National Careers Week South Africa
For schools · Term 3, Week 8

Guidelines for implementation.

A simple, repeatable process any school can follow to host college and university students, entrepreneurs and people working in industry — so every learner hears from at least one guest speaker each year.

When
Term 3, Week 8
How long
1 day per grade
Where
On school premises
Reach
≥ 1 speaker per learner
Who runs it

One team, led from the top.

Careers Week is coordinated by a small school team so it happens every year, not just once.

Head & Deputy Head of Careers

Nominated from the School Management Team (SMT). The deputy keeps the programme running year to year.

Careers Committee

Co-chaired by the SMT representative and a learner nominated by the Representative Council of Learners (RCL), with Life Orientation teachers and co-opted members. It plans, runs and evaluates the week.

What it does

Three connections, one week.

Link school to tertiary

College and university students return to talk about their study journeys and how they got there.

Link school to industry

Employers and employees share their career journeys and the real jobs in their sector.

Link school to enterprise

Entrepreneurs talk about building their own work and creating opportunities for others.

International research shows learners who attend four or more career talks do better academically and are up to 47% more likely to be in education, employment or training after school.

The process

Seven steps to run Careers Week.

Focus on one activity at a time and plan it well — that's the whole method.

  1. 1

    Appoint a Head & Deputy Head of Careers

    Nominate a Head of Careers from the SMT, plus a deputy for continuity.

  2. 2

    Set up your Careers Committee

    Co-chaired by the SMT representative and an RCL-nominated learner, with Life Orientation teachers and co-opted members. Give them space and resources to meet.

  3. 3

    Identify speakers

    Aim for at least one speaker per learner. Draw on staff, the SGB, parents, alumni and local companies, colleges and universities.

  4. 4

    Invite speakers & share Speaker Notes

    Send a formal invitation and speaker notes to help them prepare. Many speakers return year after year, so build the relationship.

  5. 5

    Remind & host speakers

    Remind them a month, a week and a day before. Welcome them on arrival and escort them to their venue.

  6. 6

    Thank & certificate speakers

    Thank speakers on the day, hand over a certificate of service, and ask them to complete a short survey.

  7. 7

    Survey & plan for next year

    Survey learners, teachers and speakers on what worked, and use it to plan the next Careers Week.

Templates

Everything you need, ready to adapt.

Editable versions of every template below can be downloaded and tailored to your school.

  • Careers Committee Terms of Reference

    A ready-to-adapt charter for the committee.

  • Speaker List

    Track topics, grades, contacts and speaking times.

  • Speaker Invitation Letter

    A template letter inviting guest speakers.

  • Speaker Notes

    Arrival, logistics and presentation tips for speakers.

  • Speaker Certificate

    A certificate of service to thank each speaker.

  • Careers Week Evaluation Survey

    Learner feedback to improve next year.

Download and edit all six templates for your school.

Download editable templates

Ready to bring Careers Week to your school?

Register to receive the guidelines, templates and lesson resources — then host your first week in Term 3, Week 8.

Register free

Adapted from the Department of Basic Education guidelines for implementing National Careers Week in Term 3, Week 8.