Aim:

To help participants understand their potential, set personal and professional goals, and build self-awareness.

Learning Outcomes:

• Develop self-awareness and identify personal strengths and areas for growth.

• Understand goal-setting using the SMART framework.

• Engage in self-motivation and confidence-building activities.

• Learn how to identify and nurture potential in oneself and others.

Content Covered:

• Icebreaker: Career Bingo to explore career aspirations.

• Self-reflection exercises on personal strengths, goals, and fears.

• Understanding potential and qualities that inspire others.

• Skills assessment (motivation, curiosity, insight, engagement, determination).

• SMART goal-setting and planning.

• Self-motivation questionnaire to identify personal motivators and improvement areas.

Aim:

To guide participants in crafting their professional identity and personal brand for career development.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the importance of a professional identity and narrative.

• Develop a compelling personal and career story.

• Learn how to communicate strengths and aspirations effectively.

Content Covered:

• Icebreaker: Identifying two career goals and one dream.

• Defining a professional narrative and its importance.

• Steps to creating a professional story (knowing yourself, defining purpose, identifying themes).

• Writing a purpose statement and defining impact.

• Professional identity development through mentoring, reflection, and goal orientation.

• Activity: Designing a personal crest to represent career vision and values.

Aim:

To equip participants with the necessary skills to create professional CVs and prepare effectively for job interviews.

Learning Outcomes:

• Develop a strong, structured, and professional CV.

• Understand the components of a compelling cover letter.

• Learn the dos and don’ts of LinkedIn and professional networking.

• Prepare for interviews through mock interviews and feedback sessions.

Content Covered:

• Icebreaker: Career snapshot activity.

• CV writing techniques, structuring, and language use.

• Ethical considerations in CV writing and professional presentation.

• LinkedIn and social media best practices for job searching.

• Writing effective cover letters with structured examples.

• Interview preparation (researching companies, body language, answering questions).

• Activity: Mock interviews for positions like tutor, gym coach, or school leader.

Aim:

To provide insight into workplace expectations and how to gain meaningful job experience through job shadowing.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the importance of job shadowing and how to source opportunities.

• Learn workplace etiquette, including professional communication and behaviour.

• Explore strategies for managing workplace conflicts and professional relationships.

• Develop networking and informational interviewing skills for career growth.

Content Covered:

• Icebreaker: Human Knot team-building exercise.

• Job shadowing benefits and how to find job shadow hosts.

• Conducting informational interviews and building professional networks.

• Workplace etiquette: Professionalism, communication, and common workplace do’s and don’ts.

• Conflict resolution strategies in the workplace.

• Case study discussions on handling workplace issues.

• Growth mindset and strategies for overcoming setbacks in professional settings.

Aim:

To highlight the connection between mental and physical health in the workplace and educate participants on South African labour laws.

Learning Outcomes:

• Understand the link between mental and physical health and how to maintain both.

• Learn stress management strategies during job searching.

• Gain knowledge of basic labour laws, employee rights, and workplace responsibilities.

• Develop resilience and coping strategies for setbacks in the job market.

Content Covered:

• Icebreaker: Sharing job interview and self-care tips.

• Strategies for mental preparation before interviews (affirmations, visualization, relaxation techniques).

• Managing stress and anxiety during job searching.

• Handling negative feedback and using it for improvement.

• Basic South African labour laws, employee rights, and workplace responsibilities.

• Activity: Writing a thank-you email post-interview and developing coping mechanisms.

• Case study discussions on dealing with rejection and feedback positively.