKED CAREER EXAMPLES
Writing and storytelling
UX writing, science communication, technical communication, content design
Visual creativity
UI/UX design, digital media, data visualisation, product design
Social analysis
Policy tech, civic tech, user research, AI ethics, social innovation, disaster sociology, metaverse governance
Language and culture
Localisation, edtech, digital archiving, cultural technology
History and heritage
Museum tech, digital humanities, XR/AR heritage experiences, digital preservation
Philosophy/ethics
AI governance, responsible innovation, research ethics, neuro-ethics, longevity consulting
Education and communication
Learning design, edtech product roles, STEM outreach
18 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
CAREER FOCUS
Teaching Beyond Borders
by Yondela Ngqombo WHEN NHLANHLA MTAMBO GRADUATED FROM THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WESTERN CAPE with a Bachelor of Education specialising in Languages (Senior Phase) and Life Orientation (FET), he was eager to broaden his horizons as an educator. Teaching abroad presented an opportunity to gain international teaching experience, immerse himself in a different culture and grow professionally. That journey eventually led him to Saudi Arabia, where he taught at Al Motaqadimah International School in Jeddah.
For Nhlanhla, Saudi Arabia had become an increasingly attractive destination for international educators. As part of the country's Vision 2030 agenda, education has been identified as a key driver of economic and social development, resulting in growing investment in schools, curriculum development, educational technology and teacher development. International schools continue to expand, creating opportunities for qualified teachers from around the world. Reflecting on his decision, Nhlanhla says, "Teaching in Saudi Arabia offered me an opportunity to teach students from diverse cultural backgrounds while sharpening my pedagogical skills." His experience demonstrates that teaching abroad is not simply about changing countries but about expanding your perspective as an educator. UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 19
CAREER FOCUS
Finding the Opportunity Nhlanhla's journey began through networking. A friend introduced him to a recruitment agency that specialises in placing South African teachers abroad. Through the International School Employment Foundation (ISEF), he submitted his CV, qualifications and supporting documents before being invited for an online interview with Al Motaqadimah International School in Jeddah.
Education or a Postgraduate Certificate in Education, together with teaching experience. According to his experience, schools often look for candidates with at least two years of teaching experience. This aligns with broader international school recruitment trends in Saudi Arabia, where schools frequently require a recognised teaching qualification, police clearance and previous classroom experience. For students considering teaching abroad, Nhlanhla recommends building a strong professional profile while still studying. Volunteer teaching experience, tutoring, leadership roles and practical teaching placements can strengthen future applications. Before applying, it is also important to ensure you have the necessary documentation ready, including:
International schools generally seek qualified educators with relevant teaching credentials and classroom experience. His experience reflects a common pathway into international education. Many schools in Saudi Arabia recruit through agencies or directly through their websites. International schools generally seek qualified educators with relevant teaching credentials and classroom experience. One of the most consistent requirements Nhlanhla encountered was a recognised teaching qualification, whether a Bachelor of 20 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
• A recognised teaching qualification • Academic transcripts • A valid passport • Police clearance certificate • Medical reports • Teaching credentials and references • Certified copies of important documents Having these documents prepared in advance can significantly speed up the recruitment and visa process.
Life as a Teacher in Saudi Arabia Teaching abroad involves far more than standing in front of a classroom. Nhlanhla's daily responsibilities included lesson preparation, teaching, marking assessments, attending staff meetings, participating in school events and engaging in professional development workshops.
CAREER FOCUS
As part of his professional growth, he also attended training sessions focused on classroom management and supporting neurodivergent learners. This aligns with broader trends within Saudi Arabia's education sector, where professional development and teacher quality continue to receive increased attention as part of ongoing educational reforms. For graduates seeking continuous learning opportunities, international teaching can provide significant professional growth.
Adapting to a New Culture Moving to a new country inevitably comes with challenges, but for Nhlanhla, embracing the local culture became an important part of his experience.
"I made an effort to understand local customs, show respect for cultural norms and stay open-minded throughout,".
His willingness to learn about local customs, workplace etiquette and cultural expectations helped him build strong relationships with colleagues and students, making the transition smoother. His experience highlights the importance of cultural sensitivity and adaptability for anyone considering teaching abroad.
Skills Gained Along the Way Looking back on his journey, Nhlanhla believes one of the greatest rewards has been the professional and personal growth he experienced. During his time in Saudi Arabia, he strengthened his: • Cross-cultural communication • Classroom management • Adaptability • Confidence as an educator • English language teaching skills He also taught Social Studies, which exposed him to the cultural norms and values of Saudi Arabia and the broader Gulf region. UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 21
CAREER FOCUS
As Saudi Arabia continues modernising its education sector and integrating new technologies and teaching approaches, educators are increasingly exposed to innovative educational practices and diverse learning environments.
Challenges and Lessons Learned While teaching abroad has been rewarding, Nhlanhla acknowledges that the transition was not without its challenges. Some of the initial obstacles included language barriers and adapting to a new cultural environment. He overcame these challenges through patience, continuous learning and the support of his colleagues. His experience also reinforced the importance of carefully evaluating employment contracts, housing arrangements, workload expectations and school culture before accepting a position. Experiences can vary significantly from one school to another, making thorough research and conversations with current or former staff essential before making a decision.
Looking Back For Nhlanhla, teaching in Saudi Arabia has been a worthwhile experience. It has expanded his professional capabilities, strengthened his cultural awareness and helped him grow into a more adaptable educator. Reflecting on his journey, he identifies adaptability and cultural understanding as the most valuable lessons he gained. His experience demonstrates that teaching abroad is not simply about employment; it is also about becoming a globally-minded professional. For UWC students and graduates who are eager to challenge themselves, develop internationally recognised skills and experience education from a different perspective. As Nhlanhla's story shows, success beyond borders begins with preparation, curiosity and a willingness to embrace new experiences. CU
For graduates considering a similar path, it is important to evaluate: • Salary and benefits • Accommodation arrangements • Healthcare coverage • Cost of living • Visa requirements • School accreditation and reputation • Professional development opportunities • Working hours and expectations Choosing the right school is often just as important as choosing the right country.
22 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
Teaching abroad is not simply about employment, it is also about becoming a globally-minded professional.
THE ULTIMATE CAREER DIFFERENTIATOR
From First-Year Pivots to Global Forums A Blueprint for the Modern African Scholar
by Bridgetti Mashabane IN THE CURRENT SOUTH AFRICAN ECONOMIC CLIMATE, a primary degree is often a baseline that masks a saturated market. For graduates from historically disadvantaged institutions such
as the University of the Western Cape (UWC), the transition into the professional world requires more than just a certificate; it necessitates a strategic intervention against the structural limitations of a generalist qualification. In this landscape, a postgraduate degree is the ultimate career differentiator. It is a bridge that converts local academic potential into globalstandard research excellence. A quintessential archetype of this trajectory is Apiwe Macingwane, a 25-year-old PhD candidate in Computer Science at UWC. UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 23
THE ULTIMATE CAREER DIFFERENTIATOR
Her journey from a Bachelor of Science in Mathematical and Statistical Sciences to a globally recognised researcher, demonstrates how a calculated academic path can transform personal ambition into community upliftment. Her success is not merely a personal win; it is a blueprint for the modern South African scholar.
The Pivot: Transitioning disciplines and finding purpose Success in the modern knowledge economy demands a high degree of adaptability. For many scholars, the early career phase is about identifying how foundational strengths such as an aptitude for quantitative analysis can be leveraged into high-impact, emerging fields. Apiwe’s transition into Computer Science was not a predetermined path but a strategic pivot sparked by curiosity and peer influence.
Apiwe Macingwane’s transition into Computer Science was not a predetermined path but a strategic pivot sparked by curiosity and peer influence. In her first year of study in 2018, she and her friend Sisipho, attended the UWC Career Xpo; a decision that would shape the course of their academic journeys. Inspired by what they discovered about the field of Computer Science, they encouraged one another to take a leap of faith and add the module to their curriculum. This decision required significant academic resilience as they had to repeat their first year in 2019 to properly align their academic credits with this new calling. It is vital to note that this "detour" did 24 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
not dilute Apiwe’s excellence; she graduated Summa Cum Laude in her Bachelor of Science in Mathematical and Statistical Sciences in 2021. This chronology proves that aligning one’s studies with a true calling is far more valuable than adhering to a linear, three-year timeline. Academic excellence provides the foundation but strategic alignment provides the impact.
Solving local problems with global technology The most rigorous research often contains a layer of profound social impact. Aligning academic inquiry with urgent community needs, such as public safety, enhances the validity of the research and the researcher’s professional profile. Apiwe’s work exemplifies this "intellectual rigor" by applying Frequent Pattern-based Models, Clustering and Reinforcement Learning to the South African policing context. Her primary contribution, The CrimeTracker system, is a web-based crime support tool designed to bridge the gap between academic theory and operational law enforcement in under-resourced communities.
By utilising hotspot mapping and real-time alerts, the system provides a functional resource for the South African Police Service (SAPS) and the City of Cape Town. Her postgraduate work led to several significant
THE ULTIMATE CAREER DIFFERENTIATOR
achievements, reflecting her commitment to research excellence and a sustained record of scholarly productivity. These include: • A robust publication record: Apiwe has authored four peer-reviewed papers during her postgraduate journey, including IST-Africa 2023 (IEEE), SACAIR 2023 (Springer), Discover Computing (Springer, 2025), and IGI Global (2026). • National media recognition: She was interviewed by SABC News regarding the practical implications of her "CrimeTracker" research. (Available on YouTube: https://youtu.be/k6AG5QrhZ1 U?si=Ybd7VvHTGv5KGRWE)
Interacting with Turing Award winners and sharing tables with Nobel Laureates validated that South African research, specifically that rooted in local frequent pattern analysis for crime prevention is not just relevant, it is globally needed. It proved “that the path to making a significant contribution in science is not reserved for people from a particular background or institution. It opened my eyes to collaboration opportunities, funding avenues and research directions I had not previously considered”, as asserted by Apiwe. This is evident that a student from UWC can and should, stand alongside the best in the world.
• Operational integration: She was invited as a guest presenter at the Western Cape City of Cape Town Emergency Policing Incident Control (EPIC) and Core Application Refresh (CAR) Unit. • Expert advocacy: She served on a judging panel for start-up pitches, leveraging her expertise to promote diversity in the technology sector.
Breaking the ceiling: Lessons from the Heidelberg Laureate Forum (HLF) The Heidelberg Laureate Forum represents a global benchmark for excellence. In 2024, Apiwe was selected as one of only 200 young researchers globally to attend the Heidelberg Laureate Forum (HLF) in Germany. This selection was a watershed moment, proving that UWC’s academic rigour competes with the world’s elite institutions. This experience in Germany yielded critical strategic takeaways such as:
The critical role of supervisor-student relationship and institutional support The supervisor-student relationship is the most critical strategic alliance in a scholar's life. A supervisor acts as a gatekeeper to funding, publications and international networks. Prof Omowunmi E. Isafiade has played this role for Apiwe, providing a masterclass in how institutional support can bridge the gap of "digital equity." When Apiwe lacked a personal computer, Prof Isafiade motivated the Department of Computer Science to provide one which is an essential intervention for a student at a historically disadvantaged institution. Beyond the physical, the supervisor provides UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 25
THE ULTIMATE CAREER DIFFERENTIATOR
psychological safety. When she was invited to the Heidelberg Laureate Forum (HLF), her first instinct was to check with her supervisor to ensure the invitation was not a scam.
This "verification of legitimacy" is a crucial role for supervisors of students who have been historically excluded from global opportunities. This holistic support prevented the "university hopping" often seen when high-achieving students move to historically more advantaged institutions in search of prestige. By fostering a deep sense of belonging at UWC, Prof Isafiade ensured that she could build a distinguished profile while remaining at her home institution. She further credits this relationship as the spine of her success, stating she "held my hand through this entire journey." Furthermore, UWC provided the platform for her to develop the soft skills necessary for global leadership. Her roles as Secretary General of Dos Santos Residence and Treasurer of Women in Computer Science (WiCS) were not mere extracurricular activities; they were training grounds for the professional diplomacy required for success.
The balancing act: managing professional and academic demands The South African economy often necessitates a "dual-life" career path which is balancing full-time industry roles with high-level research. Today, Apiwe balances the demands of her PhD with a professional
Her advice to those facing similar pressures is to "start before you feel ready," acknowledging that growth occurs through the daily discipline of showing up, even when progress feels incremental. 26 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
THE ULTIMATE CAREER DIFFERENTIATOR
Postgraduate studies are not just about the qualification; they teach you how to think critically, solve complex problems and contribute knowledge that did not exist before. role as a Salesforce Developer at HH Insurance. This "dual life" is a modern reality for many high-achieving postgraduates, requiring a shift from the paralysis of perfectionism to a mindset of "consistency over perfection." Her resilience is rooted in the understanding that industry roles and academic research provide complementary laboratories for problem-solving.
Strategic advice: A call to action for UWC students Apiwe provides the following directives as a practical toolkit for the next generation of UWC scholars. 1
2
Mentorship: Seek a supervisor who provides holistic support and believes in your potential beyond the degree. The apply anyway mandate: Self-doubt is a greater barrier to success than any selection committee. Never disqualify yourself before you have submitted an application. Whether for a PhD
programme or an international forum like the HLF, the process of applying refines your CV and sharpens your academic identity. 3
Applied purpose: Align your research with urgent community needs to ensure immediate real-world impact.
