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12th & 13th May 2004 Pretoria Showgrounds Cordelia Leggitt, an honours student in Ichthyology at Rhodes University, was invited to attend the Pretoria expo and assist with our display. These are her comments....
The Pretoria Careers & Training Faire was visited by approximately 50 000 pupils over the two days and our display was well received. Many pupils showed an interest in the Coelacanth and its size. As the display formed part of a Careers expo, the most asked questions were what type of Careers can I do, what subjects do I need to study these careers, and where can I study? One of the main challenges faced was the language barrier. Many of the pupils speak English as a second or third language and struggled to understand some of the information. Another challenge was the large number of pupils visiting the stand at any one time. It is quite difficult to communicate with such a large group effectively as many of the pupils have different needs. I also found it quite difficult being on my own at the stand due to the large number of pupils and the demands on my attention. As this display is aimed at pupils at a Careers expo, I would change the focus of the display and include more information about the different careers in the programme and what qualifications are needed for those careers. The expo was a great experience for me as I was able to share my passion for science with the pupils and I was made aware that there is a lot of interest in the natural sciences in schools. I was also challenged on how I communicate this information with the pupils in order to encourage and excite them. All in all I found this experience truly enriching. Cordelia Leggitt
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