A career portal focusing only on the agricultural and food sector in South Africa will be launched by Stellenbosch University's Faculty of AgriSciences on Thursday the 4th of October.
This portal is also the first of its kind developed for a particular faculty on campus and is the brainchild of Prof Danie Brink, dean of the faculty.
According to Monika Basson, coordinator of undergraduate recruitment and marketing at the faculty, the web portal is a tool that enables the agricultural sector to better reach students. Students will be able to register as job seekers, while agricultural companies can gain access to candidates by advertising job opportunities, internships, vocational work and even bursaries. “The aim is to create an effective online career platform that benefits both students and the industry," she says.
The faculty has taken the initiative to provide seed funding for the establishment of the platform. It will also be extended to other South African universities and tertiary institutions and, possibly, to international and private universities.
This portal fills a huge gap in the industry, explains Marianne van der Laarse, managing director of Agrijob. Van der Laarse is a recruitment specialist and the project manager of SU's career development project in agricultural sciences. “We are excited about this interactive, comprehensive platform that will provide agricultural employment opportunities in South Africa. With more than 25 years' experience in the agricultural industry, I am convinced that this platform will provide solutions and address the voids that the sector is faced with."
SU is currently celebrating its centenary existence with a renewed focus on its position as an internationally recognised academic institution, embedded in Africa. This initiative aligns with the faculty's intent to expand its existing work and impact in Africa through diverse collaborations and partnerships. SU has the leading agricultural science faculty in Africa and is ideally positioned to drive this initiative, Prof Brink believes.
The launch will take place at 13:00 in the JH Neethling building on campus.
Visit www.agrijob.co.za for more information. Contact Marianne van der Laarse at marianne@agrijob.co.za or 0823881000.