Defining your own ceiling The journey from the lecture halls of UWC to the prestigious forums in Germany is a testament to the fact that circumstances do not define potential. Apiwe’s trajectory proves that the gap between local challenges and global excellence can be closed through personal resilience, strategic mentorship and rigorous research. To every UWC student: your background is not a limitation but a unique perspective that the global community requires. Apiwe closes off by saying “If you put in the work, stay curious and have the courage to put yourself forward, no stage in the world is too big for you. Your circumstances do not define your ceiling.” CU UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 27
100000001001000001111001001010111101010010100101000100101001011001 00 000 00 01 100 0 010 0 00 0 0 00 0 011 101001001010010100101001010110101001010010100100101010100010110101 10 0 01 010 01 10 00 01 01 10 010 10 01 0100101001010010 0 01 01010101000101101 010101010010101010010101010010111010011000100000001001000001111001 1010 00 01 10 01 10 01 101 10 010 01 1010011000100 00 0 00 00 0 0001 000 00 01 100 100 0 010000011110 01001010001001010010110010101001010010100101001001010010100101001 010100101001 01 0 10 01 10 00 01 10 00 01 1010 0100 01 0 0101001010 010010010101010001011010101010100101010010101010100101010100101010 1001010101000101101010101010 0010 01010010 01 0 101 10 0101 01010 00 010 1010 101010010101 YOUR FUTURE, UNLIMITED: ED: 100000001001000001111001001010111101010010100101000100101001011001 000010010000011110010010101 11110101001 1111010 101 01001 00 0 010 1010 10 0 00 010 00 01 1010010110 MOVE THE ULTIMATE POWER MOVE. 1010010010100101001010010101101010010100101001001010101000101101010 0100101001010010100101011010 0100101001 0100101 100101 101 0100 0 010 10 0 01 10 01 101 0 0 01 1 10 00 0 0 01011010 Accounting is the language of 10101010010 010011000100000001001000001111001001010111101010010100 0010000011 11 1 110 1001 00 01 10 00 01010 1011 11 11 1010100101 business. A qualification from SAICA A100101001 110010101001010010100101001001010010100101001010110101001010010100 01010010100101001010010010 10 1 010 0 01 0101 0101 011 110 101010 10 1 01 10 0 010100101 opens doors to leadership, influence, e,010101001 101010101010010101001010101010010101010010101010010111010011000100 010101001010100101010101001 10 101 010 01 101 0100 0 010 010 01 11 110 1010 10 01 0 100010 and global opportunities. 1100100101011110101001010010100010010100101100101010010100101001010 100101001 01 0 101 0110 10 01 0101 10100 01 0 100 0 01 10 010 10 01010010 01 01 1001010110101001010010100100101010100010110101010101001010100101010 01010001 10 01 110 010 1010 1010 1010 1010 10 0 01 10 01 101 0100 0 01010 Accountants are… The back bones of business: many of the world’s most successful CEOs, CFOs, vicepresidents, chairman/woman and finance managers are accountants. Decision makers: the work accountants do shapes and grows businesses for the future. Business owners and entrepreneurs: in fact, business tycoon, John D Rockefeller; Phil Knight, one of the founders of Nike; and Stephen Saad, co-founder of Aspen Healthcare, all studied to be accountants. Top earners: local and global studies show that accountants are among the top 10 earners in the country. Game changers and difference makers: both in their industries and in society at large.
In fact, there are so many jobs that centre on accounting that, these days, the demand for accountants is growing faster than ever. Plus, since being an accountant comes with great pay, travel opportunities, the chance to help businesses grow into the next decade and beyond as well as opportunities to change the world, it really is one of the most exciting and versatile career paths you can pursue.
So what are you waiting for? Enter the exciting world of accounting by becoming a Chartered Accountant, Associate General Accountant or Accounting Technician. Visit: www.accountancysa.org.za/youth-hub/
28 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
REDEFINING NETWORKING
Neurodiversity, Networking and Career Planning by Bridgetti Mashabane
NETWORKING IS A POWERFUL TOOL FOR YOUR CAREER GROWTH, but as Career Services, we recognise that traditional methods aren't built for everyone. For many students, particularly those who identify as neurodivergent; the conventional networking landscape can feel like a trial of systemic barriers. The stereotypical image of networking involves fast-paced, noisy rooms and complex social hierarchies that often prioritise specific
sensory preferences and "unwritten" social rules over your actual professional merit. It is time to change that narrative. We view neurodiversity as the natural, valuable variation in how human brains function. This includes conditions such as Autism Spectrum Disorder (ASD), Attention Deficit Hyperactivity Disorder (ADHD), dyslexia, dyspraxia, stuttering and Tourette syndrome. UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 29
REDEFINING NETWORKING
As well as the more subtle neurodivergent traits and ways of thinking that may not always be formally and clinically diagnosed. These differences shape how individuals learn, communicate, process information and interact with their environment in unique ways. These aren't "deficits" to be fixed; they are different ways of engaging with the world. The objective of this guide is to help you shift your focus from "fitting in" to a neurotypical mould toward leveraging your unique cognitive strengths. It is to help you find authentic connection methods that align with your communication style. Success doesn’t require a forced social performance; it begins with redefining what networking actually looks like for you.
Redefining networking: quality over performance The first step in your journey is a strategic shift: moving away from high-energy social performance and toward meaningful, relationship-based interactions. When networking is treated as an intimidating "event," it becomes a barrier. When viewed as a series of manageable, purposeful connections, it becomes your greatest asset. At its core, networking is simply the act of forming connections for mutual support and the exchange of information. This purpose is often buried under the "noisy, fast-paced" stereotypes that can feel exclusionary. By stripping away these expectations, you can focus on building a professional circle that values substance over small talk. • From performance to information: View networking as an opportunity to gather facts and learn, rather than a stage where you must perform a persona. 30 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
• From quantity to quality: Prioritise three deep, structured conversations over thirty brief shallow ones. • From "Fitting In" to adding value: Your unique perspective is a professional contribution. You are not here to be "normalised"; you are here to contribute. • From social pressure to structured interaction: Choose environments where the "rules of engagement" are clear and the sensory input is controlled. Once you embrace the idea that networking is about the quality of the connection rather than the volume of the noise, you can begin choosing the specific platforms that allow your communication style to shine.
Strategic alternatives to traditional networking environments Choosing the right medium for communication is not just a preference but a critical career strategy. By selecting environments that reduce sensory overload and social anxiety, you can focus your energy on what matters, such as your expertise and your goals.
1. Informational interviews Unlike a high-stakes job interview, an informational interview is a one-on-one scheduled conversation focused on learning. This structure is a massive advantage because it removes the "ambient noise" and unpredictable social cues found in group settings. It allows you to focus entirely on subject matter expertise in a quiet and controlled environment where the agenda is set in advance.
2. Digital platforms (LinkedIn and Email) Platforms like LinkedIn allow for asynchronous communication, which is a game-changer for
REDEFINING NETWORKING
those who need time to process information. This medium allows you to bypass the "social mask" and the pressure of real-time verbal processing. For students with Tourette syndrome, stuttering or dyspraxia, where real-time motor or vocal tics can make high-pressure speaking more taxing, written communication provides a space to be judged solely on the quality of your ideas and your professional achievements.
3. Structured events Large career xpo’s can often be a sensory nightmare, consider attending at lower traffic times. In addition, smaller workshops, panel discussions or on-campus company presentations offer a much clearer format. These environments have defined expectations and a predictable flow. This reduces the cognitive load required to "figure out" the social situation, leaving you with more energy to engage with the actual content of the event.
advocate for a strengths-first identity. Your neurodivergent traits often translate directly into high-value professional assets that employers are actively seeking.
1. Mapping neurodivergent strengths to professional value NEURO DIVERGENT TRAIT
WORKPLACE VALUE AND IMPACT
Attention to detail
High accuracy in complex tasks; identifies errors others miss in quality control.
Non-linear thinking
Innovative problem-solving provides the "outside the box" creative insights companies need to evolve.
Pattern recognition
Identifying trends and proposing systemic improvements that increase efficiency.
Deep focus
Intense concentration and high productivity when engaged with specific, complex projects.
High persistence
Strong dedication to completing structured tasks and following through on challenging long-term goals.
4. Community integration Joining student societies, professional associations or volunteer projects allows relationships to form naturally through shared interests and collaborative work. This moves the focus away from "networking" as an abstract, terrifying task and places it on the tangible value of the work you are doing together. It allows your peers and mentors to see your reliability and talent in action over time.
The Strengths-Based Approach: Letting your work speak Strategic career development means moving away from a "medical model" that focuses on what you struggle with. Instead, we
Success is about finding the people and organisations that recognise that diversity of thought is not just a buzzword but a professional advantage. With the right strategy and support, you will find a path that aligns with your values and strengths.
UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 31
REDEFINING NETWORKING
2. Passive networking: The digital portfolio If verbal self-promotion feels like a barrier, you can utilise "passive networking." By building an online portfolio, technical blog or personal website, you allow your work to speak for itself. Sharing your research, creative projects or code creates a digital footprint that attracts potential employers to you. This shifts the dynamic: instead of you having to push into social circles, people come to you because of the value you have clearly displayed.
Navigating recruitment, interviews and onboarding Understanding what inclusive recruitment looks like empowers you to identify supportive employers and advocate for the adjustments you need to perform at your best.
1. The job search: What to look for Seek out employers who use clear, structured and accessible job descriptions. Inclusive organisations avoid ambiguous "corporate-speak" and are transparent about role expectations. Look for companies that offer alternative ways to demonstrate skills, such as practical tasks or work samples, rather than relying solely on a traditional CV.
2. The interview: Requesting adjustments The interview should be a test of your ability to do the job, more than your ability to navigate a social minefield. You have the right to request adjustments that create an equitable playing field. Look for or ask for: • Interview assessment guide in advance: Requesting an interview assessment guide or information on the competencies, skills and criteria that will be evaluated allows you to prepare effectively for the interview 32 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
process. This enables you to develop and practise responses through a mock interview based on the areas that will be assessed, ensuring that you can demonstrate your abilities and experience in a structured and meaningful way. • Competency-based assessment: Request for interviews that focus on your skills rather than "culture fit." "Culture fit" is often a code for social conformity, whereas competency-based models focus on what you can actually do. • Processing time: Requesting a few extra moments to formulate your response is a practical adjustment that removes barriers to performance.
3. Onboarding: Markers of support A supportive employer will ensure your transition into the workplace is handled with clarity. Look for markers of a "psychologically safe" environment, such as: • Predictability: Clear routines, step-by-step instructions and defined role expectations. • Mentorship: A "buddy" and/or mentor system to help you navigate the transition from student life to employment and the unwritten office culture. • Communication flexibility: The use of multiple formats (written and verbal) for feedback and instructions to ensure nothing is lost in translation.
Seek out employers who use clear, structured and accessible job descriptions. Inclusive organisations avoid ambiguous "corporate-speak" and are transparent about role expectations.
REDEFINING NETWORKING
Leveraging career services You don't have to navigate the transition from campus to career alone. UWC Career Services is here to help you explore networking strategies that respect your boundaries and highlight your talents.
We invite you to co-create this environment with us. If our events or digital spaces are not meeting your sensory or communication needs, please tell us. Your feedback directly informs how we adapt our services to ensure every student, regardless of neurotype, has an equal path to success. Email us at: careerxplora@uwc.ac.za
We can guide you on: • Drafting communication: Helping you write LinkedIn connection requests or "cold" emails for informational interviews. • Practice & preparation: Conducting mock one-on-one meetings in a controlled, safe environment to build your confidence. • Event adaptation: Helping you modify your approach to career events to better align with your sensory preferences.
Your authenticity is your career asset. It is a common misconception that professional success requires you to be outgoing, charismatic or "socially fluent" in a traditional way. In reality, your greatest professional asset is your authenticity and the unique way you solve problems. By choosing strategies that respect your communication style, you aren't "avoiding" networking; you are networking more effectively. Networking is not about fitting in; it’s about mutually connecting with the right people who bring value to the table. CU
UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 33
CAREER XPO SURVIVAL GUIDE
THE CAREER XPO SURVIVAL GUIDE FOR INTROVERTS AND OVERTHINKERS
worse, like you have no idea what you want to do with your life. You don’t need to be an extrovert to win at a Career Xpo. In fact, your natural traits such as listening, preparation and depth of thought are your superpowers.
by Nina Takane IF YOU ARE AN INTROVERT OR AN OVERTHINKER, the words "Career Xpo" probably sound less like an opportunity and more like a medieval trial by fire. You picture a loud, crowded hall. You imagine standing in line, rehearsing your pitch in your head, only to forget your own name when you finally reach the recruiter. You worry about sounding like a robot, or 34 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
This guide isn’t about pretending to be someone you’re not. It’s about strategically managing your energy and your anxiety so you can leave the Xpo with valuable connections, not a headache.
You don’t need to be an extrovert to win at a Career Xpo. Your natural traits such as listening, preparation and depth of thought are your superpowers.
CAREER XPO SURVIVAL GUIDE
PHASE 1:
PHASE 2:
The pre-game
The energy budget
(DO THIS 2 WEEKS BEFORE)
(THE INTROVERT EDGE)
The biggest mistake you can make is walking in "cold." For an overthinker, uncertainty is the enemy. To overcome that, you can prepare by doing the following: 1
The "Easier than Dating" Rule: Stop thinking about this as a "job interview,” rather, as a "fact-finding mission." You are a researcher trying to find out if this company is a good fit for you. This shift in mindset takes the pressure off. (Check out the article on Dating: Where every moment matters in Career Update 2024 p.g 50-52).
2
The Hit List: The entire hall might have 35 booths. Pick 5 that interest you and research them. Know their recent news, their mission, and one specific project they are working on.
