A GRADUATION CEREMONY IS UNDOUBTEDLY THE CROWN ON YEARS’ OF STUDY. UNFORTUNATELY, YOU COULDN’T WALK THE STAGE TO RECEIVE YOUR DIPLOMA/DEGREE IN PERSON THIS YEAR AS A RESULT OF THE LOCKDOWN. HOW DID IT MAKE YOU FEEL, SINCE YOU PROBABLY HAD ALREADY PREPARED FOR THE EVENT IN THE COMPANY OF YOUR FRIENDS AND PARENTS? I started planning for my graduation ceremony from the day I got accepted at University. It breaks my heart that I couldn’t walk the stage because of the Covid-19 pandemic. But, it is one of those things and there’s nothing I can do about it. I’m grateful that I made it this far.
DOES A UNIVERSITY QUALIFICATION GIVE YOU A BETTER CHANCE AT EMPLOYMENT? Yes, from last semester to date I've been on the Internet all day trying to apply for some jobs. Almost all employers require a diploma/degree.
ARE YOU ALREADY WORKING (IF SO, TELL US YOUR JOB TITLE AND WHERE YOU ARE EMPLOYED), OR ARE YOU FURTHERING YOUR STUDIES? I’m currently studying for my Advanced Diploma: Information Technology and am looking for a job at the same time.
WHO IS YOUR ULTIMATE EMPLOYER? I don’t want to mention any names, as I’ve never been exposed to the work industry. But, I would like to work at any company as a business analyst.
WHO WAS YOUR FAVOURITE LECTURER, AND WHY? Dr Odinaike, who was teaching Programming (Visual Basics). He's just the best. He treats all of us the same, he encourages us to be the best students we could ever be and gives us a taste of how the industry is going to be through his teachings.
IS HIGHER EDUCATION A RIGHT OR A PRIVILEGE? It’s a right, but had I been asked this question four years ago, I'd say it's a privilege. We should be thankful to all the students who stood up in 2015/2016 and say #feesmustfall. Thanks to them NSFAS now funds all students who meet the requirements.
ARE YOU THE FIRST PERSON IN YOUR FAMILY TO OBTAIN A UNIVERSITY QUALIFICATION? No, I’m actually the third.
IN THIS UNCERTAIN TIMES, WHAT WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT DO YOU HAVE FOR CURRENT STUDENTS WHO NOW HAVE TO ADJUST TO A NEW LEARNING MODE? We never expected such a global crisis. Students need to adjust and adopt a new way of doing things. I know it’s not easy, but work hard for your own sake.
HOW HAS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC CHANGED YOUR VIEWS OF THE FUTURE? To always plan ahead. Live every day as if it’s your last. Give your best in everything. You never know.
A GRADUATION CEREMONY IS UNDOUBTEDLY THE CROWN ON YEARS’ OF STUDY. UNFORTUNATELY, YOU COULDN’T WALK THE STAGE TO RECEIVE YOUR DIPLOMA/DEGREE IN PERSON THIS YEAR AS A RESULT OF THE LOCKDOWN. HOW DID IT MAKE YOU FEEL, SINCE YOU PROBABLY HAD ALREADY PREPARED FOR THE EVENT IN THE COMPANY OF YOUR FRIENDS AND PARENTS? After all the hardships I have had to overcome to get this qualification, it really broke my heart that I couldn’t walk across that stage. For me and my family, this is such a huge accomplishment. It’s really devastating because I have worked hard to complete my National Diploma in record time. However, I’m still grateful and very proud of everything I have accomplished so far.
DOES A UNIVERSITY QUALIFICATION GIVE YOU A BETTER CHANCE AT EMPLOYMENT? Yes, it’s not a guarantee to a good job, but it can certainly open doors for you and create opportunities that may not otherwise have been available to you.
ARE YOU ALREADY WORKING (IF SO, TELL US YOUR JOB TITLE AND WHERE YOU ARE EMPLOYED), OR ARE YOU FURTHERING YOUR STUDIES? I’m a Print and Online Journalist for Student Living Newspaper and enrolled for an Advanced Diploma: Journalism.
WHO IS YOUR ULTIMATE EMPLOYER? eNews Channel Africa, popularly known as eNCA. It’s one of the best and most trusted South African TV news channels.
WHO WAS YOUR FAVOURITE LECTURER, AND WHY? My print media lecturer, Dr Hilke Steenkamp, was and still is my favourite lecturer. The Department of Journalism is privileged to have her because she sincerely cares for every student and she always listens to their concerns. Another thing that I admire about her is that she is friendly and very professional at the same time. I’ve never met such an excellent and hardworking lecturer. I would not have progressed as much as I have if it wasn’t for her. She’s the reason I fell in love with Pint Journalism.
