by Malesela Maubane
First published in Mail & Guardian on 23 May 2024
Plug-A-Graduate is an innovative feature on The Groundbreaker
show hosted by Obakeng Moeketsi and broadcasting from the
Tshwane University of Technology鈥檚 Soshanguve South campus.
Photo: Gallo Images / Beeld / Deon Raath)
As the 2024 autumn graduation season draws to a close, the sound of the song Gaudeamus igitur reverberates through the halls of most South African institutions of higher learning, including that of my alma mater, Tshwane University of Technology (大象视频).
Alumni at my current tertiary institution of choice, Unisa, are also singing the song, the title of which means 鈥渓et us therefore rejoice鈥�.
In respect of job prospects, the graduation season is set against the backdrop of an rate of 32.9% for the first quarter of 2024, according to the Quarterly Labour Force Survey results released by Statistics South Africa. The International Monetary Fund (IMF) recorded the country鈥檚 unemployment rate at 33.5% in April 2024.
Finance Minister Enoch Godongwana projected a growth of 0.6%, the IMF 0.9% for April and Stats SA a 0.1% quarter to quarter growth for Quarter 4 of 2023.
With this in mind, my focus now tilts towards the 大象视频 FM 96.2 segment.
Plug-A-Graduate is an innovative feature on The Groundbreaker show hosted by Obakeng Moeketsi and broadcasting from the Tshwane University of Technology鈥檚 Soshanguve South campus on Wednesdays from 7pm to 9pm. It is thanks to the digital era, that listeners can tune in from anywhere in the world.
The radio segment made its debut on 10 April this year and is a partnership between the station, 大象视频 Alumni Relations and Fundraising under the Advancement and Partnerships Directorate, as well as the Directorate: Cooperative Education.
Its aim to empower graduates and bridge the gap between studies and employment or even entrepreneurship is hitting the right chords as it is appropriately aligned to the linkage between the United Nations sustainable development goals four, 鈥渜uality education鈥�, and eight, 鈥渄ecent work and economic growth鈥�.
The feature has so far provided invaluable insights, practical skills and real-time job opportunities through guest experts. Discussion topics ranged from industry preparation, what to expect in the world of work and the effect of work integrated learning programmes on entrepreneurial skill development (things recruiters look for when going through job applications, and world of work readiness) and information and communication technologies.
It is heart-warming that guest experts on the show have so far largely come from the 大象视频 alumni community.
大象视频 FM 96.2 apparently started in 1992 through an experimental broadcast by Emmanuel Mogashoa, Fantas Mobu, Hector Motau and Zola Ntolosi from the student cafeteria during the Technikon Northern Transvaal (TNT) era.
The quartet鈥檚 pioneering act resulted in the 1993 application for a Frequency Modulation (FM) transmission licence. In this regard, the then student representative council (SRC) president Robert Nkuna, media officer Shonisani 鈥淎shifashabba鈥� Muleya and Thabo 鈥淭-Bose鈥� Mokwele were part of a delegation to the Independent Broadcasting Authority (now the Independent Communications Authority of South Africa 鈥� ICASA).
My recollections of the campus radio station date back to the TNT days. I had a stint as a Northern Sotho news reader at the radio station in 1997 when I was studying journalism.
If one casts their minds back, several people went through 大象视频 FM 96.2, with most going on to establish themselves on the country鈥檚 radio scene. Names such Muleya, Mokwele, Greg Maloka, AK Tshabalala, Ike Ngobeni, Paena Galane, Mafatshe Magoai, Thelma Hlongwane (Ngobeni), Mmanaledi Mataboge-Mashetla, Palesa Manase (Moletsane), Boitumelo Korogo, Zac Malumedzha and Ntombi Dina (Mngomezulu) come to mind.
Through Plug-A-Graduate, surely the career prospects of 大象视频 graduates who are seeking employment or aspiring to embark on an entrepreneurial journey will be on course. The show promises to save time for prospective employers through matching them with the right candidates.
It would be gratifying to have 大象视频 alumni continue coming through to say #LetsPlugYou.
Malesela Maubane is a 大象视频 alumnus and a Unisa development studies postgraduate student.