Life Orientation, Tourism & Hospitality Careers Expo
17 April 2024
The WCED in collaboration with the Department of Economic Development and Tourism (DEDAT) hosted the first and the biggest Life Orientation, Tourism & Hospitality Careers Expo on 19 March 2024 at the Castle of Good Hope in Cape Town.
The Castle was identified as the venue because it is a much-visited tourist attraction in Cape Town as well as a major heritage site.
The CEO of the Castle of Good Hope, Calvyn Gilfellan, was excited to host this event on behalf of the WCED. There were more than 60 exhibitors including the National Department of Tourism, Cape Nature, a number of hotel groups, local tourism operators, SA Tourism Services Association, MSC Cruises Academy, Stellenbosch University, Cape Peninsula University of Technology, Technical Vocational Education and Training (TVET) Colleges and Sector Education and Training Authorities (SETAs).
More than 3 500 learners from 78 high schools from as far as Grabouw and Villiersdorp attended the Careers Expo.
For many learners it was their first visit to this heritage site. This was an intentional outcome of taking the expo to the Castle, according to the chief organiser of the event, Ismail Teladia, Senior Curriculum Planner (SC) for Life Orientation (LO).
Teladia was well supported by his colleague, Ivan Fortuine, SCP for LO, and the LO Subject Advisers. The Tourism SCP, Rodney Johnson, Hospitality SCP, Ms Mbatane, and the DEDAT staff were also part of the organising committee. The Castle staff provided excellent support for the event. There were a number of food trucks that were allowed to provide refreshments for the learners.
The Careers Expo proved to be a huge success based on the feedback from the learners as well as from the institutions. The National Department of Tourism were excited by the response of the schools and requested to be involved in all future career expos being held in the province. The colleagues from DEDAT were delighted with the massive response from the schools and the number of learners that came through the gates.
Another Careers Expo is planned for later this year.
