• The value of college

Colleges offer post-school youth with a strong theoretical foundation of knowledge, which equips them to enter into higher education, to access academic qualification, or the workplace to train further towards specialised occupations, including through apprenticeships. College is one of the best investments you can ever make in your future. Just look at some of the benefits of a college education:

• College graduates earn considerably more money over their careers than non-college graduates.
• South Africans without college qualifications take considerably longer to climb the corporate ladder. Studies shows that workers often find themselves stuck in the same position – unable to achieve a higher job grade and salary, without college credentials.
• The quality of the jobs college graduates get is far better, for example. College graduates are more likely to get jobs with medical insurance. It is easier for them to find and hold jobs
• With a college diploma, you have more control over your future and a healthier outlook on life. You have the ability to decide how much you want to learn and where you want that knowledge to take you. It serves as the gateway to better options and more opportunity.
• There are many other nonmonetary benefits as well. College graduates are healthier, contribute more to their communities, and raise kids who are ready for life.
• College education allows you to meet others from distant places with diverse backgrounds. This will give you a broader worldview, cultural understanding, and sophistication.
• Personal satisfaction is just one more benefit of a college degree. By getting a college degree you will have the pleasure of knowing that you took the steps that were necessary to better educate yourself and better your future.
• When students expeence a post secondary education, they have the opportunity to read books and listen to the lectures of top experts in their fields. This stimulation encourages students to think, ask questions, and explore new ideas, which allows for additional growth and development.

• The South African college experience

South Africa is a country with renewed focus and commitment to education. Especially on further education and training at colleges. On August 1, 2012, the Minister of Higher Education and Training Blade Nzimande announced the allocation of R2.5bn in national skills funding (NSF) towards capacity building for SA’s 50 Further Education and Training (FET) colleges, solely for their programme related activities. A further R1.5bn will be added from the fund for infrastructure improvement, bringing this to a total of R4bn in NSF funding over the next three years.

More and more foreign students are heading south, lured by the warm climate and lower fees. Comparatively cheap course fees and the low cost of living are powerful incentives. However, there are other reasons why the country has an irresistible pull, albeit for the kind of scholars who are adventurous enough to consider going abroad in the first place.

• For non-linguists it offers the advantage of an English-language teaching environment. Despite the prevalence of Afrikaans and indigenous languages, English is the medium of instruction in most of South Africa’s public universities.
• South Africa hosts several internationally recognised institutions where you can find the best teaching and research on the continent.
• You get to experience a rich mix of cultures. Colleges in South Africa offer a wide variety of sports, cultural and religious activities.
• South Africa has excellent distance learning colleges that mean you do not have to live in one of the big metropolitans to find quality education.

For more information on different colleges and colleges in your region, you can visit www.colleges.co.za/list-of-colleges

South Africa has a few colleges that offer specialised training in a particular field:

• http://www.sawriterscollege.co.za/
• http://www.wildlifecollege.org.za/
• www.bmtcollege.edu.za/ (business courses)
• www.assess.co.za/     (qualifications for ETD Practitioners)
• www.inscape.ac (decorating)

Information Technology, Commerce, Creative Arts & Communication, Psychology & Counselling and Law

• www.auctioncollege.co.za/ auctioneering courses
• www.businesscollege.co.za/
• www.collegemedsa.ac.za (The Colleges of Medicine of South Africa oversee the postgraduate specialisation of South African doctors)

For a list of private FET colleges:

www.umalusi.org.za

Skills Academy

Skills Academy is an accredited college in South Africa. This college focuses on distance learning. This means that you don’t attend classes and you study from home. Click here to view their courses.