3
Write down your script. It stops your brain from freezing. • The Intro: "Hi, I’m [Name], a [Year] majoring in [Major]. I’ve been following [Company Name]’s work in [Specific Area] and I was curious about..." • The "Why Me": Jot down 3 bullet points that are true about you (e.g., "Knowledgeable at data analysis," "Detail-oriented," "Experienced in group projects"). You don't have to recite them; just have them in your back pocket if you freeze. • The Closer: "Thank you for your time. Is there anyone else you’d recommend I speak with?" or "What is the best way to follow up on this conversation?"
Here is the physical reality of being an introvert: You have a limited battery. If you try to talk to 20 recruiters, you will be drained by number 4 and the rest will be a waste of time. 1
The strategy: Go for quality, not quantity. • Consider lower traffic times: Attending at these times will be less overwhelming. • The "Warm Up" Booths: Don't start with your #1 dream company. Start with a company you are "meh" about. This is your practice run. Get the nervous energy out with a recruiter you are less interested in. • The Exit Strategy: It is okay to say, "Thank you for your insight, I’ll be sure to apply online," and walk away. You don’t need to talk for 15 minutes. A 3-minute focused conversation is better than a 10-minute awkward one. • Take a Break: The hall might be loud. If you feel overwhelmed, go to the bathroom or step outside for 5 minutes. Breathe, look at your notes and recharge.
Stop thinking about this as a "job interview,” rather, as a "fact-finding mission." You are a researcher trying to find out if this company is a good fit for you. This shift in mindset takes the pressure off.
UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 35
CAREER XPO SURVIVAL GUIDE
PHASE 3:
The question matrix (YOUR NEW BEST FRIEND) For an overthinker, the worst thing that can happen is running out of things to say. You end up blurting out, "So... what does your company do?" (which is on their banner right behind the recruiter). To prevent this, do not ask questions you can Google. Recruiters want to see critical thinking; rather, use this matrix to pick 2 or 3 questions that feel authentic to you. Category A: The "Culture Fit" questions (Best for when you want to see if you'd actually be happy there) • "What is the learning curve like for a new hire? How do you support someone in their first 90 days?" • "How does your team celebrate wins, or handle mistakes when they happen?" (This tells you if the culture is toxic or supportive.) • "If I joined your team, what would a typical Tuesday look like for me?" (This forces them to paint a picture of the daily grind). • "What is the most common piece of feedback you give to new graduates in their first year?" (Shows you are coachable). Category B: The "Growth & Future" questions (Best for showing you are ambitious and thinking long-term) • "What does career progression look like for someone starting in this role? What would my career trajectory look like after two years in this industry?" • "How does the company invest in professional development? Are there 36 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
subsidised opportunities to enroll for courses or certifications?" • "What is the biggest challenge the department is currently facing?" (This is a power move as it shows you are thinking about solving their problems). Category C: The "Stand Out from the Crowd" questions (Best for making the recruiter stop and actually think) • "I read that you recently expanded into a new market / launched a new product. How has that shift affected the day-to-day work for your entry-level employees?" • "What is a trait that people in this role often overlook, but you find essential for success?" • "Looking back at when you joined this company, what do you wish you had known on your very first day?" (This humanises the conversation and builds rapport). Category D: The "Logistics" questions (Best for when your brain is fried and you need a "safe" question) • "What is the timeline for the hiring process?" • "Is the internship programme more project-based, shadowing-based or rotational-based?" • "Are you looking for someone to start immediately or is the timeline flexible for the right candidate?"
Do not ask questions you can Google. Recruiters want to see critical thinking, rather ask questions that feel authentic to you.
CAREER XPO SURVIVAL GUIDE
PHASE 4:
The art of listening (YOUR SUPERPOWER) While extroverts are talking, you are listening. Recruiters remember people who actively listen and take notes. Here is a pro-tip for overthinkers: Instead of planning your next sentence while the recruiter is talking, use the "Parrot & Pivot" technique. • Parrot: Repeat back a key phrase they just said. "So you mentioned that the team works in agile sprints..." • Pivot: Follow up with a deeper question. "...How do you handle shifting priorities midway through a sprint?" When you ask specific, thoughtful followups, you don't have to lead with marketing yourself. The recruiter will naturally think, "This person actually cares about the work." PHASE 5:
Handling the crowd (WHEN SEVERAL STUDENTS ARE SPEAKING TO THE RECRUITER AT ONCE)
a different perspective of you. They might likely gravitate toward you for a calm, quiet one-on-one conversation. PHASE 6:
The body language hack (FOR WHEN YOU FEEL SMALL) When you are nervous, you naturally make yourself smaller. You cross your arms, look down or fidget with your bag. The fix: • The "Power Stance" before you walk up: Roll your shoulders back, uncross your arms and take one deep breath before you step to the table. • Hold your CV on the table: If they have a table, place your CV flat on it with both hands. This stops you from fidgeting and forces you to stand up straight. • Eye contact: You don't have to stare them down. Look at their eyebrows, the bridge of their nose or at their forehead if direct eye contact makes you freeze. They won't be able to tell the difference.
This is an introvert's nightmare. You wait in line, but 3 other students are swarming the recruiter, asking a lot of questions. Your strategy is not to interrupt. Step slightly to the side and make eye contact with the recruiter. Hold your notepad, wait for a natural pause in the group conversation, then say: "I don't want to interrupt the group, but I have a quick question about [specific topic] whenever you have a moment." This does two things: It shows you are polite (a huge green flag) and it gives the recruiter UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 37
CAREER XPO SURVIVAL GUIDE
PHASE 7:
The "Brain Freeze" emergency kit What if you go completely blank? It happens to the best of us. Here is your emergency eject button:
This proves you are professional, diligent and serious. It removes the "Does he/she remember me?" anxiety from your mind.
Final thought
Script: "I apologise, I actually had a question prepared and my mind just went completely blank! That's how excited I am to be here." (Then laugh it off).
You don’t need to be loud to be noticed. You need to be present, prepared and genuine. The Career Xpo is just a room full of people. Some of them are nervous recruiters, too. You are going there to gather information, not to win an Oscar.
Recruiters are human; they get nervous too. By acknowledging it with humour, you actually come across as confident and authentic. Then, you can simply pivot to one of the "safe" questions from Category D above.
Walk in with your hit list, use your question matrix in phase 3, conserve your energy, and remember: Listening is louder than talking. Take a deep breath. You’ve got this. Now go make connections on LinkedIn. CU
PHASE 8:
The follow-up (THE SECRET SAUCE) For an overthinker, the worst part is often the "waiting." Did I say the right thing? Did they like me? Take control of the narrative. As soon as you get home (literally that day), send a short email or LinkedIn message to the recruiters you connected with. This is where 80% of students fail and where you will win. The template: • Subject: Nice meeting you at the UWC Career Xpo • Body: Hi [Name], It was a pleasure speaking with you today. I really appreciated your insight into [specific topic you discussed]. It got me thinking about [something they mentioned]. I’m going to apply for the [Role] later this week. Thank you for your time! Best, [Your Name] 38 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
JOB ADVERTISEMENTS
Reading between the lines of a job advertisement
by Siyolise Tsitsi SCROLLING THROUGH JOB ADVERTS CAN SOMETIMES FEEL DISCOURAGING. One advert requires two years of experience for an entry-level position, another lists a long set of technical and interpersonal requirements, and others seem difficult to decipher.
It is easy to assume that job adverts are simply a checklist of requirements that determine whether you should apply. However, effective job seekers approach job adverts differently. They treat them as information sources that reveal what employers value, what issues they want to address and how candidates can present themselves effectively. Learning to read between the lines of a job advert can help you make informed application decisions, identify skills gaps, and submit stronger and more targeted applications.
Effective job seekers approach job adverts differently. UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 39
JOB ADVERTISEMENTS
Understand the purpose of the role When you understand the purpose behind the role, the rest of the advert becomes easier to interpret. Before focusing on qualifications or years of experience, ask yourself: Why does the role exist? Every position is created to meet a particular organisational need. Understanding this can help you identify what matters most to the employer. Read the job title together with the summary or overview section and look for clues about what success in the role would look like.
For example: • Is the organisation seeking someone to support operations? • Are they looking for a problem solver? • Is the role focused on customer interaction, administration, research or innovation?
Separate core requirements from preferred requirements One of the common mistakes job-seekers make is assuming they must meet every requirement listed before applying. Job adverts often include a combination of core and preferred requirements. Core requirements are the qualifications, competencies and experiences considered necessary to perform the role. Preferred requirements describe additional qualities that would strengthen an application but may not always be mandatory. If you meet most of the core requirements and can demonstrate potential to perform the role, do not automatically rule yourself out. 40 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
Identify the skills hidden in the responsibilities The responsibilities section often contains more valuable information than the qualifications section. Employers may not directly state the skills they are looking for, but the responsibilities often reveal them. Ask yourself what skills an employee would need to perform these responsibilities successfully. Then identify examples from your coursework, volunteering, projects, work experience and co-curricular activities that demonstrate those skills.
Job advert responsibilities • Coordinate multiple projects • Prepare reports and presentations • Engage with stakeholders • Analyse data and trends • Work independently
Skills the employer may value • Organisation and time management • Written communication and attention to detail • Relationship building and communication • Critical thinking and analytical skills • Initiative and accountability
Identify employer priorities through emphasis Emphasised phrase in a job advert often indicate what the employer values most, be sure to take note of them and use them to guide your application. This does not mean copying the advert word for word. Instead, demonstrate how your experiences align with those expectations.
JOB ADVERTISEMENTS
Learn to translate student experience into professional value
Use job adverts as career development tools
Job-seekers can sometimes overlook some of their experiences because they do not consider them as “real work experience”. However, employers often value evidence of capability more than employment alone. Experiences gained through coursework, volunteering, projects and co-curricular activities often demonstrate valuable skills such as communication, teamwork, project coordination, problem-solving, adaptability and taking initiative. Your role is to identify these experiences and connect them to the employer’s needs.
Even when not applying for a role, job adverts remain valuable learning tools.
Tailor your job search documents for each application Submitting the same job search documents for every opportunity may save time, but it often reduces effectiveness. Before applying: • Highlight keywords from the advert • Identify the top three to five skills required • Customise your Curriculum Vitae (CV) to emphasise relevant experiences • Reflect those priorities in your Letter of Motivation
REMEMBER:
Tailoring does not mean changing your experiences; it means choosing what you want to emphasise. The goal is to make it easier for recruiters to recognise your fit for the opportunity.
Reviewing advertisements regularly can help you: • Understand current industry expectations • Identify emerging skills • Discover alternative career pathways • Recognise recurring qualification requirements • Plan future learning opportunities
You do not need to wait until their final year to begin analysing adverts. You do not need to wait until your final year to begin analysing adverts. By starting early, you can make informed decisions about internships, short courses, leadership opportunities, volunteering and cocurricular activities that strengthen your employability profile. A job advert is more than a vacancy notice; it is a guide to understanding what employers value and how organisations define success. Learning to read between the lines allows you to approach the application process more strategically. The strongest applications are not always submitted by candidates who meet every requirement. They are often submitted by candidates who understand the role, recognise their strengths and communicate their value clearly. CU
UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 41
AI SKILLS ACCELERATION PROGRAMME
Build Future-Focused Skills. Explore AI. An intensive 5-day learning experience designed for unemployed South African Youth who want to gain practical, in-demand AI skills for the future of work REQUIREMENTS Unemployed South African youth
Basic computer knowledge
18–34 years ye ears with a Matric ce certificate ertificate
Can commit to 5 days intensive training
WHAT YOU WILL GAIN Google AI Essentials Certificate A globally recognised credential covering AI fundamentals, prompt engineering & responsible AI use.
Hands-On AI Skills Practical use of generative AI tools to create content, solve problems & apply AI in real settings.
SAQA-Aligned Training Unit Standard 114050 — nationally recognised learning on business principles & IT in the workplace.
Workplace Readiness Masterclasses to build confidence, communication skills & career readiness beyond technical training.
SPACES ARE LIMITED - REGISTER NOW CLICK HERE TO REGISTER 42 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
AI AND CVS
Don’t Let Your AI CV Walk in Without You skills can use AI to find the words. For many graduates entering the job market without professional networks or prior exposure to corporate environments, these are genuinely levelling benefits.
by Natalie Thomas AI HAS MADE THE JOB SEARCH faster, smoother and more accessible than ever before. A student who once spent hours staring at a blank screen can now have a polished first draft of their job search documents (CV and letter of motivation) in minutes. A student who struggled to articulate their
But there is a side to using AI in your job search that nobody mentions. And for a South African graduate entering a competitive job market, the dangers are specific, consequential and worth understanding before they cost you an opportunity.
The benefits Breaking the blank page: AI removes the paralysis of starting. For students who struggle with self-promotion or formal writing, having a starting draft to react to is genuinely transformative. CV structuring and language: AI helps students who weren't taught professional writing conventions to present themselves in the format employers expect.
43
AI AND CVS
Interview preparation: AI can simulate interview questions, give feedback on answers and help you anticipate what a specific employer might ask. Research acceleration: Understanding a company, an industry or a role in minutes rather than hours. Previously, walking into an interview prepared required a significant amount of time and effort. Letter of Motivation personalisation at scale: Applying to multiple positions is exhausting. AI can help you tailor a base letter to different roles without starting from scratch each time. Levelling the playing field: Graduates who enter the job market without professional guidance now have access to a similar quality of written output as those who do. That is a meaningful shift.
The dangers None of the following are reasons to avoid AI. They are reasons to use it with your eyes open. 1. The CV that sounds like everyone else's When thousands of students use the same AI tools with similar prompts, CVs start sounding identical. The same phrases. The same structure. The same tone. Recruiters, especially experienced ones, are already identifying AI-generated CVs on sight. In a pile of 200 applications, the one that sounds human and specific stands out. The ones that sound polished but hollow blur together. The danger: AI gives you a CV that is grammatically perfect but completely forgettable.
