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Joburg Water and the Joburg Zoo were among the companies that opened their doors to schoolgirls for the annual Take A Girl Child To Work. The students learned more about potential careers.
GIRLS across Joburg enthusiastically shadowed company staff on Thursday, 28 May, the annual Cell C Take A Girl Child To Work day.
Many companies have welcomed the initiative, including municipal-owned entities like the Johannesburg Zoo and Johannesburg Water. This year the theme was Change your world, and aimed to give girls the opportunity to follow people through their day to day work activities.
Joburg Zoo
It was not only the animals that were in the spotlight at the zoo; 14 girls who had shown an interest in environmental conservation were also there for the day.
Learning about the zoo animals' varied diets
Coming from various high schools and mainly in Grade 10, the girls toured the zoo, learning more about the types of animals kept there. Speaking about their experiences, several of the girls showed an interest in the marine sector.
Brittany van Rijn, from Rand Park High School, said she had a keen interest in studying marine biology at university.
Louise Matschke, curriculum specialist and organiser of the zoo's programme, said the facility had educational resources that learners could use to help with their practical work. Students are encouraged to volunteer at the zoo so that they can fully understand what they want to study.
The girls were taken to the animal nutritional site, to learn about the animals' varied diets. Lorna Fuller, the zoo's senior manager for stores and nutrition, spoke about her job.
"When we feed lions, we throw an entire chicken, including feathers, into their cage so that they can work to get the meat," she said.
From there it was on to the zoo's hospital, where they met Sister Vanessa Anderson, a veterinary nurse. "Here we deal with animal body parts when they die and any related matter that has to do with the animals' health," she said.
The girls came from Forest High School, and the National School of Arts, among others.
Joburg Water
The City's water department welcomed 12 girls from various Joburg schools to spend the day with its staff in the marketing, communications, laboratory, human resources, civil engineering and finance departments.
Jones Mnisi, the acting chief operations officer, gave them some words of encouragement, emphasising the importance of studying and that there were many opportunities for young black women who were willing to further their studies.
They could ultimately become managing directors of companies such as Joburg Water.
The girls were awarded certificates at the end of the day and thanked the utility for the opportunity. They were from Morris Isaacs, Sandringham, Westridge, Rand Girls, Wonderfontein, Dowerglen, Sir John Adamson and Mandisa Shiceka high schools, among others.
This closes the 2009 chapter of Take A Girl Child To Work, in which girls across the city are empowered. However, the Joburg Student Council will take children - boys and girls - of City employees to spend the day in their parents' workplace on on Thursday, 11 June.
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