Seen Here: 🎓🚀 10,000+ students reached. 17 institutions. Five provinces. One mission: empowering the next generation. Entrepreneur Boitumelo Motsepe’s University Kick Start Roadshow has wrapped up its first national campus tour, equipping students with practical career-readiness skills, professional insights and the confidence to navigate the world of work. Beyond qualifications, the message is clear: build your skills, own your journey and dare to create opportunities where none exist. The future is not just something to prepare for — it is something to build. Photo Credit: Supplied
JOHANNESBURG, SEPTEMBER 2026 — More than 10,000 students across South Africa have gained practical career-readiness insights following the successful completion of the first national University Kick Start Roadshow, an initiative aimed at helping young people navigate the transition from higher education into employment.
Launched on 3 August 2026 by entrepreneur and multi-award-winning professional Boitumelo Motsepe, the two-month roadshow visited 17 higher education institutions across five provinces, taking essential workplace preparation conversations directly to students before they graduate.
The initiative responds to a critical challenge facing young people: possessing an academic qualification does not always translate into the practical skills, professional networks and workplace awareness needed to secure employment and build a sustainable career.
Through interactive sessions and direct engagement with students, the roadshow sought to bridge that gap by equipping emerging graduates with practical tools to navigate an increasingly competitive employment landscape.
Taking career readiness to campuses
The national tour reached students at several of South Africa’s prominent higher education institutions, including the University of the Witwatersrand, University of Johannesburg, University of Cape Town, University of Pretoria, Nelson Mandela University, University of the Western Cape and North-West University, as well as Emeris and other institutions.
Across the campuses, students engaged with topics designed to strengthen their professional readiness, from developing effective CVs and building portfolios to personal branding, networking and navigating job applications.
The programme also addressed professional communication, workplace etiquette and the responsible use of artificial intelligence tools in career development.
By focusing on practical skills alongside academic achievement, the roadshow encouraged students to consider how they present themselves to prospective employers, communicate their value and position themselves for opportunities within their chosen fields.
Bridging the gap between education and employment
For many students, the transition from university to the workplace can be challenging, particularly when they are unfamiliar with recruitment processes, employer expectations and the professional behaviours required in different working environments.
The Kick Start Roadshow created opportunities for students to engage directly with professionals, ask questions and gain insights into what employers look for when assessing emerging talent.
At Eduvos, the programme was expanded through a career fair, panel discussion and campus talk, allowing students to connect with professionals and explore potential career pathways.
These engagements reinforced the importance of preparing for employment before graduation, rather than waiting until students enter the job market to begin developing their professional networks and career strategies.
The roadshow also encouraged students to recognise that career development requires initiative, continuous learning and an understanding of how to translate academic knowledge into workplace value.
Motsepe calls for an empowered generation
For founder Boitumelo Motsepe, the national rollout underscored the importance of giving young people the tools to take greater ownership of their futures.
“For me, this is about giving young people a better chance at their future. With so many young people struggling to find employment, I want students to leave this programme feeling more prepared for the workplace but also empowered to create opportunities for themselves through entrepreneurship,” said Motsepe.
“Ultimately, the vision is to help build a more empowered and economically active generation, one ambitious student at a time.”
Her message extends beyond conventional job-seeking strategies, encouraging students to consider entrepreneurship and opportunity creation as additional routes towards economic participation.
By exposing students to practical career guidance and professional perspectives, the initiative aims to help young people approach their futures with greater confidence, preparation and a clearer understanding of the opportunities available to them.
Partnerships drive national reach
The roadshow’s first national rollout was made possible through collaboration with several partners who contributed to delivering the programme across participating campuses.
Volkswagen South Africa, Reboost, Canderel, Rhodes Juice, Motsepe Advertising and Content Factory supported the initiative through production, mobility and activation assistance.
Their contributions helped bring the campus experience to students across the country, supporting the delivery of the programme on a national scale.
The collaboration also highlighted the importance of partnerships between businesses and initiatives focused on youth development, particularly in creating opportunities for students to engage with career preparation outside the traditional classroom environment.
Building a stronger foundation for the future
The completion of the 2026 tour marks an important milestone for University Kick Start, expanding the initiative from individual campus engagements into a national platform dedicated to workplace preparation and career development.
Reaching more than 10,000 students across 17 institutions provides a foundation for continued conversations about graduate employability, professional development and the skills young people need to compete in the labour market.
While academic qualifications remain important, the roadshow emphasises that students also need to understand how to communicate their strengths, build meaningful professional relationships, use emerging technologies responsibly and identify opportunities for growth.
As South Africa continues to confront youth unemployment and the challenges facing new entrants to the workforce, initiatives that bring practical career guidance directly to students can play a valuable role in preparing them for the next stage of their lives.
For Motsepe and the University Kick Start team, the ambition is to ensure that young people leave higher education better equipped not only to pursue available opportunities, but also to create new ones.
The roadshow’s message is clear: career readiness should begin before graduation, and the future belongs to young people who are equipped to turn their knowledge, ambition and skills into opportunity.
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