Thesis (MBA)--Stellenbosch University, 2014. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: Scientific research that focuses on South African females’ success in engineering is limited. The South African engineering workforce and universities have been encountering challenges in attracting and retaining as many females as possible in these fields. This research assignment seeks to advance the understanding of challenges and reasons that contribute to most female learners shying away from engineering studies at tertiary level. To achieve this, Grade 11 and Grade 12 Mathematics and Physical Science female learners from six different schools, which are in a single educational circuit, were observed and interviewed. Mathematics and Physical Science are the two subjects which are prerequisites for engineering studies at any South African higher education institution. For this reason the research focused on female learners who were studying both these subjects. This study also includes a literature review of factors affecting South African women engineers in the labour market. This includes the factors that females around the world consider before choosing a career and the reasons why females stay in their chosen careers. The findings highlight a number of variables that contribute to females’ underrepresentation in engineering. These variables include societal expectations, perceptions of females in careers that are historically male dominated, the quality of education that female learners receive at school, female learners’ performance in Mathematics and Physical Science, guardians’ support of careers chosen by female learners, learners’ knowledge of the various career streams, the use of home language in teaching subjects assessed in English, family responsibilities, and university admission requirements for engineering. Suggestions on how some of these challenges can be mitigated have been highlighted in this research assignment. The main points are:  The need for career guidance workshops and companies’ exhibitions to be taken to the students’ schools where attention can be given to the students of one school at a time and companies can facilitate discussions with learners about the types of work that their companies offer.  Encouraging and advocating for greater parental involvement in the students’ studies as this can reduce the number of students who do not study on a regular basis.  Offering of teaching employment to candidates who fully meet the requirements for the positions they are applying for especially for core subjects like English, Maths, and Science.  Adding engineering faculties to the two universities in the Limpopo Province and giving bursaries or financial aid to help school girls who want to study engineering at university  Teaching school girls time management skills from an early age so as to help them know how to balance the time they spend on each subject. Further details on how some of these suggestions can be achieved are discussed in the last chapter of this research report.

The University of Natal has a Schools Liaison team that is responsible for undergraduate Students Recruitment. Recruitment activities are, however, not restricted to the Schools Liaison team. There are special programmes funded in part or wholly by corporate partners. These partnerships have placed additional demands on the recruitment function which is served by using special recruiters. Certain faculties have also chosen to make use of specialised recruiters in the form of Public Relations Officers. The presence of more than one group of individuals involved in Students Recruitment creates problems, more especially because the various groups of recruiters operate mainly within the same target market. The coming together of the conflicting and competing goals coupled with the parallel and independent recruitment drives of competing faculties, negatively affects the synergy that could be beneficial to the recruitment function. The focus of the study is on using systems thinking methodologies to engage stakeholders in a process that assists the University in creating a Student Recruitment Model that allows the various recruiters to pursue their various goals without harming the larger organisational goal and fragmenting the organization. The objective of this study is to use the Soft Systems Methodology as a tool aimed at developing a viable Student Recruitment model. This dissertation uses systems thinking methodologies to examine stakeho1der interests and concerns and attempts to bring all these together within a consolidated framework that should make up the viable Student Recruitment Model that serves the various interests within a single system. A number of lessons learnt during the process are highlighted and discussed in the last section of this study. The said lessons are considered valuable in the future as new demands arise and the organisation needs to modify its recruitment model. / Thesis (M.Com.)-University of Natal, Durban, 2003.

