Author Carol S Dweck is known for her work on the mindset psychological trait, where the ‘fixed mindset’ approaches learning from the point of view that you are born with certain skills and abilities. The other side of this coin is the growth mindset. From this perspective, skills are viewed as competencies which can be learned and further developed.
Boston City Campus & Business College embraces the growth mindset. Implementing the principle of subject-specific and soft skills development, Boston students engage in the academic institution’s programme of Work Integrated Learning. Playing a key role in providing practical, on-the-job training in a student’s particular field, the programme provides skill learning in an actual work context.
“Our focus is on equipping Boston students with top workplace skills, as well as vital professional and interpersonal skills, in order to facilitate ease of employment on completion of their studies at our campuses,” says Boston CEO, Ari Katz.
To this end Boston graduates receive practical work experience and training as part of their curriculum in order to adequately prepare them for the ‘real world’.
“Work integrated learning is the basis of everything we do. Boston students get work experience during their degree. This is done at companies who host a particular student, enabling them to apply the skills and competencies learnt in their degree,” says Katz who emphasizes the importance of harnessing industry related skills in order to secure employment.
“We prepare our graduates with training and graduate competencies that put them in a position to walk straight out of their studies and into a job. Our focus is on incorporating WIL into all degrees and higher education, ensuring that our students are work ready,” says Katz.
The programme is overseen by Jeannette Campbell who manages the work integrated learning on a fulltime basis. Providing a bridge between the host company and the student, opportunity is created to harness key skills through experiential learning. In this capacity, Jeannette further solidifies corporate relations, underpinning Boston’s pivotal role in supplying top graduates in various industries over the last 30 years.
“Students are assisted with their CVs. We play an active role in guiding them where to go and what to do, but the onus is on them to get the placement,” says Katz about facilitating real life practice for when they’re out in the workplace getting a job.
The WIL programme allows the host company to gain insight into the skill level of the student. “Our programme has proved so successful that there are instances where the work integrated learning has resulted in permanent employment at the host company,” says Katz.
Northern Cape graduate, Elton Kagisho is one such example. “”Boston goes all out to help students develop key skills through on-the-job training within qualifications. In this way we are ready for the workplace from the day we leave,” says Kagisho who is now part of the prestigious State Information Technology Agency (SITA).
For more information, contact Boston City Campus & Business College on 011 551-2000, e-mail [email protected], visit Boston, or Facebook.