44 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
2. The lie you didn't technically tell AI will write confidently about skills, experiences and qualities you may not actually have, because you asked it to make you sound good and it obliged. Students sometimes submit these without fully reading them, not realising they've claimed competencies or described experiences in ways that don't accurately reflect reality. At Career Services, we often find examples of this during job search skill consultations. When an interviewer asks, "Tell me more about that project you managed as stated on your CV," and when the student can't answer, the damage is immediate and lasting. The danger: AI can accidentally make you a liar. And interviews are where the truth comes out. 3. The letter of motivation that went to the wrong company AI-assisted letters of motivation sometimes retain placeholder text, reference the wrong company name or include generic language that makes it obvious the letter was not written for this role. Recruiters notice immediately. It signals carelessness, which is the last thing a first impression should communicate. The danger: A letter of motivation with the wrong company name does not just fail; it disqualifies. 4. The hallucination on your CV AI sometimes invents dates, qualifications, software tools and certifications that sound plausible but aren't real. If a student doesn't carefully verify every line, they may unknowingly submit false information. In professional environments, this constitutes fraud. Some industries run background checks specifically against CV claims.
AI AND CVS
The danger: AI fills gaps with fiction. You are responsible for every word on that document. 5. Losing your voice at the worst moment South African employers, particularly in sectors like finance, law, social development and education, are hiring a person, not a document. Your authentic voice, your story, and your specific journey are often your greatest differentiators. AI smooths all of that out in favour of professional convention. Every student who has taken an unconventional path, navigated real obstacles or built something from very little carries a story that no AI prompt can replicate. That story, told with confidence and honesty, is frequently what tips the decision in an interview room. AI will turn it into bullet points. You need to make sure it stays human. The danger: AI edits out the very thing that makes you memorable. 6. You never learn to market yourself The ability to articulate your own value, in writing, in conversation, in an interview, is a skill built through practice. If AI does this from the beginning, you may arrive at interviews unable to speak about yourself with the same fluency as your CV suggested. The gap between the document and the person becomes visible and uncomfortable. The danger: AI builds your brand. When you show up, can you live up to it? 7. Confidentiality and privacy risks Students sometimes paste sensitive information into public AI tools without
considering where that data goes. Information such as full names, addresses, referee contact details or even about a current employer or internship. Most free AI tools are not confidential spaces. The danger: What you paste into a free AI tool may not stay private.
The part AI cannot do for you None of this is an argument against using AI. It is an argument for staying in the driver's seat. Use it to start, not to finish. Rewrite every draft in your own words until it sounds like you actually wrote it. Fact-check every line without exception. Read your letter of motivation out loud and cut anything you would not say in a room. Add specific details about the company or role that AI could not have known. And know your CV so thoroughly that any question about it feels like an invitation, not a trap. The students who use AI well are not the ones who let it speak for them. They are the ones who use it to show up better prepared, more informed and more articulate than they would have been without it. AI is a tool to enhance your efforts, not replace them. The outcome is yours. It can help you craft a stronger CV and prepare confidently for interviews, but once you sit across from an employer, everything that happens next is entirely yours. CU
AI can help open the door. You still have to walk through it.
UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 45
MODERN RECRUITMENT
Psychometric tests demystified What final-year and postgraduate students need to know about modern recruitment YOU’VE REFINED YOUR CV. You’ve submitted the application. Then the email arrives: “Please complete the online assessment within 72 hours.”
by Aphiwe Matiso
46 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
For many final-year undergraduates, Honours and Masters students, as well as those applying for internships, this moment can feel intimidating. What are these tests? Why do employers use them? How can you prepare?
MODERN RECRUITMENT
Psychometric tests remain a common part of graduate recruitment both in South Africa and internationally. Understanding them can give you a significant advantage.
They assess practical decision-making, ethical reasoning and problem-solving.
What are psychometric tests?
An emerging format where problem-solving, memory and attention are assessed through interactive or gamified exercises. These are often used by global employers to make testing more engaging and less intimidating.
Psychometric tests are structured, researchbased tools designed to measure a candidate’s cognitive abilities, behavioural tendencies and overall potential in a workplace environment. They are developed by industrial psychologists to provide objective and standardised measures across large applicant pools. Most psychometric tests fall into several main categories:
Game-based or interactive assessments
Why employers use them Psychometric tests are not arbitrary; they are a response to the challenges of hiring at scale. Employers rely on them for several reasons: 1
Cognitive ability tests These include numerical reasoning, verbal reasoning and logical or abstract reasoning. They measure how you process information, analyse data, identify patterns and solve problems, which are skills essential across almost every industry.
2
3
Personality questionnaires These assessments explore your behavioural preferences, such as how you handle stress, work in teams and approach decisionmaking. They are not about “right” or “wrong” answers, but about alignment with organisational culture and role requirements.
4
Fairness and consistency: Assessments provide a standardised way to evaluate candidates, ensuring that all applicants are measured against the same criteria. Predicting performance: Research shows that cognitive ability and behavioural traits can predict workplace success, especially for entry-level roles where experience may be limited. Managing high application volumes: Graduate programmes, internships and structured trainee schemes often attract hundreds or thousands of applicants. Psychometric tests help employers identify the strongest candidates early in the process. Global benchmarking: Multinational employers use psychometrics to maintain consistent standards across regions and countries, making it a key part of international recruitment pipelines.
Situational judgement tests (SJTs) SJTs present workplace scenarios and ask you to identify the most effective response.
Psychometric tests are designed to measure potential, not perfection. UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 47
MODERN RECRUITMENT
Industries that frequently use psychometric tests include Financial Services, Banking, Consulting, Engineering, IT and Technology, Fast-Moving Consumer Goods (FMCG), Telecommunications, Public Sector roles, Non-Governmental Organisations and Multinational graduate programmes. Importantly, these tests are relevant for students across all faculties, not just Commerce or Natural Science.
Your ability to solve problems and work well under pressure matters as much as what’s on your CV. How to prepare 1
Common myths debunked There is one “correct” personality profile — False. Reality: Employers are looking for alignment with specific roles, not perfection. Your unique traits can make you an ideal fit for one role even if you differ from other candidates. 2 You can easily fake personality tests — Unlikely. Reality: Modern tests are designed to detect inconsistencies, exaggeration or “faking,” so honesty is your best strategy. 3 If you do not pass, you are not employable — Incorrect. Reality: Cut-offs vary between companies. One unsuccessful assessment does not define your abilities or career potential. 4 Tests are designed to trick you — No, they measure thinking and behaviour patterns. Reality: They measure thinking patterns, problem-solving approaches and behavioural tendencies, not your ability to guess a “trick question.” 1
48 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
2
3
4
5
Practice cognitive tests: Familiarise yourself with numerical, verbal and logical reasoning exercises. Time yourself to simulate real assessment conditions. Online platforms and practice papers are excellent resources. Understand instructions carefully: Many mistakes happen because instructions were misread, not due to a lack of ability. Take a moment to clarify before starting each section. Take heed of grammar and language: Be mindful of your grammar and ensure your responses come across clearly. Set up your environment: Ensure a quiet space, a stable internet connection and a fully charged device. Minimise distractions and make your workspace comfortable. Answer personality questions honestly: Trying to guess “ideal” responses or using generative AI is often counterproductive. Consistency and honesty give a more accurate reflection of your fit. Take care of the basics: Sleep, hydration and mental focus are critical. Being rested can improve both reasoning and decision-making.
International applications If you are applying for opportunities abroad, psychometric testing may feel even more challenging due to:
MODERN RECRUITMENT
• Time zones and deadlines: Plan ahead to avoid technical or timing issues. • Global benchmarking: You may be competing with candidates worldwide, which means understanding the assessment format and practising under timed conditions is even more important.
If you are not successful Not passing a psychometric test does not define your career or potential. Selection criteria vary across organisations; an unsuccessful application often indicates that your profile did not meet a specific internal benchmark or that other candidates presented a more closely aligned competitive profile. If this happens, seek feedback wherever possible and use it to practice for future assessments. In the meantime, focus on strengthening complementary skills like work experience or leadership exposure. Finally, prioritise applying to roles that align more closely with your career objectives, natural strengths and behavioural tendencies.
Career Services is here to help you navigate the graduate job search and prepare for recruitment processes: • Attend our workshops to strengthen CVs, letters of motivation and interview skills. • Explore reputable online practice platforms for psychometric tests (e.g. SHL, Talent Q or other free practice sites) to familiarise yourself with test formats.]
Psychometric tests can become sources of insight rather than final judgments.
Many candidates view psychometric tests as a passive experience, less like an opportunity and more like a hurdle they must clear or a rigid system they have to endure. In reality, they are one element of recruitment that students can actively prepare for, engage with and learn from. Agency means understanding the purpose of assessments, preparing deliberately and recognising that no single outcome defines your value. It also means treating recruitment as a two-way process: while employers assess candidates, candidates are evaluating fit, expectations and organisational culture as well. When approached this way, psychometric tests become sources of insight rather than final judgments, which offer feedback on how you think, respond under pressure and make decisions. CU
UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 49
JOB SEARCH RESILIENCE
Rejections and Ghosting FOR MANY GRADUATES, the transition from university to the world of work is filled with anticipation and optimism. After spending years studying, developing skills and preparing for your future career, sending out applications often feels like the next logical step toward achieving your goals. However, the job search process does not always unfold as expected. You may receive rejection emails after applications and interviews or experience something increasingly common in recruitment today: “ghosting”, where employers stop communicating after applications, assessments or interviews without notice or disclosure.
Resilience is not simply about remaining positive during difficult situations, it is the ability to adapt, recover, learn from setbacks and continue moving forward despite uncertainty. 50 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
Building Resilience During your Job Search by Siyolise Tsitsi
While these experiences can feel discouraging, they also reveal an important reality of today's labour market: looking for and securing opportunities often requires more than qualifications alone; it also requires resilience. Resilience is not simply about remaining positive during difficult situations. In a career context, resilience is the ability to adapt, recover, learn from setbacks and continue moving forward despite uncertainty.
Understanding the reality behind rejections Many students and graduates immediately interpret rejection as evidence that they were not good enough. However, recruitment decisions are often influenced by many factors including: • receiving hundreds or even thousands of applications for a single opportunity • budget changes
JOB SEARCH RESILIENCE
• organisational restructuring • internal candidates • timing or specialised requirements Being unsuccessful does not necessarily mean that you lacked ability or potential. In many cases, employers select candidates whose experiences or skills closely match specific needs at that particular moment. Viewing rejection solely as failure can prevent you from recognising what you can gain from the experience.
Reframing rejection as information rather than failure Every application process provides useful information that can strengthen future opportunities. For example: • If you are consistently not progressing beyond the application stage, it may indicate that your job search documents need improvement or that your application is not aligned with the role requirements. • If you are receiving interviews but not progressing further, you may need additional interview preparation or practice communicating your experiences confidently. • If employers repeatedly mention a particular skill requirement, it could indicate an area development.
Rather than seeing rejection as a failure, view it as feedback even when feedback is not explicitly provided.
Understanding ghosting in modern recruitment One of the most frustrating experiences can be ghosting. You submit your applications, attend interviews, complete assessments and then wait. Days become weeks and eventually there is silence. It is easy to assume the worst: "Did I say something wrong?" "Was my application weak?" "Did I miss my opportunity?" The reality is that ghosting often reflects organisational processes rather than personal shortcomings. Recruitment teams frequently manage large application volumes and multiple vacancies simultaneously. Sometimes recruitment priorities shift, positions are placed on hold or communication processes are delayed. While this does not excuse poor recruiter communication, graduates should avoid allowing silence to define their self-worth or confidence.
A delayed response is not always a reflection of your value. Building resilience during the job search Resilience is not something people are simply born with, it is a skill that develops through experience and practice. Below are a few ways students and graduates can strengthen resilience throughout their job search journey: Focus on progress, not only outcomes Graduates often focus exclusively on receiving an offer letter as the epitome of progress. However, progress also includes: completing a strong UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 51
JOB SEARCH RESILIENCE
application, attending a networking event, improving your CV, practising interview questions, building professional connections and learning a new skill. These actions move you forward, even if results are not immediately visible. Continue building your profile while searching Job searching does not need to be a static waiting period. Use the time to strengthen your employability by: volunteering, completing short courses, participating in co-curricular activities, joining professional associations, working on personal projects and developing digital skills. Every experience contributes to your personal and professional growth. Avoid comparing timelines During the job search process, social media can sometimes create the impression that everyone else is progressing faster. You may see peers announcing internships, graduate programmes or new positions while you are still applying. Career journeys, however, are rarely identical nor linear.
Some graduates secure opportunities immediately, while others take longer to find pathways aligned with their interests and goals. Comparison often distracts you from your own development and progress.
52 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
Turning setbacks into career capital Many successful professionals describe rejection as part of their career journey. Often, the rejection and the ghosting that initially seemed disappointing later became valuable learning experiences that redirected them toward aligned opportunities. Resilience does not mean ignoring disappointment or pretending setbacks do not matter. Instead, each application submitted strengthens your ability to present yourself professionally, while every interview helps develop your communication and confidence. Over time, these experiences contribute to your personal and professional growth. The job search process is not only about securing employment; it is also a process of learning, adapting and developing professional resilience. A delayed response, an unsuccessful application or an unexpected setback does not mean that your career journey has stopped. In many cases, it simply means that more aligned opportunities are still yet to be discovered. CU
What sets them apart? CAREER UPDATE shares stories of graduates who have landed their first job. We tracked them to find out what they did during their job search and share the remarkable efforts that gave them an edge over their peers.