Submitted in full compliance with the requirements for the Master of Health Sciences in Dental Technology, Durban University of Technology, Durban, South Africa, 2017. / With the transformation in Higher Education (HE), the number of Black African students entering South African universities increased significantly (72%). Black African students accounted for 77.38% of the total student population at Durban University of Technology (DUT). It has been noted that the majority Black African students in HE are first-generation students, many are under-prepared, and come from low-socioeconomic backgrounds. Students from this racial group tend to make incorrect career choices due to a lack of knowledge, experience, and adequate vocational guidance and career counselling. To add to this, many University of Technology programmes, such as Dental Technology, are vocational in nature and prepare students for unfamiliar industries. The aim of this study is to determine the factors associated with student recruitment practices and student profiles in the Dental Technology programme at the DUT. This cross-sectional study employed a mixed method approach. An online survey recruited Dental Technology students who entered the programme from 2008 to 2012. The students’ demographic information was retrieved from the Management Information System (MIS) Department. The survey generated categorical data, which was analysed using the SPSS (Statistical Package for the Social Sciences) which included frequencies, cross-tabulation, Chi-Square test, and Spearman's Rank Order Correlation. Semi-structured interviews with Dental Technology lecturers and the staff involved in student recruitment practices generated qualitative data which was analysed using QSR NVIVO 10. Common themes were classified and discussed. The findings showed that 75% of Dental Technology students were Black African. Only 28% came from urban areas and 81.4% of students attended government schools. Furthermore, 60% relied on financial aid for the payment of their tuition fees. Two categories of necessary attributes emerged i.e. general attributes for an HE student (intrinsic qualities e.g. passion, positive attitude) and the practice specific attributes for Dental Technology (e.g. good eye-hand coordination, manual dexterity). However, the academic staff indicated that the programme is not attracting its desired students. Added to this, is the fact that from the 2008 – 2012 initial intake of 157 students, 41% dropped out of the programme. According to Dental Technology staff, there are no programme-specific student recruitment practices, and they rely on the institutional recruitment practices. However, qualitative findings showed that the DUT employs a generic approach which includes branding and direct promotion with academic departments only minimally involved, reducing the likelihood of effectively recruiting desired students for specific academic programmes such as Dental Technology. About 83% of students indicated that they had not been exposed to any of the DUT’s recruitment practices while they were still in high school. With these findings, it can be concluded that the association between the profiles of the student participants and the current student recruitment practices in the Dental Technology programme is incongruent and weak. In essence when students are recruited to enrol in academic programmes in an institution there needs to be a strong relationship between academic departments and the staff members responsible for recruiting students as the academic staff members are better able to clearly explain the intricacies of their respective programmes and they have an accurate understanding of their desired students. The student recruitment personnel are equipped to sell or market the institution and its offerings to prospective students, but there is clearly a need for the Dental Technology programme to pay more attention to the manner in which their students are recruited and retained. This will help to improve the programme's pass rates and dropout rates while addressing the issues of access, equity, diversity. / M

Thesis (MBA)--University of Stellenbosch, 2009. / ENGLISH ABSTRACT: The Centre of Excellence for Invasion Biology (C+B) is a research centre that provides bursaries for post-graduate students to study in the field of "Invasion Biology". One of the goals of the centre is to ensure that 50% of the funded students are from previously disadvantaged groups. However, since its inception in 2004 it has consistently been unable to meet this goal. The researcher, who has insight in the centre's marketing activities and has knowledge of marketing, is of the opinion that the reason for this failure is due to the lack of knowledge of the target market and the lack of a targeted marketing strategy. As background this report investigates the theory related to marketing and whether this is applicable to a centre such as the C-I-B. The conclusion that the marketing theory is relevant to the C-I-B, lead to a market research project that informed the development of a marketing strategy suggestion which the researcher believes will address the stated problem. The report concludes with recommendations to other stakeholders who should address the deeper lying problems which surface at secondary school level. / AFRIKAANSE OPSOMMING: Die Sentrum van Uitnemendheid vir Indringer Biologie (S-I-S) is 'n sentrum wat beurse voorsien vir nagraadse studente wat studeer in die veld van "Indringer Biologie". Een van die sentrum se doelwitte is om te verseker dat 50% van sy studente deur voorheen benadeelde groepe verteenwoordig word. Sedert sy ontstaan in 2004 kon die sentrum nog nooit hierdie doel bereik nie. Die navorser, wat insae het in die bemarkingsaktiwiteite van die sentrum en kennis dra van bemarkingsbeginsels, is van mening dat hierdie probleem die gevolg is van gebrekkige kennis van die teikenmark en 'n gebrek aan 'n gefokusde bemarkingsstrategie. As agtergrond ondersoek hierdie verslag die teorie ten opsigte van bemarking en of hierdie teorie relevant is vir 'n sentrum soos die S-I-B. Die gevolgtrekking was dat die teorie wel relevant is vir die S-I-B en het gelei tot 'n marknavorsingsprojek wat bygedra het tot die ontwikkeling van 'n bemarkingsstrategie voorstel, wat die navorser glo die probleem sal aanspreek. Die verslag sluit af met voorstelle aan die ander belanghebbendes wat verantwoordelikheid behoort te neem vir die dieperliggende probleme wat op sekondere vlak geidentifiseer is.

