Choosing the Right Hospitality Course in South Africa

Deciding what to do after you leave high school can be really tough. Some people are lucky and know exactly where they want to go and what they want to do. Others are faced with sleepless nights, tossing and turning over which course they want to take and whether or not this is the right plan for them. Below are a few tips that will prove useful to anyone who finds themself in such a position.

• What?

It is of utmost importance to make sure that the course of study chosen is one that you will enjoy. This will help to keep your levels of motivation up throughout the course, as the idea of the final outcome is something to look forward to, whether it’s a career in surgery or hotel management.

• Where?

Choosing an institution that you think you will be happy in is just as important as choosing one with a good reputation. Considering the department, lecturers and programmes are all important factors in making the decision regarding which environment suits you best. For example, if you want to get your international hospitality management degree, you need to consider which institutions provide practical experience and are recognised overseas.

• How?

One of the most difficult aspects of furthering one’s education is figuring out how to fund it. The cost of tertiary education has shot up drastically in the past few years, with the average undergraduate degree now costing roughly R80 000. Student loans, bank loans and part-time jobs are most definitely options that need to be considered.

• When?

One of the biggest mistakes that school-leavers make is thinking that they have to go and study straight away. Some people need to take a year or two’s gap between Grade 12 and 1^st year. This allows them to gain some perspective and decide whether or not they are going into the right field of study. Furthermore, it gives them time to earn some money in a part or full-time job, helping them to reduce the financial pressures that first year can bring.

Too many people leave too much riding on the fact that they will figure out which career path they are best suited to on their first attempt. What is important to remember is that universities and colleges can generally be very flexible and accommodating with students who wish to change direction at a later stage (with a few exceptions, depending on how big the change is.). Stressing about the initial decision will only lead to panic and irrational thought, causing many people to choose a path that they are simply unhappy with.

Original Source: How 2

AN INSURANCE POLICY CAN HELP TO KEEP YOU AND YOUR FAMILY FINANCIALLY SECURE

Have you ever thought about what would happen if you could no longer work? What if your family relies on your salary to stay afloat and suddenly you can’t earn anymore? The right insurance policy can protect you and your dependents from the challenges life can throw at you. There are four basic types of insurance policies to help you prepare for the unpredictable future, namely Life Cover, Salary Protection, Disability cover and Serious Illness Cover.

Each of these is aimed at making sure your family’s financial well-being is secure should something unexpected happen. As long as your premiums are up to date, you’ll get the predetermined pay-out related to your serious illness, disability, retrenchment or even death.

Insurance policies offer financial security

When you have dependents, your priorities are likely to be very focused on ensuring their well-being. It is critical to consider the basics that every family needs: your children need to be clothed and fed and they need to get to school safely. You also want to give them every chance to succeed, including sending them on to higher education after school. Whether you are concerned about merely covering the necessities or all the luxuries that you enjoy in life, you need to get an insurance policy that will keep your family protected if you’re unable to.

Offering a diverse range of insurance policies, a reputable insurer can help you plan for a variety of eventualities. You never know when an accident may lead to a permanent disability that can completely stop you from being able to do your job. Nor do you know if you’ll have to leave your job one day due to illness, injury or retrenchment. While these possibilities may seem unlikely, not planning for them can cause you (and your family) unnecessary stress and financial strain. Taking out an insurance policy that covers serious illness, disability or retrenchment, undergoing a compulsory HIV test, and making sure you keep your premiums up to date means that you’ll be protecting yourself and your family.

Ensure you invest in life insurance with affordable premiums too. Dying is never a pleasant topic to talk about and is often avoided, but it’s important to deal with the issue now while you still qualify for cover and, of course, before you actually die. The unfortunate reality is that your family or loved ones may have to face life without you, but a life insurance policy can at least soften the blow financially.

Make sure that you and your family are looked after financially should the need arise. These products can also stand alone to provide varying levels of protection.