I remember, many years ago, when tea leaves were used to make tea. A teapot often came with a beautiful snug cover, called a tea cosy, just to keep the teapot warm. There was even a mini industry - where the local grandmothers would compete with each other to create the best and most beautiful tea cosies .

Tea making was an art, and many long discussions went around the process. Some people warmed the pot first, others put their tea in first - others the hot water. There were rules for the amount of time that tea must steep, before it was ready for pouring.

I opened my personal email account to check my mail. To my surprise i received 4 emails from so called recruiting companies requesting my CV, a good copy of my ID, as well as any other documents, such as certificates and / or reference letters, that can support my application.

There is a rumour that Warren Buffet went to a fifteen-course Japanese banquet and ate nothing – because he only eats spaghetti, hamburgers and grilled cheese sandwiches. But do CEOs need to be charismatic, people-pleasing demagogues just because an empire rests on their shoulders?

Steven Kaplan, Mark Klebanov and Morten Sorensen recently completed a study called “Which C.E.O. Characteristics and Abilities Matter?” In it, they looked at 316 CEOs and their companies’ performances, and discovered that people skills have little or nothing to do with running awesome companies.

What might the future hold for private universities in South Africa? What makes a private university credible?

Dear All

Is your company ready to implement HACCP and ISO? you can contact Wofgang Huber at Isologic. Website is www.isologic. co.za.

New Minister of Higher Education and Training, Dr Blade Nzimande, has signalled his intention to look into university curricula in an effort to make them more relevant to South Africa.

“Curriculum is a deep, deep challenge – it is one of the most immediate things that we’ve got to tackle,” Nzimande said this week.

“While it relates to the international, global world, it is also a curriculum that is rooted in our own reality in terms of culture and developmental priorities.

Good day all,

I have become rather frustrated with the admin process at MERSETA. I have sent numerous emails to the Quality Assurer at MERSETA to conclude last years Learnership. I did email Dr. R Patel, and at least one learnership is on the way to completition I hope. It's been 3months and counting...

I need to source a Quality Assurer to assess and moderate a Learnership of IT and Fine Arts. Does anyone have any SETA contacts to assist with this?

Thank you,

Regards,
Nizima (Nizimac@expresssa.co.za)

Onboarding or inclusion in the business world is about ensuring every employee brings their number one game to work, with the end result of an engaged workforce and a lucrative enterprise.

A dictionary definition of inclusion reads: “A sense of belonging: feeling respected, valued for who you are; feeling a level of supportive energy and commitment from others so that you can do your best work.”

In a South African context, when a layer of cultural diversity is added to the mix, ensuring that a newcomer is assimilated smoothly into a team is critical to team production.

I am a researcher for Shaping Tomorrow - www.shapingtomorrow.com - and I was wondering how you use future trends in your business. Since the credit crunch we are operating in a new world of business and if you are not aware of this then you may well be left behind.

Your thoughts and insights will be appreciated.

Hi! im looking for a learnership training for office administrator im a reception but i dont have enough material or any paper work, yes i have experience but its had for me to apply to other companies because of not having qualification. any one with information to assist me please call me 078 5135 359 or email me any format of material that will relate in my experience of reception i'll be glad if i can get something that will help to inprove my skill email npndlovu@msn.com