The shortage of nurses is a global problem and the selection and education of nursing students is of primary concern. At present, nurse educators at some nursing colleges in Gauteng Province experience problems with the type of students accepted for training and education. The situation is exacerbated by the difference in selection criteria applied for the acceptance of nurse students. Accordingly, the purpose of this study was to explore nurse educators’ perceptions of the current selection criteria and describe the criteria that they would recommend for better selection, retention and training of nurses. The study was conducted at a nursing college in the West Rand Region, Johannesburg. The college trains first-year nursing students before promotion to second-year level at Chris Hani Baragwanath Nursing College, where they complete their training. The researcher selected a qualitative, exploratory and descriptive research design and data was collected from 19 participants, aged between 35 and 60, in three focus group discussions. A grand tour question and probing questions were asked to elicit deep, rich discussion and data. The researcher took field notes during the interviews. The findings of the study revealed discrepancies between the selection criteria applied by the Gauteng Department of Health, the Department of Labour, the SANC and the nursing college management; nurse educators’ feeling of disempowerment related to non-participation as stakeholders in student nurses’ selection; students’ inability to cope with course content revealed that there is a gap between Gauteng Department of Health, Gauteng nursing college management, nurse educators and labour department and a need for review of selection criteria for nursing students, and lack of support from management. The study makes recommendations for practice and nursing education which should assist all the stakeholders in developing selection criteria for nursing students and course content. / Health Studies / M. A. (Nursing Science)

Nursing colleges face a high failure rate among first and second year nursing students. Appropriate selection criteria should help to recruit and select the best suitable candidates who will endure the requirements of the comprehensive four-year nursing diploma course and finally graduate. The input should be equal to the throughput. The purpose of this study was to explore and describe the extent to which selection criteria were a determinant or predictive factor of nursing students’ academic performance and success at a nursing colleges in Gauteng Province. A triangulated research design method was used for data collection, presentation, and analysis. The research population consisted of first and second year student nurses registered in public nursing college. Random sampling was opted for at the nursing college selected as research site. During the empirical phase in 2015, 280 questionnaires were distributed. The findings of the study indicated that there is a weak linear relation between academic qualification and academic performance, yet further analysis showed that there is a significant relationship between Bachelor’s degree holders and their academic achievement when admitted at nursing colleges. / Health Studies / M.A. (Health Studies)

With reference to the demands for innovation facing the systems of tertiary education internationally, the Department of Higher Education in South Africa has been revamped since the realization of the democratic Government. In recent years, the Technical and Vocational Education and Training (TVET) College institutions became the potential learning institutions of choice that could revitalize the economy. This resulted in merging the former 152 TVET Colleges into 50 with the intention to streamline access in order to accommodate a larger number of students for technical and vocational training. The purpose of this study was to determine how student retention and success in the TVET Colleges can be effectively managed. The study was mainly guided by the theoretical framework of Bronfenbrenner’s (1979, 1995) ecological systems theory that explains individuals’ relationships with their environments by means of interrelated ecological systems functioning. Secondly, applied to this study was the principles of systems theory which supplemented Bronfenbrenner’s ecological systems theory. A mixed-methods research approach was used in determining the perceptions of TVET College personnel from different levels of institutional functioning and from students from different years of registration to determine the main factors influencing student retention and success at TVET Colleges. The empirical investigation comprised of a quantitative research approach (as phase 1) using questionnaires administered to students which was followed by a qualitative research approach (as phase 2) entailing semi-structured individual interviews with TVET College employees. The researcher used the chi-square and analysis of variables tests as analysis techniques in analysing and presenting the results in in this study. The research findings indicated a strong need for relevant career guidance provided to prospective