Higher education and training programmes in South Africa are vital in bridging the gap between schooling and the working world. The need to greater access to educational opportunities has been highlighted by the alarming national unemployment rates across the country. School leavers however, are often held back by issues of affordability and access. This is where Mediclinic plays an essential role in shifting the socioeconomic landscape by providing aspiring students with a clear pathway to an exciting and challenging career in healthcare.
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From classroom to career
The Mediclinic Higher Education and Training institution offers programmes that are designed to provide school leavers with the knowledge and experience they need to work in the healthcare sector. For some, these programmes offer an enlightening introduction to the experience of working in the healthcare industry and a starting point upon which to build. For others, it represents the fulfilment of a personal and professional ambition within a specific niche, such as nursing.
For Dr Ann van Zyl, Higher Education and Training Manager at Mediclinic Southern Africa, the institution is a prime example of the potential of private sector players to provide people with the means to enter job markets such as healthcare. “Who better to facilitate the training and education needed for a career in the medical field than a business that is deeply rooted in the needs of people and communities on the ground?”
Experience has shown us that diploma qualifications can provide students with a window into specialist fields within their chosen vocation. Nursing graduates could go on to become specialist nurses, unit managers, researchers, nursing managers and consultants, for example. The key to realising these long-term dreams is to invest in the education and training that will lay the groundwork for excellence,” van Zyl says.
Addressing the need for critical skills
Not only do institutions of this nature improve the accessibility of higher education, but they also play a role in addressing critical skills shortages. According to the Human Resources for Health (HRH) Strategy, the shortage of skilled health professionals in South Africa will rise to as many as 97,000 workers by 2025. For this reason, registered nurses in several fields, from community health to mental health, as well as nurse educators, have been placed on South Africa’s Critical Skills List.
Welcoming students into the sector also aligns with the national drive to promote STEM (science, technology, engineering, and math) careers. Learners who thrive in math and science need to be encouraged to leverage these crucial subjects as the building blocks of long-term success.
Many of the programmes offered by Mediclinic use these subjects as a baseline for more technical areas of study—school leavers who can demonstrate proficiency in these areas are highly sought after by the institution. These include niche programmes such as Clinical Coding, which involves translating clinical information into codes in accordance with specific coding rules, conventions, and clinical standards.
Another niche offering by the Mediclinic Higher Education and Training institution are the diploma and higher certificate qualifications in Emergency Medical Care. These programmes are open to learners who have successfully completed their grade 12 schooling or existing emergency care personnel who are looking to expand their knowledge and skillset.
As Van Zyl concludes: “Entering this career path not only provides candidates with the foundational knowledge they need to deliver emergency medical care, it is also another field that is estimated to become a critical skills area nationally.”
For school leavers, these fields of study therefore represent promising employment prospects and the opportunity to meet a growing demand. Through our programmes, learners can gain hands-on experience in their field of interest. This approach not only ensures better understanding and better knowledge retention but also ensures that a successful student can qualify with valuable and relevant real-life work experience.
Apply using official channels
In terms of funding options, Mediclinic provides both paid and sponsored training in the form of bursaries. In light of the recent rise in education scams, Van Zyl urges school leavers who are interested in pursuing one of these opportunities to use only official channels to apply for their studies. Many of the current scams involve making ‘upfront payments’ using instant messaging services and other informal channels – to avoid falling prey to these kinds of scams, it’s essential to use the legitimate Mediclinic Higher Education portal to apply and make enquiries.