Chulumanco Manzini BCom Economics and Information Systems, 2025 Trainee Planner, Truworths My journey began on campus, where I focused on building practical experience alongside my studies. Working as a tutor in the Information Systems Department and serving as an examination assistant helped me sharpen my communication, problem-solving and ability to thrive under pressure. I was first introduced to Truworths through Career Services at one of the Career Xpos hosted on campus. That event inspired me to research the company further, delving into its various brands and overall positioning in the retail industry and ultimately submit my application. Throughout the interview process, I remained patient and grounded. Rather than relying on rehearsed responses or trying to give "perfect" answers, I shared my genuine views on the Truworths brands. What set me apart was my honesty, self-awareness, and willingness to grow. I was transparent about what I knew and what I didn't, demonstrating that I am an authentic, engaged and fast learner who can adapt quickly to a fast-paced environment. That approach paid off when I received my job offer before my graduation was officially confirmed. Looking back, this defining moment taught me that opportunities often arrive before you feel completely ready. What truly set me apart was my mindset, willingness to take initiative and dedication to growth, like rapidly developing my practical Excel skills once I stepped into the role.
UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 53
WALL OF FAME
Tamia Dambula BA Honours Psychology, 2025 Graduate Intern: Marketing and Innovation Unit, Strategic Projects, Wesgro Landing my internship was less about luck and more about intentional preparation. While studying, I completed short courses in lead generation and digital marketing to close my skill gaps. Instead of waiting for experience to find me, I pursued it. My time at Career Services exposed me to multiple industries, taught me how to position myself strategically and communicate my value to prospective employers. At Udubs Radio, I gained hands-on exposure in a fast-paced environment. Managing branding, curating content and running social media platforms simultaneously taught me how to think and execute across multiple marketing layers under pressure. At interviews, I spoke from experience rather than theory. That authenticity was difficult to overlook. Find environments where you can practise your craft. The confidence that comes from real experience is ultimately what sets you apart.
Saba Jamal BSc Biotechnology, 2024 Research and Development Intern, Afrigen Biologics and Vaccines What gave me an advantage during my job search was my commitment to preparing for every stage of the process. Before being offered my current internship, I applied for the UVU Bio training programme that required two interviews. I researched the programme, practised interview questions, and reflected on my strengths so I could present myself with confidence. This programme consisted of training followed by workplace experience. After successfully completing the training, I attended a final interview with the company offering the workplace experience. I prepared by learning about the company, its values, and the role, which helped me speak confidently and demonstrate my knowledge during the interview. My advice to science graduates is to take advantage of such opportunities. They provide valuable practical experience, help you develop professionally and offer an excellent opportunity to get your foot in the door and build a successful career.
54 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
WALL OF FAME
Lihle Gqwabe MSc Statistical and Data Science, 2025 Data Scientist, TFG Landing my first role took more than good grades; it took practical preparation. During my postgrad studies, I solved real-world problems using Python, SQL, SAS, and RStudio. At a Career Xpo, I received valuable advice on tailoring my CV to each role to clearly show my technical skills, projects and achievements. These changes made my preparation much stronger. A question I never ignored was, "Tell me about yourself". My response connected my education, projects, work experience and career goals to the role. Confident interviewing made a strong impression because employers valued my simple technical explanations. My advice is to invest in yourself before expecting employers to invest in you. Use Career Services, build practical projects, and prepare for interviews. Never stop learning. A qualification opens doors, but your preparation, confidence and willingness to keep improving help you stand out.
Farron Eland BCom Economics and Finance, 2025 Graduate Fund Accounting, Prescient Fund Services I was intentional about developing myself beyond my academic qualifications. While completing my degree, I also pursued my Commercial Pilot Licence. Balancing two demanding disciplines taught me discipline, resilience, time management and the ability to perform under pressure. As a tutor, I developed my communication and interpersonal skills. In interviews, I used these examples to demonstrate my adaptability, work collaboratively and manage competing priorities. I approached the recruitment process as something I could actively prepare for rather than simply hoping for the best. I researched Prescient’s business, refined my CV multiple times, practised interview questions by reflecting on my experiences to confidently explain not only achievements, but learnings. My advice is to be intentional about your personal and professional growth by building a well-rounded profile and communicating your experiences with confidence.
UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 55
WALL OF FAME
Wakeel Mcwhite BCom Honours Finance, 2025 Graduate Programme Transactional Banker, Standard Bank I made a conscious choice to build a professional identity. Beyond technical expertise, I developed my leadership, communication, and interpersonal skills as a Graduate Lecturer Assistant and local mosque volunteer. These experiences taught me to articulate complex financial concepts, collaborate across diverse teams, and lead with empathy. They enabled me to secure my role despite not being a top academic performer. My job search strategy was rooted in visibility, alignment, and strategic personal branding. I built a presence on LinkedIn, attended networking events, and engaged directly with industry professionals. I approached interviews as strategic conversations, demonstrating how my mission and hands-on experiences aligned with company culture. Ultimately, qualifications open doors, but your ability to show a clear sense of purpose, build relationships and communicate effectively allows you to deliver lasting value to an organisation.
Terrence Sethosa BCom Honours Human Resources, 2024 Recruitment Consultant, RG Setsquare When applying for the RG Setsquare post what distinguished me from other applicants was my strategic and consistent approach to the recruitment process. I ensured that my application was carefully tailored to align with the job specification, with particular attention to Applicant Tracking System (ATS) requirements. Furthermore, I incorporated relevant keywords and demonstrated how my qualifications and competencies matched the role. Presenting a strong application that effectively addressed the employer's selection criteria. Additionally, I drew on the knowledge and practical experience I gained during my previous experience to strengthen my application. I highlighted the transferable skills and professional competencies I had developed, demonstrating my ability to contribute effectively as a recruitment consultant. My commitment to presenting a well-structured, relevant and evidence-based application, combined with consistency throughout the recruitment process, enabled me to differentiate myself from other candidates and ultimately secure the position.
56 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
UWC ALUMNI NETWORK
4
Reasons to Stay Connected with UWC
AS A GRADUATE OF THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WESTERN CAPE (UWC), you are part of a community that drives academic excellence, innovation, and social impact. Here’s why joining and engaging with the UWC Alumni Community matters:
1
Showcase Your UWC Affiliation
Your UWC degree represents achievement and purpose. By participating in the Alumni Association, you remain involved in the university’s ongoing growth and contribute to its continued success and reputation.
2
Expand Your Professional Connections
Gain access to a diverse community of professionals, mentors, and peers through alumni events, webinars, and online platforms. Staying involved can open doors to new opportunities, collaborations, and career insights.
Support the UWC Access Fund
Support #UdubsCares
SCAN TO DONATE
SCAN TO DONATE
3 Contribute to Future Generations Supporting UWC—whether through mentorship, volunteering, or donations to initiatives like the UWC Legacy Fund—helps ensure future students benefit from the same opportunities that shaped your journey.
4 Stay Connected and Informed Update your contact details to receive exclusive invitations, news, and opportunities. Email alumni@uwc.ac.za today to stay engaged with the UWC Alumni Association. CU
UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 57
AI TALENT INFRASTRUCTURE
From UWC to the Global AI Frontier by Bridgetti Mashabane IN AN ERA DEFINED BY RAPID TECHNOLOGICAL DISRUPTION, the journey of Dr Kenechukwu Ikebuaku stands as a masterclass in strategic career positioning. As the global economy grapples with the volatility of the AI revolution, Dr Ikebuaku has emerged as a preeminent leader in AI talent infrastructure, transforming the challenges of automation into a blueprint for African prosperity. For students at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) and young professionals globally, his path offers more than inspiration; it provides an evidence-based framework for building "real-world capacity" in an increasingly digital world. Dr Ikebuaku currently serves as the Founder and CEO of Mozisha and holds the influential role of 58 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
Talent Architect for the GSMA African AI Languages Model Project. His work focuses on the vital intersection of emerging technology and human capability, ensuring that youth are not merely bystanders but the "implementation engine" of the global AI economy. His contributions have been recognised by the world's most prestigious institutions, cementing his status as a leading voice in youth employment and social impact.
A university environment serves as much more than a site for academic instruction; it is a critical "incubating ground" where professional identity and social consciousness take root.
AI TALENT INFRASTRUCTURE
Milestones of Impact Emerald Literati Award Honoured for pioneering research on entrepreneurial capabilities in emerging economies.
Nasdaq Milestone Makers fellowship Featured on the Nasdaq tower in Times Square for redefining the "future of work."
2025 Äänit Prize Awarded by the Mandela Rhodes Foundation for transformative social impact across Africa.
Forbes Africa Recognition Mozisha labelled as "The Talent Engine" for the African continent. While his current accolades place him on the global stage, the foundation of this visionary leadership was laid during his formative years as a student at UWC.
The UWC Incubator: fostering agency and productive capacity A university environment serves as much more than a site for academic instruction; it is a critical "incubating ground" where professional identity and social consciousness take root. For Dr Ikebuaku, UWC, known famously as the "university of the left", provided the ideal ecosystem to align his personal values with his professional ambitions, specifically in the realm of fostering economic opportunity for marginalised communities. During his tenure, Dr Ikebuaku immersed himself in the peer mentorship programme. His progression from a student mentor to a senior student coordinator was a defining period that
shaped his leadership philosophy. By facilitating the transition of students from rural and impoverished backgrounds into successful academic and social lives, he witnessed first-hand the transformative power of structured support. This experience solidified his belief that youth can thrive regardless of their origins if given the right environment. This period also marked a significant philosophical evolution advocating for the distribution of "productive capacity" as the ultimate tool for justice. As he echoes: "Beyond being more sustainable, it lets people achieve wellbeing on their own terms and see themselves as valuable members of society, which fosters genuine self-esteem in a way that aid alone cannot. Education, I believe, is one of the major tools for distributing that productive capacity." This realisation that education must serve as a tool for sustainable wellbeing became the driving force behind his lifelong mission to solve the systemic issue of youth unemployment.
The Obosi bread venture: Forging agency in the absence of a blueprint The journey to global leadership is rarely linear; it is often paved with early failures that build the "agency" necessary for long-term success. Dr Ikebuaku’s entrepreneurial spirit was forged in Obosi, Nigeria, where he was raised by a single mother. Growing up without a father figure took a significant toll on his self-esteem, creating a sense of personal adversity. However, he transformed this void into a mission, realising that agency is the ultimate equaliser for those lacking social capital. UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 59
AI TALENT INFRASTRUCTURE
His first attempt into business occurred at age eight, buying and selling loaves of bread after school. Although this initial venture did not survive, it taught him the weight of responsibility and the power of individual agency. Years later, his work with the Enterprise Development Center specifically the Transforming Nigerian Youth programme, exposed him to the land devouring its own future. He saw brilliant graduates hustling for survival, a painful symbol of wasted potential that pushed him to move beyond symptom-level responses and toward root-cause research.
The academic pursuit: solving the "Bounced Check" degree Dr Ikebuaku’s PhD research was a direct empirical response to a troubling observation: parents were selling their belongings to fund education that resulted in qualifications but lacked real capability. His research sought to bridge the gap between street-level entrepreneurship and rigorous academic discipline. To avoid the "bounced check" of an obsolete degree, students must align their research with market realities. ACADEMIC THEORY (THE OLD CURRICULA)
MARKET DEMAND (THE MODERN REALITY)
Focus on course completion and certificates.
Focus on evidencebased capability and outcomes.
Mastery of specific tools/software.
Capacity to direct, audit and judge tool outputs.
Passive absorption of dated material.
Adaptability under ambiguity and ethical awareness.
Individualistic academic achievement.
Stakeholder management and collaborative leadership.
60 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
This research provided the discipline and evidence-based foundation for Mozisha, ensuring the organisation would focus on building the internal infrastructure of talent rather than just handing out certificates.
Mozisha and the AI Leapfrog: Building the Human API In a volatile world, rather than merely reacting to technology trends, leapfrogging them is a strategic imperative. Mozisha launched in 2019 as a talent ecosystem, but by 2024, Dr Ikebuaku pivoted the company to become an AI-centric infrastructure company. He recognised that as entry-level hiring declined globally, Africa’s youth needed to be positioned at the edge of AI to remain relevant. A landmark example of this strategy occurred in 2025. When Google released Veo3, Mozisha became the first organisation to run a specialised training programme for it. This resulted in a 400% increase in productivity for motion graphics designers and immediate employment for all participants. This success defines Dr Ikebuaku’s concept of the Human API. He views the most valuable professionals as the critical bridge, the layer of "judgment, direction and cultural intelligence" that sits between raw AI capability and a real-world solution. This Human API is the solution to the bounced check on a degree, turning UWC's foundational values into global market value.
The EPOCH Framework: Skills for the AI-driven economy In the current economy, technical AI fluency has become the baseline and the table stakes for entry. To truly compete, professionals must develop human-centric skills.
AI TALENT INFRASTRUCTURE
Dr Ikebuaku utilises the "EPOCH" framework to define these critical differentiators: • Empathy: The ability to read and understand what another human actually needs. • Presence: Engaging in the relational, high-touch work that a digital model cannot perform. • Opinion: The judgment required to take a view and make a call under conditions of uncertainty. • Creativity: The capacity to generate original ideas that were not included in the initial brief. • Hope: The ability to motivate and lead others toward a better future. The strategic value of these skills is backed by hard data. PwC research indicates that new tasks added to AI-exposed roles are now 2,5 times more likely to depend on empathy, judgment and creativity. Furthermore, in most AI-exposed entry-level roles, senior-level skills like leadership and judgment now make up 52% of the floor requirements. Dr Ikebuaku asserts that these EPOCH skills cannot be learned from a textbook. They must be built like a muscle: through "repeated practice on real, high-stakes work" accompanied by honest, direct feedback. This is the difference between "using AI" and "directing AI."
