SARAO exhibits at the Annual NextGen Career Expo – North West Edition

SARAO participated in the Annual NextGen Career Expo – North West Edition, hosted at the Rankoko Secondary School in Mabeskraal. The event, hosted by the South African BRICS Youth Association (SABYA) in collaboration with the Nkosi Minenkulu Joyi Foundation (NMJF) and the Kgosi Mabe-O-Molopyane Foundation (KMMF), aimed to provide career guidance and showcase educational and professional opportunities for learners.

The Expo featured exhibitors from various sectors, including government institutions, businesses, and educational organisations. SARAO’s participation focused on introducing learners and educators to radio astronomy, the role of the MeerKAT telescope, and career opportunities in STEM fields such as astronomy, engineering and data science.

The SARAO Science Engagement team members, Simphiwe Mdlanga and Cassandra Mzola, were able to increase SARAO’s brand visibility and mission at a youth-focused event while engaging in discussions with learners and educators about SARAO’s work and radio astronomy. This created high levels of enthusiasm from learners interested in STEM-related careers and the opportunity to introduce key radio astronomy concepts to some learners who had little prior knowledge of the industry.

The team also took the opportunity to connect with exhibitors from various industries, allowing SARAO to build potential partnerships for future outreach efforts.

“The event provided a valuable platform for engaging with high school learners and introducing them to careers in radio astronomy. With improved planning, time allocation, and visibility, SARAO can maximise its impact at future editions of the Expo,” says Madlanga.