In 2007, the Student Equity and Talent Management Unit (SETMU) at the University of the Witwatersrand (Wits) initiated a programme called the Targeting Talent Programme (TTP). One of the objectives of the TTP is to equip students to be successful at university. The first cohort of students consisted of 270 talented Grade 9 students from disadvantaged rural and urban schools. They were identified at the end of 2006, and they attended enrichment sessions at the University during 2007, 2008 and 2009. Thirty seven of the students enrolled for Engineering at Wits in 2010. They were given no further assistance by the TTP. The TTP based the planning of its curriculum on the Competencies identified by the Programme for International Student Assessment (PISA). The primary aim of the PISA assessment is to determine the extent to which young people have acquired the wider knowledge and skills in reading, mathematical and scientific literacy that they will need in adult life, hence the TTP attempted to incorporate the PISA Competencies in their curriculum in order to equip students for tertiary education. Habits of Mind identified by Cuoco and others were also used in planning the TTP curriculum in order to equip students with thinking skills. The TTP was successful in helping students to achieve university entrance, but there is a need to investigate to what extent the three year intervention program enables the students to succeed at university. This report focuses on the 37 students who enrolled for Engineering at Wits in 2010. They are compared to a sample of 37 students from the 2010 cohort who did not attend the TTP. The sample of non-TTP students was chosen by matching the National Senior Certificate Mathematics and Science marks obtained by the ex-TTP students as closely as possible. Thus two samples with an almost identical initial academic profile were created. One of the differences between the samples is that the ex-TTP students had had input which was aimed at equipping them to attain university entrance and to succeed there, whereas the other students had had no such formal assistance. The ex-TTP students were also compared with the cohort as a whole. This report shows that 16 of the 37 students (43%) passed the Mathematics, Mechanics and Physics courses that they were enrolled for. It also shows that the ex-TTP students scored lower on average than the non-TTP students and the cohort, for the Mathematics, Physics and Mechanics courses that they were enrolled for. Interviews with 9 of the ex-TTP students show that they did not consciously transfer study techniques from the TTP to university. The TTP was thus only partially successful in its objective of enabling students to be successful at university.

Text in Afrikaans / Die doel van die onderhawige studie is onder meer om loopbaanorientering aan die tersiere student (BSc Agric) teoreties te fundeer. 'n Uitgebreide Europese studiereis is ondemeem met die doel om bestaande loopbaanorienteringsprogramme aan tersiere instansies, veral universiteite, te ondersoek en die effektiwiteit daarvan te evalueer ten einde voortreflikhede te implementeer. In hierdie studie word die loopbaanorienteringsprogram vir BSc (Agric)studente aan die Universiteit van Pretoria wat reeds in 1994 ontwerp en ge'implementeer is, beskryf sowel as die behoeftepeiling wat onder BSc (Agric)-studente (voor en na die implementering van die program), en vennote in die landboubedryf gedoen is. 'n Verdere doel met die studie is om 'n wetenskaplik verantwoorde loopbaanorienteringsverrykingsprogram vir BSc (Agric)-studente aan die Universiteit van Pretoria te begrond, te ontwerp, die implementering daarvan te beskryf en die resultate daarvan te evalueer. Daar is gepoog om beide loopbaanontwikkelings- en studente-ontwikkelingsteoriee te beskryf en uit te le as fundering vir 'n verantwoorde loopbaanorienteringsverrykingsprogram vir tersiere studente. 'n Oorsig en perspektief is gebied op bestaande loopbaanorienteringsprogramme en -inisiatiewe in 'n intemasionale, nasionale en plaaslike konteks. Die verskynsel van die snelveranderende wereld-van-werk is literatuurmatig gepresiseer en die implikasies uitgewys vir die opleiding van en loopbaanorientering aan die student in die Landbouwetenskap. 'n Behoeftepeiling van loopbaan (en lewens-)kundighedeen vaardighede waaroor graduandi moet beskik is gedoen onder BSc (Agric)-studente (v66r en mi programimplementering) en onder vennote in die landboubedryf. Die ontwikkeling, beslaggewing en ,evaluering van 'n loopbaanorienteringsverrykingsprogram vir BSc (Agric)-studente is beskryf en toegelig. 'n Samevatting van die studie is gegee met enkele gemotiveerde aanbevelings wat uit die navorsing voortvloei. Voorstelle is gemaak vir die inisiering van 'n loopbaansentrum vir studente van die Universiteit van Pretoria. / The aim of this study is amongst others to lay the theoretical foundation of career orientation for BSc (Agric)-students. An extensive European study tour was undertaken with the aim of investigating and evaluating existing career orientation programmes and/or student enrichment endeavours at the various tertiary institutions especially universities. The effectiveness of these programmes was evaluated with the aim of utilizing and implementing aspects of them. In this study the career orientation enrichment programme for BSc (Agric)-students that was already designed and implemented at the University of Pretoria in 1994, is described. The needs of the BSc (Agric)-students before and after the implementation of this programme were determined as well as those of the partners