Strategic mandates: Advice for the modern job seeker When a career path is unclear, the most effective strategy is to build "internal infrastructure." Dr Ikebuaku offers three actionable pillars for UWC students:
1
Stop chasing tools: Do not build a career around a specific piece of software or a job title; these will keep dissolving under you. Focus on the underlying capability to learn and adapt.
2
Build before you have clarity: Do not wait for a perfect career plan to start. Developing taste, critical thinking and judgment now is never wasted effort, as these are transferable skills in any industry.
3
Position for direction, not just usage: Learn to audit and elevate AI output. The market is shifting from paying for "effort" to paying for "outcomes and value."
Restoring human worth Dr Ikebuaku’s journey from the peer mentorship halls of the "university of the left" to the heights of the global AI economy serves as a testament to the power of productive capacity. His story illustrates that while technology may change the nature of work, it cannot replace the essence of human contribution. For the graduates of UWC, the path to relevance is not found in competing with machines, but in refining the qualities that make us uniquely human.
AI is not here to replace human work, it is here to restore human worth. As you enter the workforce, treat your judgment, your context and your ability to connect with others as your most valuable assets. Build them deliberately and you will find that the modern world needs you more than ever. CU
UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 61
INTERNSHIP
Unpaid Internship? Here's How to Survive by Nina Takane
LET'S ADDRESS THE ELEPHANT IN THE ROOM RIGHT AWAY: unpaid internships are genuinely a mixed bargain. They work best when you think of it as an exchange: your time and effort, in return for real skills, mentorship, and experience to add to your CV. That exchange only holds up if both sides are getting something out of it. If you find yourself doing menial tasks instead of learning, or the internship is costing you more than you can sustain, you have every right to raise your concerns with your supervisor, ask for possible changes, or consider looking for other opportunities. With South Africa's youth unemployment rate sitting at a staggering 62.8% for young people aged 15 to 24, and graduate unemployment growing from 10.3% to 12.4% in the 2nd quarter of 2026, the pressure to accept anything that comes your way is immense. You are torn between the fear of missing out on that "foot in the door" and the very real reality that you cannot pay your rent or your transport with "exposure." Desperation is a terrible negotiator and you should consider the pros and cons before signing on. But before we get to the escape hatch, let us assume you have decided to take the plunge. Maybe it is in a hyper62 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
competitive industry like media, fashion, a non-profit organisation, or the creative arts where paid positions are as rare as a quiet day on campus. If you're going to do this, be deliberate about it. Don't settle for vague "experience", know exactly what type of skills, contacts and portfolio work you want to leave with and treat every day as a chance to build toward that.
Don't settle for vague "experience", know exactly what type of skills, contacts and portfolio work you want to leave with and treat every day as a chance to build toward that. A common trap is ending up being treated like a paid employee being expected to say yes to every late-last minute request or weekend assignment because you're eager to make a good impression. It's reasonable to resist this. If you are only required to work three days a week or specific hours and hold to it. Extended assistance for an ad hoc project is okay, but should it become the norm, discuss the frequency of such requests. Once your time is up for the day, you can use the remaining time to take on paid work or
INTERNSHIP
explore paid opportunities elsewhere, allowing you to earn an income that can help cover the costs of your internship.
Become a sponge for tangible skills Don't let your internship become a blur of photocopying and data capturing. At the start, sit down with your supervisor and ask: "By the end of my time here, what specific, measurable skills do you hope for me to walk away with?" And mention the specific skills you hope to learn if they are not included in those offered. Write them down and check against the list every few weeks. If you're not gaining them, it's a sign that you could be gaining new skills which you could have not considered. To build and tick off the relevant skills on your list, actively ask for greater exposure to opportunities that allow you to learn and grow. This could include asking to understand the reasoning behind decisions and requesting specific, constructive feedback on your work, not just a vague “good job." Being proactive about your learning allows you to leave with a portfolio of real work, not just a certificate of attendance. In the current job market, a strong reflective portfolio is worth more than a reference from someone who barely remembers your name. Also do not hesitate to ask about possible permanent, paid roles that you could be considered for at the end of the term. The worst they can say is no.
Now, let us talk about survival If you are not receiving any stipend, protecting your wallet matters. The cost of living in South Africa is no joke. Between skyrocketing electricity bills, food inflation, and the relentless price of petrol, every rand
counts. If your internship is in the city centre and you are commuting from Bellville or further, your daily taxi or train fare could easily set you back R30 to R60 a day. That is nearly R1,200 a month just to get to work. Start by calculating your "Internship Tax." How much is this costing you in transport, food, and wardrobe? Once you have that number, aggressively cut the fat. Consider asking for a possible travel stipend or find a fellow colleague from your area or surroundings, carpool or split the Uberfare.
Fitting in is not worth your grocery budget and nobody will judge you for bringing your own lunch. There is strength in numbers, and splitting costs is a lifeline. For lunch, embrace the art of meal prepping. A weekly batch of pap, chicken stew and vegetables costs less than two takeaways from the local food court and it will save you a small fortune. Do not fall into the trap of "buying lunch to fit in." Fitting in is not worth your grocery budget and nobody will judge you for bringing your own lunch.
Exploring part-time paid opportunities If you are considering an unpaid internship while pursuing your studies, also look at your university as a resource. UWC has more support systems than you might realise. Start with the Financial Aid Office, located at the old Education building. They can also advise you on the Work-Study programme, which offers part-time paid opportunities on campus or the UWC Career Xplora portal for other opportunities off campus. It is shocking how few students actually use UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 63
INTERNSHIP
these resources. UWC also has nutrition programmes that provide food parcels and basic necessities to students in need. These programmes were launched to tackle food insecurity on campus. If you are struggling to afford meals while studying and interning, reach out. There is no shame in asking; hunger is a reality many students face. Consider having a side hustle and keeping it alive. Whether it is tutoring high school maths, dog walking, promotional work, freelance writing, selling clothes on Yaga, or late-night shifts at a call centre.
Alternative internships Many universities are actively working to create paid opportunities for their students. UWC offers among other, the Graduate Competency Development Programme (GCDP), run by the Division of Student Development and Support, offers 24-month paid internships specifically for UWC graduates to gain real workplace experience. It was launched precisely because the university recognised that graduates were being locked out of the job market due to a lack of experience. There are also programmes like the Presidential Youth Employment Stimulus (PYES), which UWC has hosted, providing six-month internships to recent graduates. Also keep an eye out for opportunities like Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETA) Internships, which offer a stipend per month. These are real, paid pathways that exist. You just have to look for them. There are 21 distinct SETAs, each focused on a specific economic sector (such as construction, banking, or agriculture). If you cannot afford it, use your time to build your skills through community volunteer 64 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
projects, or online courses. A potential employer or investor wants to see how you have utilised your time and if you have been building your skills on your own terms, you will have an articulate answer.
Final Words Know where you stand under South African labour law before you sign anything. Unpaid internships sit in a legal gray area, but they are often scrutinised under the Basic Conditions of Employment Act (BCEA) and Broad-Based Black Economic Empowerment (B-BBEE Codes) frameworks. If it is explicitly advertised as an internship and not a volunteer programme, a stipend is a minimum ask. Companies can claim valuable points on the B-BBEE Skills Development scorecard by hosting learners and interns. To score points for absorbing or training graduates through internships, companies typically must provide structured learning and standard allowances or stipends rather than unpaid labour. An unpaid internship is not a moral failing, and it might or might not be a golden ticket, it's a tool. Use it for what it's worth: build real skills, build your network, while also being mindful of your time and money. If the cost of the internship outweighs the length and value of the experience, that's not an investment in your future, it's a cost you likely can't afford, be strategic. CU
An unpaid internship is not a moral failing, and it might or might not be a golden ticket, it's a tool. Use it for what it's worth.
DURABLE SKILLS
Durable Skills: Essential for the Future of Work
by Happiness Skuni THE WORLD OF WORK IS EVOLVING FASTER THAN EVER BEFORE. Artificial intelligence (AI), automation, economic disruptions, digital transformation and changing business models are reshaping industries and redefining the skills employers value. Roles that are in high demand today may look very different in a few years, as entirely new career opportunities continue to emerge across the global economy.
For graduates, this rapidly changing environment presents both challenges and opportunities. While academic qualifications remain important, a degree alone is no longer enough to guarantee career success. Employers are increasingly seeking graduates who can adapt to change, learn new skills quickly, work effectively with others and navigate complex workplace environments. This raises an important question: How can students and graduates remain relevant and employable when job requirements are constantly evolving?
While academic qualifications remain important, a degree alone is no longer enough to guarantee career success. UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 65
DURABLE SKILLS
The answer lies in developing durable skills. Durable skills are transferable human capabilities that remain valuable regardless of industry, profession or technological change.
Durable skills are transferable human capabilities that remain valuable regardless of industry, profession or technological change. Skills such as communication, critical thinking, problem-solving, adaptability, leadership, emotional intelligence, resilience, teamwork, creativity and learning agility continue to be highly valued across every sector. These skills provide a foundation for lifelong career growth that can help graduates, not only secure their first job but also build sustainable and rewarding careers.
Why durable skills matter in the age of AI The growing importance of durable skills is closely linked to advances in artificial intelligence. AI can analyse large volumes of data, generate reports, automate workflows, create content and perform many routine tasks that were once manually handled by employees. However, despite its impressive capabilities, AI cannot fully replicate qualities that are uniquely human. Empathy, ethical judgement, relationshipbuilding, cultural awareness, creativity, leadership and emotional intelligence remain areas where people add distinctive value. As a result, employers are increasingly looking for graduates who can combine technical knowledge with strong human-centred capabilities.
66 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
Building durable skills beyond the classroom For students, the development of durable skills often begins long before graduation. One of the most effective ways to cultivate these capabilities is through participation in co-curricular activities, internships and work-integrated learning opportunities to develop practical workplace skills. Students who participate in sports, student governance structures, residence committees, academic societies, volunteer programmes, community outreach initiatives, mentorship programmes, debate clubs and cultural organisations are often simultaneously building skills that employers value. Consider a student serving on a committee within a student organisation. They may be responsible for organising events, managing budgets, coordinating volunteers, communicating with stakeholders and resolving challenges. Through these experiences, they develop leadership, teamwork, communication, planning and problem-solving skills that are directly transferable to the workplace.
DURABLE SKILLS
Similarly, students involved in sports often develop discipline, resilience, teamwork, goal-setting abilities and the capacity to perform under pressure. These qualities are highly sought after by employers because they demonstrate an individual's ability to contribute effectively in collaborative and demanding environments.
model of spending an entire career in a single profession or organisation is becoming increasingly uncommon. Many professionals now change careers multiple times throughout their working lives as industries evolve and new opportunities emerge. A graduate who begins a career in marketing may later transition into project management, consulting, entrepreneurship, education or technology. While technical knowledge may need to be updated during each transition, durable skills remain relevant across all these fields. This adaptability is becoming increasingly important in a labour market characterised by uncertainty and rapid change. Economic disruptions, technological advancements and shifting business needs can transform entire industries. Graduates with strong, durable skills are often better positioned to navigate these changes, learn new competencies and identify emerging opportunities.
Same as volunteering – whether supporting local communities, participating in charity initiatives, tutoring younger students or contributing to social impact projects, volunteers often strengthen their empathy, communication skills, cultural awareness, adaptability and sense of responsibility. These experiences not only contribute to personal growth but also help graduates stand out in increasingly competitive job markets. Relationships developed through student organisations can also allow graduates the opportunity to build meaningful professional networks.
Durable skills and career mobility Durable skills also play a critical role in long-term career mobility. The traditional
Employers are hiring for potential Increasingly, employers are hiring for potential rather than technical expertise alone. While technical skills can often be developed through training and experience, attitudes, behaviours and interpersonal capabilities are generally more difficult to teach. Employers recognise that these qualities contribute significantly to an individual's ability to grow, innovate and succeed within an organisation. Academic qualifications may open doors, but durable skills help individuals walk through those doors, excel in their roles and continue growing throughout their careers. CU UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 67
SUBTITLE
From Roots to Rise Help changes everything. At FNB we’ve always seen help differently. Because help is far more than an idea. It’s a way to rewrite stories, empower communities, unlock career paths and inspire future leaders; uniting and shaping an entire nation. We've built solutions on innovation and digital excellence. But we’re not about technology that separates or replaces. We’ll always be about people. Using smarter, streamlined, intuitive solutions to help more people live the lives they really want. Which is why our science; technology; engineering; mathematics and commerce graduates find something far more than a job. They meet with an opportunity to shape our shared destiny.
General Graduate Program
Real stories. Real journeys. Real advantage. Our graduate podcast gives you insight that can elevate your application. Available on NAV: Nav-igate life > NAV Youth > Learning Hub Engineering & Technology Program
Apply now. Your rise is waiting.
www.fnb.co.za/careers
Applications open 16 Feb to 31st Aug
68 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 A division of FirstRand Bank Limited. An Authorised Financial Services and Credit Provider (NCRCP20).
IN THE WORKPLACE
Earn Your Seat, Don’t Just Fill it by Natalie Thomas
IT IS A TUESDAY AFTERNOON. The help desk is quiet. You have answered every query, cleared every backlog and there is still an hour left in your shift.
evidence. Grades rewarded it. The working world quietly operates on a different system and nobody announces the change.
So, you do what feels safest: you look busy. You reorganise the brochure rack. You wipe the counter again. You refresh your inbox. You make sure that anyone walking past can see that you are not wasting time. Sound familiar? Most of us have been there. And most of us, if we are honest, have never stopped to ask whether any of it actually mattered.
The result is an entire generation of new workers who are genuinely trying hard, genuinely committed and genuinely exhausted by work that is not moving anything forward. They are busy. They are just not yet valuable. And those two things, it turns out, are not the same.
