By Yashivan Govender 

So as you probably have seen FirstStep has revamped itself, again. Definitely needed, after a lot of meetings and feedback from industry leaders, we decided to overhaul the website and go ballistic.

The first phase was working with the Stellenbosch Academy of Design and Photography and getting a new brand for both FirstStep.co.za and FirstDigs.co.za. The idea was to allow the students at the academy to go and run with websites and run they did. When Pienaar van Niekerk (one of the coolest people the FirstStep team has ever met!) from the academy first called and asked what the students should focus on, it was simple. We wanted them to give us what their interpretation of FirstStep should be. From logos depicting the evolution of man, silhouette’s of people taking their “first steps”, to the adventurous theme of placing a logo on a Vespa. The students final designs where extremely overwhelming. However the winning design was that of a gentleman by the name of Jan Hendrik. A fresh design that was both trendy, corporate and just down right cool, it was exactly what FirstStep was looking for.

FirstStep.co.za in the Print media:

Our first major bit of editorial came about in April 2005, in the loveLife Uncut Magazine. A large audience the magazine was a huge boost for us at the time and we certainly benefited from the exposure.

What would seem like an eternity ago, has lead to a great partnership between FirstStep.co.za and Mail & Guardian in recent times. An article on FirstStep came about in the Mail & Guardian in October 2005 and two years down the line we now work with their Campus Newspaper-Campus Times. Allowing FirstStep to grow in leaps and bounds! We are looking forward to building on this partnership in the years to come!

The YMag Interview, in the December 2005/January 2006 edition, was indeed a first. Our first glossy magazine editorial! Next FM Campus February 2006, a great interview conducted by one of the most professional units around. The FM Campus follow up to the initial interview was printed on the 27th of October 2006.

Our relationship with the Hip2B2 Brand came about in April and May of 2006 when the FirstStep team were asked to research and construct a fun and funky A-Z Career guide! The magazine a popular High school publication was great boost for the FirstStep website!

Firststep.co.za Television Interviews:

Our First Television interview came about on the 25th of October 2005, on SABC Education’s show World of Winners, a live programme aired on SABC2. A very fun and energetic show that helped ease the FirstStep team into their first bit of television experience.

Following up was a trip to Cape Town to be appearing on a brand that we have become accustomed too, the Hip2B2 Television show, 30th October 2006! An enthusiastic bunch of presenters and it was just awesome! Our second live show, it was great to be apart of what we deem as one of the best educational shows around!

Next up, 20something on ETV, 25th March 2007. Trendy and just down right cool. An absolute blast in a virtual studio was particularly entertaining. Meeting the team was awesome, every minute was a laugh with a friendly bunch of talented individuals! The show was jam packed with cool features and having FirstStep as one of them was a privilege.

Some really cool interviews on Campus Radio stations:

The UJFM interview, 10th November 2006, was exactly how we imagined it i.e. a small radio station with a big reach! The team was a funky bunch of students with lots of energy! Overall a great experience!  Then the big unexpected surprise, MFM-2nd March 2007. Being in-studio at MFM was not only an eye opener it was just an incredible experience. The station is a well oiled machine, run with a business orientated ethos! The station can only be described in one word “Waxed!” The lads from Stellenbosch are doing a great job setting the benchmark for South African Campus Radio Stations!

FirstStep.co.za Radio Interviews and stints: 

Lotus Fm is where it all began on the 23rd of March 2005 and a follow up on the 31st of July 2006, some cool exposure for the website with some great feedback! We had a fantastic chat with the SAFM team on the 16th July 2005, it was a very serious show, so we had to leave the fun side out of FirstStep for a bit….Asked to give our views on bursaries on the Elana Afrika show Pimp Your Brain on 5FM, December 2006, was brilliant! The show was packed with some really cool clips on after school options and to be apart of that was a really awesome experience…