Private colleges, viable option for tertiary qualification

Among them are quality institutions offering courses that address the economic needs of the country. Many colleges have a higher ratio of graduates placed directly into related employment.

"CTI Information Systems graduates are employed at the same level as university graduates, but require only one year of study and are likely to have earned an additional R100 000 before their university counterparts graduate," says Sharene Menteath, head of academics at CTI Education Group.

Human capital group, Adcorp, announced last year that the country faced shortages of highly skilled personnel in senior management, professionals in the medicine, engineering, accounting and law fields, technical occupations requiring both technicians and artisans, as well as occupations in agriculture. Adcorp calculated that the economy faces a shortage of 432 100 technicians, 216 200 managers and 178 400 professionals.

Qualifications are career-orientated

"Private colleges and FET institutions are well placed to positively impact the skills shortage that threatens our economy. Many of these institutions are delivering quality career-orientated qualifications, courses designed to prepare graduates for the work place that include critical on the job training," comments Ian Yoell, regional director of Edexcel Southern Africa.

Credible private colleges such as the CTI Education Group offer nationally and internationally recognised diploma and degree courses in faculties including information and technology, commerce, law and social sciences, and creative art and communications.

The commerce faculty provides students with the opportunity to interact with experts in the field through their guest lecturer programme. Most degrees also offer an internship during the third year of study thereby exposing students to the work place before graduating and starting their careers. CTI assists students with these valuable internship placements.