The Anxiety Nobody Names
The Moment the Penny Drops
When you are new to working, whether that is a student assistant role, a weekend shift or your first position after graduating, there is a pressure that settles over you almost immediately. It is the pressure to be seen working. To never be caught still.
For many young professionals, the shift happens through a single observation. They watch a colleague, someone who appears less frantic, less visibly occupied, receive the kind of praise and trust that hard work alone has not yet earned them. And it is confusing at first. That person does not stay late. They do not send fifteen emails before noon. They seem almost unhurried.
To fill every visible minute with something that looks like effort. This anxiety is not irrational. It is a direct response to years of being measured on input: the long essay, the packed study schedule, the all-nighter before submission. At university, effort was
But then you notice something. When there is a problem, people go to them. When something needs to be done properly, their UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 69
IN THE WORKPLACE
name comes up. When they leave a task, it stays done. Their work does not generate follow-up questions or corrections. It simply lands, cleanly and gets used.
That is what valuable looks like from the outside. Not louder. Not faster. Just more useful, more reliable, more of the time. Three Truths Worth Carrying Busyness is a feeling. Value is a result. One lives inside you. The other lives in the impact you leave behind when you walk out the door. Supervisors do not remember the hours you logged. They remember the problem you solved, the thing you caught before it became a crisis and the work that came back needing no correction. The most useful question you can ask yourself at the start of any shift is not: what will keep me occupied? It is: what would actually stall if I were not here today?
weakness. It is a survival response, and for a long time it probably served you well. It got you here. But the move that gets you here is not always the move that keeps you here and grows you. Security in the workplace is not built through performance. It is built through trust, through reliability and through becoming the kind of person your team would genuinely feel the absence of. That kind of presence takes time to build. It cannot be rushed by working harder or staying later. It is built one well-handled task at a time, one honest conversation at a time, one quiet moment of choosing depth over speed.
Before Your Next Shift You do not need to be the last one to leave. You do not need to be the one with the fullest inbox or the most checked items on a list. You need to be the one whose work holds up, whose word can be trusted and whose presence makes the team function better. Start where you are. In your next shift, your next task, your next small decision about how to spend a quiet hour. Ask not what looks productive but what actually is. That question, asked honestly and often enough, is the beginning of a career rather than just a job. CU
For Those Who Have Fought to Be Here There is a version of this conversation that is easy to give and hard to receive. It is easy to say: stop performing effort and start creating value. It is much harder to hear that when you have worked three jobs to fund your studies, when you are the first in your family to sit in this kind of office, when every day in this role still feels like you have to prove you belong here. If that is where you are, this is not a critique of you. The instinct to prove yourself through visible, relentless activity is not a 70 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
Busy is what you look like. Valuable is what they say about you when you are not in the room. If this has you thinking about what you bring to the role, 'Become Indispensable: How to Manage Up' picks up where this leaves off. Î
MANAGE UP
Í This article follows on from 'Earn Your Seat, Don't Just Fill It'; read together, the two make the case for why value matters more than visibility and how to build it once you've earned the trust to do so.
Become Indispensable How To Manage Up by Natalie Thomas IF YOU HAVE EVER WONDERED HOW TO STAND OUT at your new job, here is something worth pondering. Whether you are starting out as a student assistant on campus, working a part-time job or stepping into the workforce as a graduate, one of the most effective ways to become invaluable is to learn how to manage up.
rarely those who simply did what they were told. They are the ones who made their supervisor's life easier without being asked to. This creates alignment, reduces friction and builds a reputation that follows you throughout your career.
Understanding the Iceberg Managing up is not about flattering your supervisor or simply working harder. It is about understanding your supervisor’s goals, communications style and priorities, and adapting the way you work to help the whole team succeed. The people who get noticed, get extended and get recommended are
When your supervisor assigns you a task, what you receive is only the visible surface. Beneath it lies a deadline they are quietly stressed about or a broader problem they have not yet fully articulated. Your job is not simply to complete the task as described. UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 71
MANAGE UP
It is to understand the context well enough to deliver something that genuinely solves the underlying need. This takes practice and attention. In your first few weeks, pay close attention to what your supervisor mentions in passing, what questions they ask repeatedly and what kinds of updates seem to relieve or increase their pressure. These observations become the foundation of a working relationship built on genuine usefulness rather than mere compliance.
Shift Your Thinking Consider these contrasts from real working environments: • The student assistant who only does what is on the task list versus the one who notices the filing is in disarray and quietly sorts it out. • The part-timer who disappears the moment their shift ends versus the one who does a brief handover so the next person is not left confused. • The new graduate who waits for feedback versus the one who sends a short update before the check-in meeting, saying: here's where I am. These are not grand gestures. They are small, consistent signals that communicate something important: I understand that this department’s goals are bigger than my task list.
The Honest Hesitation Many students, particularly those from backgrounds where questioning or preempting authority figures was not encouraged, may find this concept uncomfortable at first. Managing up can feel presumptuous, even disrespectful. It is worth addressing this directly. 72 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
Managing up is not about telling your supervisor what to do, second-guessing their decisions or seeking to impress through grand displays of initiative. It is about understanding what they need and quietly becoming the person who provides it. It is a form of professional partnership, not a power play.
Managing up is about understanding what your supervisor needs and quietly becoming the person who provides it. Do not feel discouraged if this takes time to master. Most workplace skills are built through repetition and some situations only arise every few months. Be patient with yourself, stay observant and trust that the habits you build early will compound over time.
Strategies for success Recognise what your supervisor is carrying Your supervisor has a manager too. They are navigating deadlines, competing priorities and pressures you may not be aware of. The more you can anticipate what they need before they ask, the more indispensable you become. When everything feels urgent, this might look like simply asking: 'If I can only finish one of these three tasks today, which is the priority?' A question like that does more to reduce your supervisor's load than guessing would.
Confirm your understanding out loud When assigned a project, repeat back your understanding of the scope, the deadline and the desired outcome. This is not a sign of weakness. It is a sign of professionalism. A simple ‘Just to confirm, you need this
MANAGE UP
summary by Friday and it should focus on the financial data, is that right?’ prevents hours of misdirected effort.
Paying close attention to these preferences in your first weeks will pay dividends for months to come.
Master the pre-emptive update
Ask the question that unlocks everything
Before your supervisor has to ask, ‘Where are you with that?’, you have already told them. This single habit separates memorable workers from forgettable ones at every level of an organisation. A short message that says, ‘I am on track to finish the report by Thursday and I will flag you if anything changes,’ costs you very little time and builds enormous trust.
Early in any task or role, ask: ‘What would make this really useful for you?’ Most new workers never ask this. The ones who do, immediately demonstrate a level of professional maturity that sets them apart. The answer often reveals priorities, constraints and preferences that were never going to be communicated otherwise.
Bring solutions, not just problems
Before your supervisor has to ask, ‘Where are you with that?’, you have already told them. Return work that is ready to use Do not hand back a half-completed task at the 11th hour and say, ‘I was not sure, so I left it.’ Make your best attempt, flag your uncertainty clearly and let your supervisor correct rather than restart. A 70 per cent attempt with honest notes is far more useful than nothing and it shows initiative alongside self-awareness. For bigger or more ambiguous tasks, this can start even earlier: send through a rough 'review first' draft before you go too far, so you and your supervisor can align on expectations while there is still time to adjust.
When you need to flag a concern or notice a gap, come prepared with at least one or two possible ways forward. This does not mean you need to have all the answers. It means you have thought about the problem before dropping it on the supervisor’s desk. It signals that you are a thinker, not just a reporter of difficulty.
A Final Word The habits you build in your first role will carry you through your career. Start small. Stay observant. Ask good questions. Return work that is ready to use. None of this is mastered overnight: it is built through repetition, through the tenth attempt as much as the first, so give yourself the same patience you would give a new colleague. And remember that your goal is not to impress but to be genuinely useful. CU
Learn what good looks like for them Every supervisor has preferences: how they like information delivered, how much detail they want and what drives them to distraction. Some want bullet points; others want context. Some prefer a quick verbal update; others want everything in writing.
Your job title describes your task. Your reputation describes your character. Managing up is how you build the second one from day one.
UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 73
PROFESSIONALISM AT UNIVERSITY
Professionalism in the University Space Habits That Prepare You for the Workplace by Yondela Ngqombo UNIVERSITY IS OFTEN VIEWED AS A SPACE FOR ACADEMIC GROWTH, SELF-DISCOVERY AND SOCIAL ENGAGEMENT. While these aspects are important, university is also one of the first environments where students begin developing behaviours and habits that shape their future careers. Long before graduation ceremonies and first job interviews, students are already building professional identities through their daily actions.Professionalism is commonly associated with corporate offices, formal 74 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
attire and workplace etiquette. However, professionalism begins long before entering the world of work. It starts in lecture halls, during group assignments, at student events, in residences and even through online interactions. The habits students develop during university often determine how prepared they are for internships, leadership opportunities and employment. In a highly competitive job market, employers increasingly look beyond academic qualifications. While degrees remain
PROFESSIONALISM AT UNIVERSITY
important, employers also seek graduates who are reliable, adaptable, responsible and able to work effectively with others.
Understanding Professionalism in the University Context Professionalism in the university space refers to the attitudes, behaviours and values that demonstrate responsibility, respect, accountability and maturity. It is reflected in how students manage their time, communicate with lecturers and peers, approach academic responsibilities and conduct themselves both online and offline. For many students, university represents a transition between adolescence and adulthood. It is often the first environment where individuals are expected to manage their schedules independently, balance responsibilities and make decisions that affect their future. In this sense, university is the training ground for professional life. Professionalism does not mean students must be perfect or overly formal at all times. Instead, it involves developing habits that demonstrate commitment, integrity and self-awareness. These habits may seem small at the moment, but they contribute significantly to long-term personal and professional growth.
Professionalism does not mean students must be perfect or overly formal at all times. Instead, it involves developing habits that demonstrate commitment, integrity and self-awareness.
Time Management and Reliability One of the most important professional habits students can develop is effective time management. In the workplace, employees are expected to meet deadlines, attend meetings punctually and manage tasks efficiently. These expectations often begin at university. Students who consistently arrive late for lectures, submit assignments after deadlines or fail to manage their schedules may struggle later in professional environments where accountability is essential. On the other hand, students who plan ahead are already strengthening workplace-ready skills. Time management also reflects reliability, group assignments provide a clear example of this. In many cases, one student may fail to contribute equally leaving others to carry the workload. While this may appear to be a simple academic issue, it mirrors challenges that occur in professional teams. Employers value individuals who can be depended on to complete tasks and contribute meaningfully to collective goals. Developing time management skills at university also helps students balance academics with extracurricular activities, part-time work, internships and personal responsibilities. Learning how to manage multiple commitments prepares students for the realities of modern workplaces where multitasking and adaptability are often required.
Communication as a Professional Skill Communication is another essential component of professionalism. The way students communicate with lecturers, classmates, administrators and supervisors reflects their level of maturity and UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 75
PROFESSIONALISM AT UNIVERSITY
professionalism. Professional communication includes writing respectful emails, responding appropriately to messages, participating constructively in discussions and expressing ideas clearly during presentations or meetings. These may seem like ordinary university activities but they directly translate into workplace expectations.
University provides opportunities for students to strengthen verbal communication skills through presentations, debates and collaborative projects. For example, sending an email without a greeting, using inappropriate language or failing to respond to important communication can create negative impressions. In professional environments, communication affects teamwork, relationships and opportunities. University also provides opportunities for students to strengthen verbal communication skills through presentations, debates and collaborative projects. Students who actively participate in these experiences often become more confident in expressing themselves, leading discussions and engaging professionally with diverse groups of people.
Digital Professionalism in the Modern Era In today’s digital world, professionalism extends far beyond physical spaces. Students are constantly creating online identities through social media platforms, emails, online classes and networking sites. As a result, professionalism in the digital space has become increasingly important. 76 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
Many employers review applicants’ online presence before making hiring decisions to access if your values align with those of the company. Inappropriate social media behaviour, offensive content or unprofessional interactions online can negatively affect employment opportunities. Students must therefore understand that their digital footprint forms part of their professional reputation. At the same time, students can use digital platforms positively by building professional networks, engaging with industry-related content and showcasing their achievements. Platforms such as LinkedIn allow students to connect with lecturers beyond class, alumni and industry professionals, explore career opportunities and establish an online professional presence before graduation. Simple habits such as attending online meetings on time, participating respectfully during virtual discussions and communicating professionally in digital spaces contribute to workplace readiness.
Professionalism Beyond the Classroom Some of the most valuable professional skills are developed through extracurricular involvement and campus engagement. Student leadership positions, volunteer initiatives, sports participation and campus organisations all provide opportunities to strengthen teamwork, leadership and interpersonal skills. These experiences teach students how to work with diverse personalities, solve problems collaboratively and manage responsibilities under pressure. For example, a student leader organising an event learns skills related to planning, communication, conflict resolution and decision-making. Similarly, participation in
PROFESSIONALISM AT UNIVERSITY
sports can strengthen discipline, teamwork and resilience. These are qualities that employers often value highly.
academic spaces because while digital tools can support learning, professionalism requires students to use them ethically.
Career Xpos, networking sessions, work study and internship programmes also allow students to interact with professionals and gain insight into workplace expectations. Students who actively engage in such opportunities often develop greater confidence and career awareness. University spaces therefore provide more than academic qualifications, they provide environments where students can practice professionalism in real-world situations.
Employers increasingly value graduates who can demonstrate honesty, critical thinking and ethical decision-making. Accountability also extends to personal conduct, respecting university policies and contributing positively to the campus environment are all part of building a professional identity.