TVET College students from primary school onwards, and the establishment of a constructive student support unit at TVET Colleges to promote student retention and success. Factors that promote the management student retention and success were identified as relating to the image and reputation of TVET Colleges, sources of effective communication, and student support activities that initially and continuously motivate or hinder student retention and success in the TVET College institutions. / Na aanleiding van die oproepe om vernuwing wat tersiêre-onderwysstelsels op internasionale vlak in die gesig staar, het die Departement van Hoër Onderwys en Opleiding in Suid-Afrika sedert die instelling van 'n demokratiese regering verskeie verbeteringe ondergaan. In die afgelope aantal jare het instellings in die tegniese en beroepsonderwys- en opleidingsektor potensiële voorkeurleerinstellings geword wat die vermoë het om die ekonomie nuwe lewe te gee. Dit het gelei tot die samesmelting van die voormalige 152 kolleges in die sektor tot 50 kolleges, met die doel om toegang te vergemaklik sodat meer studente vir tegniese en beroepsopleiding ingeneem kan word. Die doel van hierdie studie was om te bepaal hoe faktore wat studentbehoud en -sukses beïnvloed, doeltreffend in die tegniese en beroepsonderwys- en opleidingskollegesektor bestuur kan word. Die studie is gerig deur die teoretiese raamwerk van Bronfenbrenner (1979, 1995) se ekologiese-stelselteorie. Hierdie teorie verklaar individue se verhoudings met hul omgewings met behulp van ekologiese stelsels wat in verhouding met mekaar funksioneer. Tweedens, aan die studie was beginsels van stelsels teorie toegevoeg wat Bronfenbrenner se ekologiese stelsels teorie aanvul. Die empiriese ondersoek het bestaan uit ʼn kwantitatiewe navorsingsbenadering waarby vraelyste aan studente uitgedeel is, gevolg deur ʼn kwalitatiewe navorsingsbenadering wat semi-gestruktureerde individuele onderhoude met werknemers by tegniese en beroepsonderwys- en opleidingskolleges behels het. Die navorsingsbevindinge het gedui op ʼn sterk behoefte aan die voorsiening van toepaslike beroepsvoorligting aan leerders op laerskool en verder wat voornemens is om aan tegniese en beroepsonderwys- en opleidingskolleges te studeer, asook die vestiging van ʼn konstruktiewe studentesteuneenheid by hierdie kolleges om studentebehoud en -sukses te bevorder. Faktore wat studentebehoud en -sukses bevorder is geïdentifiseer as dié wat verband hou met die beeld en reputasie van tegniese en beroepsonderwys- en opleidingskolleges, bronne van doeltreffende kommunikasie, en studentesteunaktiwiteite wat aanvanklik en deurlopend as motivering vir studentebehoud en -sukses in hierdie sektor dien of dit belemmer. / Mayelana na xilaveko xa vutumbuluxi lebyi mafambiselo ya swikolo le ya langutiseneke na wona misava hinkwayo, Ndzavisiso ya tidyondzo ta le henhla ya Afrika Dzongayi cincile ku sukela loko hi ri eka mfumo wa xidimokirasi, Eka masiku ya namuntlha, tikholichi ta Vuthikiniki na dyondzo na vuleteri (TVET) ti hundzukile swikolo leswi nga langiwaku ku pfuxelela ikhonomi. Leswi swi endlile leswaku ku katsiwa tikholichi to ringana 152 leswaku ti va 50 ku ri ku endlela leswaku ku tekiwa na ku leteriwa vana va ku tala. Xikongomelo a ku ri ku endlela leswaku machudeni va nga lawuriwa na ku humelerisiwa njhani eka ti kholichi ta ti TVET. Dyondzo leyi yi rhangeriwa hi mavonelo ya malavisiselo ya Bronfenbrenner’s (1979, 1995), mavonelo ya matshamelo na mahlamuselo ya vuxaka eka mpfanganyiso wa matirhiselo, xavumbirhi, Dyondzo leyi yi tirhisile milawu ya mafambiselo na mavonelo lama tatisaku maendleo ya matshamelo na mafambiselo ya Bronfenbrenner. Malaviseselo ya maendlelo yo pfanganana ya tirhisiwile eka mavonelo ya va tirhi ya tikholichi ta ti TVET ku suka eka matshamelo na matirhelo yaku hambana hambana ku sukela eka malembe ya ntsariso ku endlela ku kuma nsusumeto wa ku humelela ka machudeni etikholichi. Ndzavisiso lowu wu katsakanya maendlelo ya khwalithethivhi, eka xiyenge xo sungula hi ku tirhisa swivutiso leswi nga ta xiyisisiwa eka machudeni swi tlhela swilandelerisiwa hi maendlelo ya malavisiselo ya khwalithethivhi (eka xiyenge xa vumbirhi) hi ku kandzelerisiwa hi nwangulano wa xiphemu na vatirhi va ti kholichi ta ti TVET. Mulavisisi u tirhisile xikwere xa chi na ku xopaxopa swiphemu swa swikambelo leswi a swi xopa xopiwa loko ku bumabumeriwe / hlayiwe mbuyelo wa ndzavisiso. Mbuyelo wu kombisa swinene leswaku kuna ku yelana eka ndzetelo lowu nyikiwaku machudeni ya ti kholichi ta TVET ku suka eswikolweni swa le hansi ku ya ehenhla, na ku tumbuluxiwa ka xiyenge xa mpfuno wa machudeni etikholichini ta ti TVET ku tlakusa ku tiyisa na ku humelela ka machudeni. Swi nwana leswi susumetaku ku tlakusa na ku tiyisa vufambisi eku tlakuseni na ku humelerisa machudeni ya ti kholichi ta ti TVET swikombisa swi fananisiwa na xiyimo na xindzhuti xa swikolo leswi, swipfuno swa mavulavulelo, na swipfuno swa switirhisiwa swa mpfuno wa machudeni wa masungulo kumbe wa ku yisa nkucetelo kumbe xirhalanganyi xa ku tlakusa na ku pfuna ku humelela eka tikholichi ta ti TVET. MARITO NKULO / Educational Management and Leadership / D. Ed. (Education Management)