Through its career guidance tool called "Career Compass"; Boston provides prospective students with the opportunity to discover more about themselves, their talents and what kind of careers they would be best suited.
The Career Compass was developed by Avron Herr, Managing Director of Pace Career Centre. The tool is a generic career guidance tool that was developed a number of years ago by Herr and then further developed and updated regularly, specifically for Boston.
Herr explains that the Career Compass is a self-exploration tool rather than a psychometric test. A self-exploration tool allows the user to self-direct towards a suitable career, whilst a psychometric test on the other hand looks at personality, aptitude, values and other factors and the results of which need to be evaluated by a psychologist. Self-exploration methodology is widely used in the career guidance field.
'The Career Compass is easily accessible to people through Boston. The career compass allows the individual to complete a number of simple questions relating to one's interests, values and ambitions,' explains Herr.
Results are available immediately and are produced in the form of a graph that ranks the individuals results from the most suited career options to the least suited career options based upon the individuals interests.
What is important says Herr is that the Career Compass is designed to steer people in the direction of careers which incorporate their interests and this is important as it has been proven that students are more likely to succeed and pass if they are studying subjects that they enjoy.
'Statistics show that there is a 15% - 25% throughput rate at South African universities and colleges (Source: High university drop-out rates: a threat to South Africa's future - HSRC, 2008). This means that only about one quarter of all students who start a programme complete it, says Herr. "The reason for this is that often youngsters choose a career or field of study without doing the proper research and evaluation. And once they start the course and realise this is not for them, it is too late.'
Career Compass and pre-career guidance is imperative in helping students make the right choice before they start studying.
The Career Compass questionnaire is further supported by qualified study counsellors who are trained to offer further career and study guidance and support. This is a free service offered by Boston.
Taking just 20 minutes, the Career Compass Questionnaire will:
- Tell you what your interests are.
- Confirm your career choice OR offer alternatives to your first choice of studying.
- Suggest career options you may not have thought of.
- Provide insight into what your values are and what you want out of a career.
Boston City Campus & Business College offers over 80 dynamic career courses at over 40 branches nationwide. Unisa degrees and media studies are also available at selected branches. Contact the Boston Head Office in Orange Grove on 011 551-2000, e-mail az.oc.notsob@ofni, visit www.boston.co.za, or Facebook.
ABOUT BOSTON CITY CAMPUS
Founded in 1991, Boston City Campus & Business College was started to assist UNISA students prepare for their examinations. Today it has become one of South Africa's leading tertiary education institutions, offering over 80 career study options at over 40 colleges nationwide servicing more than 20 000 learners annually throughout South Africa.
Boston is committed to "Education. For Life."and prides itself on offering relevant courses that meet industry needs; quality academic material and tuition that delivers a high level of success for students and provides them with employable, work-ready skills.
At Boston students are offered assistance with all aspects of student life from training, computer literacy, computerised career compass assessment, moderation and verification of theoretical and practical training schedules.
More information on Boston City Campus & Business College is available at www.boston.co.za.