in the agricultural industry. Another aim of this study is to describe the foundation, design and implementation of a scientific, accountable career orientation enrichment programme for BSc (Agric)-students at the University of Pretoria and to evaluate the outcome thereof. The various career development and student development theories are elucidated and described as a foundation for an accountable career orientation enrichment programme for tertiary students. An overview is given of career orientation programmes and initiatives in an international, national and local context. The phenomenon of the fast changing world-ofwork is described and defined more precisely through a literature study with reference to the implications for the training of and career orientation regarding the student in the Science of Agriculture. An investigation was done of the career (and life-) skills that graduates have to attain. The needs and views of BSc (Agric)-students (before and after the programme implementation) and partners in the agricultural industry were extracted. A summary is given of the arguments put forward in this thesis together with some recommendations that have emerged from this research. Proposals are made for the initiation of a career centre for students at the University of Pretoria. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Sielkundige Opvoedkunde)

Text in Afrikaans / Die doel van die onderhawige studie is onder meer om loopbaanorientering aan die tersiere student (BSc Agric) teoreties te fundeer. 'n Uitgebreide Europese studiereis is ondemeem met die doel om bestaande loopbaanorienteringsprogramme aan tersiere instansies, veral universiteite, te ondersoek en die effektiwiteit daarvan te evalueer ten einde voortreflikhede te implementeer. In hierdie studie word die loopbaanorienteringsprogram vir BSc (Agric)studente aan die Universiteit van Pretoria wat reeds in 1994 ontwerp en ge'implementeer is, beskryf sowel as die behoeftepeiling wat onder BSc (Agric)-studente (voor en na die implementering van die program), en vennote in die landboubedryf gedoen is. 'n Verdere doel met die studie is om 'n wetenskaplik verantwoorde loopbaanorienteringsverrykingsprogram vir BSc (Agric)-studente aan die Universiteit van Pretoria te begrond, te ontwerp, die implementering daarvan te beskryf en die resultate daarvan te evalueer. Daar is gepoog om beide loopbaanontwikkelings- en studente-ontwikkelingsteoriee te beskryf en uit te le as fundering vir 'n verantwoorde loopbaanorienteringsverrykingsprogram vir tersiere studente. 'n Oorsig en perspektief is gebied op bestaande loopbaanorienteringsprogramme en -inisiatiewe in 'n intemasionale, nasionale en plaaslike konteks. Die verskynsel van die snelveranderende wereld-van-werk is literatuurmatig gepresiseer en die implikasies uitgewys vir die opleiding van en loopbaanorientering aan die student in die Landbouwetenskap. 'n Behoeftepeiling van loopbaan (en lewens-)kundighedeen vaardighede waaroor graduandi moet beskik is gedoen onder BSc (Agric)-studente (v66r en mi programimplementering) en onder vennote in die landboubedryf. Die ontwikkeling, beslaggewing en ,evaluering van 'n loopbaanorienteringsverrykingsprogram vir BSc (Agric)-studente is beskryf en toegelig. 'n Samevatting van die studie is gegee met enkele gemotiveerde aanbevelings wat uit die navorsing voortvloei. Voorstelle is gemaak vir die inisiering van 'n loopbaansentrum vir studente van die Universiteit van Pretoria. / The aim of this study is amongst others to lay the theoretical foundation of career orientation for BSc (Agric)-students. An extensive European study tour was undertaken with the aim of investigating and evaluating existing career orientation programmes and/or student enrichment endeavours at the various tertiary institutions especially universities. The effectiveness of these programmes was evaluated with the aim of utilizing and implementing aspects of them. In this study the career orientation enrichment programme for BSc (Agric)-students that was already designed and implemented at the University of Pretoria in 1994, is described. The needs of the BSc (Agric)-students before and after the implementation of this programme were determined as well as those of the partners in the agricultural industry. Another aim of this study is to describe the foundation, design and implementation of a scientific, accountable career orientation enrichment programme for BSc (Agric)-students at the University of Pretoria and to evaluate the outcome thereof. The various career development and student development theories are elucidated and described as a foundation for an accountable career orientation enrichment programme for tertiary students. An overview is given of career orientation programmes and initiatives in an international, national and local context. The phenomenon of the fast changing world-ofwork is described and defined more precisely through a literature study with reference to the implications for the training of and career orientation regarding the student in the Science of Agriculture. An investigation was done of the career (and life-) skills that graduates have to attain. The needs and views of BSc (Agric)-students (before and after the programme implementation) and partners in the agricultural industry were extracted. A summary is given of the arguments put forward in this thesis together with some recommendations that have emerged from this research. Proposals are made for the initiation of a career centre for students at the University of Pretoria. / Psychology of Education / D. Ed. (Sielkundige Opvoedkunde)