Accountability and Responsibility A major aspect of professionalism is accountability, this involves taking responsibility for one’s actions and learning from mistakes. Students who admit when they are struggling, seek assistance when necessary and take ownership of their work demonstrate maturity and self-awareness. Conversely, avoiding responsibility, blaming others or engaging in academic dishonesty undermines both personal growth and professional credibility.
A major aspect of professionalism is accountability. Students who admit when they are struggling, seek assistance when necessary and take ownership of their work demonstrate maturity and self-awareness. Integrity is especially important in an era where technology and artificial intelligence tools are becoming more common in
Conclusion The habits students develop during their academic journey often influence their success long after graduation. Professionalism in the university space is reflected through responsibility, communication, accountability, time management and respectful conduct. These habits prepare students not only for employment but also for leadership, collaboration and lifelong growth. In many ways, professionalism is built through consistent everyday actions. The student who submits work on time, communicates respectfully, contributes meaningfully to group projects and conducts themselves responsibly is already preparing for the workplace. Academic qualifications may open doors, but professionalism often determines who thrives once those doors are opened. By embracing professional habits during university, students position themselves for stronger career opportunities, meaningful workplace relationships and long-term success in an increasingly competitive world. CU
UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 77
TOKENISM
The tax you never applied for: Flipping the script on tokenism in your first role by Aphiwe Matiso
POV: You are a top achiever, Dean’s Merit List resident, a UWC standout and genuinely brilliant. You learned how to navigate a boardroom before you even had a permanent desk. You knew which senior partner expected a specific tone of “respect” and which ones were open to pushback. You knew that if you spoke too passionately, you risked being labelled “aggressive”, so you learned to deliver your insights wrapped in careful, neutral framing. You knew to keep your frustration invisible when you were asked for the fourth time to join a diversity panel instead of the technical project team you were actually hired for. None of that was in your job description. None of it appeared in your performance review. It was just the price of operating in your organisation. A tax you paid every single day just to function. 78 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
By the end of your first year, you are exhausted in a way that even a weekend in Kalk Bay could not fix. It was not the work itself; you loved the work; it was the weight of everything around the work. This is the culture tax and in the South African workplace landscape, most organisations are collecting it from young graduates without ever seeing the bill. Every organisation operates on two sets of rules: the written job description and the unwritten social architecture. For many high-achieving graduates entering the South African workplace landscape, navigating these unspoken dynamics - often termed 'invisible labour' (the unwritten, uncompensated and often unrecognised emotional and social work required to navigate corporate spaces) - can feel like an unexpected tax on your bandwidth. Mastering
TOKENISM
career agility means building the muscle to recognise these dynamics early, equipping yourself with a value-capacity toolkit and leveraging your unique position to drive measurable impact for career longevity.
Career agility isn’t just about technical skill; it’s about mastering the unspoken social architecture of your workspace. Recognising the “invisible” job description The invisible labour often manifests as “cultural liaising”. This occurs when a new hire is expected to serve as a bridge between their community [e.g. Black, Indigenous and People of Colour (BIPOC), LGBTQIA+, neurodiverse, differently-abled] and the organisation. Whether it is being asked to “check” a marketing campaign for cultural sensitivity or being the designated person to explain social nuances to senior leadership, it allows you to share your unique perspective; however, this takes time and emotional energy. Crucially, when this labour is consistently delegated to the same individuals, it creates a knowledge vacuum within the rest of the team. In a country like ours, cultural literacy is a skill everyone needs to master. When you do that work for your colleagues, you are essentially doing their homework for them, relieving them of the duty to learn, listen and grow for themselves. To manage this strategically, it is vital to balance these "extra-role behaviours" with your core technical responsibilities. As a new recruit, your primary mission is to establish your professional excellence. By managing wisely, you ensure you have enough energy left to actually do the job you were hired for.
Navigating tokenism with excellence A major intersection of workplace challenge is tokenism - the practice of making a performative or symbolic effort to be inclusive. In this scenario, you are not hired for your skill set alone but to serve as visual “proof” of the company’s diversity, a reality that early-career entrants may encounter. In South Africa, this is often tied to B-BBEE compliance targets, without initially providing the mentorship or high-stakes opportunities required for deep professional growth.
Don’t just be the face in the brochure; be the force behind the technical solutions that make the brochure possible. If you find yourself frequently invited to non-technical committees or promotional materials, treat that visibility as leverage. Anchor every high-visibility moment back to your core output. By doing so, you force the organisation to see your expertise alongside your identity, effectively "flipping the script" on symbolic inclusion. Strategic authenticity and flipping the script How do you overcome these hurdles without becoming cynical? The key is strategic authenticity. This involves bringing your whole self to work while setting firm boundaries around your emotional and social labour.
Building your value-capacity toolkit Your background is a vital part of your story, but your technical competence and character are what sustains your career trajectory. To proactively prepare for these workplace dynamics: UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 79
TOKENISM
• Pivot: If you are tapped for cultural labour that feels like tokenism, pivot the opportunity towards your professional goals. If you are asked to speak on a diversity panel, use three minutes to discuss the technical project you just completed. Ensure you highlight your career capital. • The audit pipeline: Use the ‘Employer Directory’ tool on Career Xplora, respective LinkedIn profiles or company webpages to research companies before you apply. Look for companies where diversity exists at the management level, not just at the entry level. This is a sign of a healthy pipeline where talent is nurtured, not just recruited. In your job search at Graduate Recruitment Events or Career Xpos, use networking sessions to ask alumni about the 'day-to-day' culture. This helps you identify if an organisation values your technical output or if you are being recruited primarily to fill a structural quota. • Value your professional capacity: Part of being a professional is the ability to manage your plate. If a task does not align with your growth or is not reflected in your performance review, it is okay to advocate for your time. Maintaining a distinction between your "work output" and "cultural contribution" prevents burnout and keeps your career on track.
Professionalism includes the power to say 'no' to invisible tasks so you can say 'yes' to your own career growth. 80 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
Fostering allyship for inclusivity You might belong to a majority group or perhaps your specific intersection of identity does not currently face these specific structural pressures, however, developing social literacy and being cognisant of these nuances will make you a far more effective leader and colleague. It is important to acknowledge that not every graduate will experience the workplace through the lens of cultural labour or tokenism. Inclusivity is an organisational discipline, not an individual tax. If you notice a fellow colleague being constantly approached for extra cultural labour, use your own bandwidth to speak up or support them in setting firm boundaries. Allies play a crucial role in redistributing invisible labour so everyone can focus on their core technical contributions. By recognising that your peers have extra "tax" on their shoulders, you can help foster a workplace where authenticity is not a struggle but a standard. CU
By identifying tokenism early and strategically managing your invisible labour, you ensure that you are not just a face in a brochure, you are a force in the industry. Use the resources encompassed in the ‘Job Search Resources’ tab on Career Xplora to build the technical foundation that makes your value undeniable. Remember that career development is not just about polishing a CV; it’s about preparing for the unspoken social architecture of the professional landscape you are about to enter.
AUDIO-ONLY INTERVIEWS
5
Quick tips to ace the audio-only interview by Aphiwe Matiso
YOU HAVE OPTIMISED YOUR ATS-FRIENDLY CV, customised your letter of motivation and applications are out. Suddenly, your phone
1 Smile while you speak
rings from an unknown number. It’s a recruiter wanting to do a quick 10-minute chat Without body language or eye contact to rely on, your voice and readiness are your only tools. Don’t panic! Use these quick tips and tricks to ace the audio interview and lock in the next round.
It sounds cliché but human ears can actually “hear” a smile. Physiologically, smiling alters your vocal tract shape, making your tone naturally enthusiastic, warm and confident over the airwaves. If you sound energised, the recruiter will stay engaged.
UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 81
AUDIO-ONLY INTERVIEWS
2 Create a “cheat sheet” safe space Unlike face-to-face interviews, phone screens are entirely open-book. Before you start applying to opportunities, set up a desktop folder or a physical notepad on your desk with a quick-reference guide. It should contain: • Your 30-second elevator pitch: A crisp summary of who you are and your target role. • Three micro-stories: Bullet-point reminders of your proudest, metricbacked career achievements. • Two high-value questions: Never say "No, I think we covered everything." Be sure to ask strategic questions like, “What is the criteria to move to the next stage?” and “What are the next steps?”
• It gives your brain a micro-second to formulate a structured answer, completely eliminating panic-induced filler words like "uhm," "like" and "you know."
your environment 4 Control (and your voicemail) If a recruiter calls while you are in a noisy cafeteria or walking next to a busy street, do not try to power through. Politely say: “Thank you so much for reaching out, [Name]! May I call you back in exactly five minutes once I step into a quiet space?” This doesn't make you look unprepared; it demonstrates high emotional intelligence, respect for their time and strong boundaries.
PRO TIP:
Mobile phone latency and subtle network lags are conversational silent killers. If you jump in too quickly, you risk constantly talking over the recruiter, which reads as anxious or aggressive.
3
Master the “pause and breathe” rule
Mobile phone latency and subtle network lags are conversational silent killers. If you jump in too quickly, you risk constantly talking over the recruiter, which reads as anxious or aggressive. When a recruiter finishes asking a question, count to two in your head before answering. This short pause serves a dual purpose: • It guarantees they have completely finished their thought. 82 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
Make sure your phone’s personal voicemail greeting sounds professional, just in case you miss their call entirely.
5 Stand up to boost your energy If you feel sluggish or nervous sitting down, stand up and pace slightly during the call. Standing opens your diaphragm, naturally deepens your breathing and projects an aura of authority and high energy directly through the microphone. Ultimately, a phone screen is your chance to turn your CV into a dynamic, living brand. When that unexpected call flashes on your screen, don't view it as an interrogation. When you’re done, hang up the phone knowing you didn’t just survive the call, you commanded it. CU
UWC SMALL BUSINESS CLINIC
Reviving the Economy One Business at a Time THE UNIVERSITY OF THE WESTERN CAPE’S FACULTY OF ECONOMIC AND MANAGEMENT SCIENCES (EMS) has launched a transformative initiative — the Small Business Clinic (SBC) — designed to bridge the gap between academic learning and real-world entrepreneurial practice. Rooted in the university’s aspiration to be a “place of quality, a place to grow, from hope to action through knowledge,” the clinic embodies UWC’s commitment to societal impact and student empowerment.
A Rationale for Change Traditional degree programmes often emphasise theoretical knowledge, leaving graduates underprepared for the demands of the workplace. The SBC addresses this challenge by creating an experiential learning hub where students engage directly with small business owners. Through this, the SBC speaks to the scholarship of engagement for societal impact.
Aims and Objectives The clinic’s mission is multifaceted: • Provide a space where small businesses can access support services.
• Inspire youth interest in entrepreneurship through hands-on learning. • Develop entrepreneurial skills among students, academics, and practitioners. • Offer practical advice on starting, sustaining, and growing businesses. • Serve as a one-stop shop for local small business development. Its overarching objectives include educating students through practical experiences, fostering social values around entrepreneurship, offering mentorship, and advancing research in entrepreneurship, management, and finance.
Programmes in Action The SBC is not just theoretical — it is action-oriented: • Digital Logistic Services & Entrepreneurship Project (2024–2026): Senior UWC students in Information Systems and Management and Entrepreneurship collaborate internationally with peers from Germany and Uganda, tackling real business challenges such as IoT (Internet of UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026 | 83
UWC SMALL BUSINESS CLINIC
Things) solutions, websites, and marketing strategies. • US–SA Virtual Incubator (USSAVI): A team-based online incubator where students from 4 SA universities work in teams to ideate and design social impact ventures, gain entrepreneurial skills, networking opportunities, and certification. • Links Mentorship Programme: A pilot partnership initiative between the ITS Facet of the Jackson County Chapter of The Links, Incorporated and the UWC Small Business Clinic, where UWC students receive virtual mentorship with experienced U.S. professionals – offering guidance, accountability, and business support across borders. • Workshop Series: Academics from the EMS Faculty facilitate workshops for SMME’s and students focusing on various aspects of managing a small business, including Taxation, Financial Literacy and Planning, Sales, Marketing and Operations, Information and Communication Technology and Labour Relations.
another scholarly text that reiterates known issues. It presents practical solutions rooted in the South African context.”
Building an Entrepreneurial Future Ultimately, the SBC aims to: • Position entrepreneurship as a viable career path. • Provide support and advice to small and micro-business owners. • Enhance graduate competencies in entrepreneurship and business development. • Facilitate workshops on financial planning and literacy, sales, marketing and operations, labour relations, information and communication technology and taxation. • Foster networks of support and research collaborations. By combining academic rigour with community engagement, the Small Business Clinic is reviving the economy one business at a time — empowering students, uplifting small businesses, and contributing to South Africa’s entrepreneurial ecosystem. For more information, please scan:
Research and Knowledge Sharing The clinic also advances scholarship. In 2025, the EMS Faculty launched its first interdisciplinary book, Entrepreneurship Education: A South African Perspective on Supporting Small Business Development. Co-edited by Professors Michelle Esau and Walter Geach, the publication offers pragmatic solutions for academia, policymakers, and entrepreneurs alike. As Professor Esau emphasised, “This is not just 84 | UWC CAREER UPDATE 2026
LinkedIn: @UWC EMS Small Business Clinic Facebook: @UWC EMS Small Business Clinic TikTok: @uwcems_sbc Instagram: @uwcems_sbc
Connect with your Career Services EMAIL careerxplora@uwc.ac.za
LINKEDIN UWC Career Services
INSTAGRAM uwccareerxplora
FACEBOOK UWC Career Services
YOUTUBE @uwccareerservices
https://www.uwc.ac.za/campus-life/resources/career-services https://uwc-csm.symplicity.com/students