Matric is a crucial part of securing your career. If you have just matriculated and don’t know what path to pursue, read some more to find options.
There is no doubt that getting a higher education will likely open many doors for you professionally. But just because you may not have a tertiary education does not mean that there are not any opportunities out there for you.
In fact, there are many lucrative career paths you can embark on with just your matric certificate and continue with your education later.
Did you know that Bill Gates, the founder of Microsoft, who is among the richest people in the world, dropped out of Harvard University?
“If things had not worked out, I could have always gone back to school. I was officially on leave,” Gates was reported to have said in 1994.
So, with or without a university qualification, numerous prospects exist out there for you. Here are some great careers to explore:
Make-up artist
A make-up artist applies cosmetic goods and procedures to enhance or change the appearance of a person.
Make-up artists use a variety of materials, including eyeshadow, eye-liner, concealer, foundation, lipstick, and mascara, as well as application tools to apply items to the face and body.
The make-up industry is huge and the global market is worth hundreds of billions. If you love this type of art, go ahead and refine your skills through resources such YouTube so that you can stand out from the competition when you launch your business.
You can also elect to go do a short course at a cosmetology/beauty school where you can be taught the latest techniques of applying make-up and other beauty essentials.
Digital marketer
A digital marketer works on marketing efforts to help maintain a brand. Their responsibilities include conducting market research, brainstorming with other marketing experts, and developing content to help marketing efforts succeed.
Short courses on this career are available across many universities and colleges in the country.
Entrepreneur
An entrepreneur is a person who starts a new business, bearing most of the risks and reaping the majority of the gains.
Yes, I know not everybody wants to be an entrepreneur but many individuals have created empires by taking this route.
To start a business, you must first create a business plan (a document setting out a business's future objectives and strategies for achieving them), have start-up capital (what you will use to pay for any or all of the required expenses), and be decisive in the choices you make.
Experts say that the money you can make as an entrepreneur depends on what type of venture you start, how in demand it is and how good you market it to your consumers.
E-hailing driver
An e-hailing driver uses his or her own vehicle to pick up passengers and drive them to preferred destinations in the city or even further. If you have a car or motorcycle, you can register on platforms such as Uber, Bolt, DiDi and more.
All you will need is a driver’s licence and a clean criminal record.
Fine artist
A fine artist produces unique artistic work in a number of genres, including painting, drawing, sculpture, video, film and performance.
If you naturally have a knack for any of these mediums, you can turn your passion into a career by tapping into your talent. While many artists do have university degrees, not all do.
Reportedly, the highest price ever paid for a South African painting is Irma Stern's Arab Priest, which sold for a mind-blowing R52 303 600.
Stern did study further however. In 1913 she studied art in Germany at the Weimar Academy, in 1914 at the Levin-Funcke Studio and from 1917 with Max Pechstein, a founder of the Novembergruppe.
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