“VUT hosts Student Recruitment Week, empowering maVUTi Ambassadors through orientation, school outreach, and youth development initiatives across Gauteng and the Free State.”
31 March 2026 | Story by: Ntebogeleng Digasu| Picture:
3 minutes read time.
The Student Recruitment Department at the Vaal University of Technology (VUT) successfully hosted a dynamic Student Recruitment Week from 23 to 27 March 2026, anchored by the orientation of maVUTi Ambassadors, a group of high-achieving learners selected from six schools across Gauteng and the Free State.
A total of 60 learners, ten from each participating school, were selected as part of the University’s 60-year milestone celebrations. The orientation programme was designed to equip learners with critical knowledge of higher education, career pathways, and academic opportunities across the University’s faculties.
The session was led by Mr Vincent Mdluli, HIV Assistant Coordinator at VUT, who guided learners through the realities of university life and encouraged them to embrace the opportunity with intention and purpose. He emphasised that being selected as a maVUTi Ambassador is both rare and significant, urging learners to extend the knowledge gained to their communities.
Welcoming attendees, Ms Lucy Mohoto addressed learners alongside faculty representatives from the Faculties of Human Sciences, Management Sciences, Applied and Computer Sciences, and Engineering and Technology. She described the ambassadors as future leaders and vital contributors to the University’s vision.
The programme featured an energetic performance by Recruitment Orientation facilitator Thabiso Selepe, known as Layla, which brought vibrancy to the proceedings. Learners also participated in a guided campus tour, visiting computer laboratories and VUTAQUA, where VUT Water is produced, offering practical insight into the University’s facilities and innovation footprint.
Extending its reach beyond campus, the Student Recruitment Department, in collaboration with VUT E Learning, participated in the second Youth Skills and Business Imbizo held in Midvaal. Delivering the keynote address, Deputy Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Mimmy Gondwe, underscored the urgent need for stronger collaboration between government and industry to address youth unemployment. She called on businesses to open pathways for young people through internships, apprenticeships, and workplace-based learning, noting that qualifications must be supported by practical experience.
Also addressing the gathering, Mr Peter Teixeira, Executive Mayor of Midvaal Local Municipality, emphasised that such platforms must move beyond dialogue to tangible impact. He highlighted that initiatives of this nature restore hope and empower young people with practical skills, while partnerships formed through such engagements are critical to advancing meaningful economic participation.
Sharing her experience, attendee Ms Lerato Moloi reflected on the impact of the initiative, saying, “Opportunities like this do not come often, and being part of this programme has shown me that my future is possible. It has given me hope and a clearer direction for where I want to go.”
As part of its broader outreach programme, the University conducted school visits from 23 to 25 March 2026, aligned to the Road to 60 campaign. Schools visited included Leshata Secondary School, Jet Nteo Secondary School, and Lakeside Secondary School. At Leshata Secondary School, VUT alumna Ms Thandiwe Mohlamme contributed to the engagement, demonstrating the University’s lasting impact within the education sector.
Mr Mphohlo Jackson Mabasa, an English educator at Leshata Secondary School, commended the initiative, noting that it provided learners with meaningful insight into university education and assisted in shaping informed subject and career choices.
Student Recruitment Week brought together orientation, outreach, and stakeholder engagement in a single, coherent programme. In doing so, it reaffirmed the Vaal University of Technology’s commitment to empowering young people with knowledge, skills, and opportunity as it advances its journey towards 60 years of impact.