IS HIGHER EDUCATION A RIGHT OR A PRIVILEGE? A privilege because not everyone gets the chance to further their studies at a tertiary institution. If you have or had that opportunity, consider yourself as one of the privileged ones.
ARE YOU THE FIRST PERSON IN YOUR FAMILY TO OBTAIN A UNIVERSITY QUALIFICATION? Yes.
IN THIS UNCERTAIN TIMES, WHAT WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT DO YOU HAVE FOR CURRENT STUDENTS WHO NOW HAVE TO ADJUST TO A NEW LEARNING MODE? I know that it will be difficult to adapt to this new method of learning, but I would advise them to participate in online classes, utilise the provided learning materials wisely, put in more effort, and always complete all assessments or tasks.
HOW HAS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC CHANGED YOUR VIEWS OF THE FUTURE? It has taught me that, as human beings, we need to always be prepared for anything because sometimes we might have to make dramatic changes in every area of life in a very short period of time. We cannot predict life.
A GRADUATION CEREMONY IS UNDOUBTEDLY THE CROWN ON YEARS’ OF STUDY. UNFORTUNATELY, YOU COULDN’T WALK THE STAGE TO RECEIVE YOUR DIPLOMA/DEGREE IN PERSON THIS YEAR AS A RESULT OF THE LOCKDOWN. HOW DID IT MAKE YOU FEEL, SINCE YOU PROBABLY HAD ALREADY PREPARED FOR THE EVENT IN THE COMPANY OF YOUR FRIENDS AND PARENTS? I was so sad on 2 April, the day I was supposed to finally celebrate my hard work. Not being able to see my parents rejoicing when I walk on stage was heart-breaking. But, I’ve made peace with myself that all will be well in due time.
DOES A UNIVERSITY QUALIFICATION GIVE YOU A BETTER CHANCE AT EMPLOYMENT? Yes, nowadays it’s hard to find a job without a higher education qualification.
ARE YOU ALREADY WORKING (IF SO, TELL US YOUR JOB TITLE AND WHERE YOU ARE EMPLOYED), OR ARE YOU FURTHERING YOUR STUDIES? Yes, I work at Scrolla.Africa Digital News Media as a translator.
WHO IS YOUR ULTIMATE EMPLOYER? I would like to become a lecturer at TUT. I love lecturing and passing on my knowledge to others.
WHO WAS YOUR FAVOURITE LECTURER, AND WHY? Dr ZS Gumede who taught Applied Zulu from my first year until I completed my Diploma. She was very easy to talk to and a mother to all her students.
IS HIGHER EDUCATION A RIGHT OR A PRIVILEGE? A privilege.
ARE YOU THE FIRST PERSON IN YOUR FAMILY TO OBTAIN A UNIVERSITY QUALIFICATION? Yes.
IN THIS UNCERTAIN TIMES, WHAT WORDS OF ENCOURAGEMENT DO YOU HAVE FOR CURRENT STUDENTS WHO NOW HAVE TO ADJUST TO A NEW LEARNING MODE? Study hard. Know what you want and let nothing distract you from your future plans. Aim high and you will surely produce the best.
HOW HAS THE COVID-19 PANDEMIC CHANGED YOUR VIEWS OF THE FUTURE? To always expect the unexpected and learn to accept the situation as it is. Always have a Plan B.
The first-ever virtual TUT graduation ceremonies took place on 30 June as a result of the Covid-19 pandemic and subsequent lockdown. Heita! would like to congratulate every student who obtained a qualification. In this edition, three of these graduates share their hopes, dreams and views with us. Visual Communication (Photography) student, MAHLATSE MPHAHLELE took the cover image, prompting us to capture life’s special moments.
Trevor and
his mom,
Mthavini
Hlungwani.
LEBOGANG MABONE (25)
Fine Arts graduate currently working as full-time artist and small business owner.
BRENDA HLUNGWANI (27)
Journalism graduate currently working as a Communication & Marketing Administrator at the Gautrain Management Agency.
TREVOR HLUNGWANI (28)
Journalism graduate currently working as a Lecturer and freelance Journalist.
A UNIVERSITY QUALIFICATION
HAS ENABLED ME TO enter the job
market with ease and to understand the
demands of my professional career.
The training I acquired from the
University has been helpful in a sense
that it meets the industry standard.
THE BEST MEMORY I HAVE OF MY
GRADUATION DAY is the excitement and joy
of my classmates as we wait for our names to
be called out to receive our qualifications.
Education is the cornerstone of building a
successful career.
THE MOST IMPORTANT LESSON
I’VE LEARNT DURING MY STUDIES
that I still practice every day is to verify
information before running with it, as
it might just be unfounded rumours.
This continues to serve me well,
especially during the Covid-19
pandemic, as misinformation (fake
news) is prevalent. So, to ensure that
I'm reliably informed, I turn to credible
news sources for the latest
developments on a story of interest,
depending on my news appetite.
Lebogang Mabone
Brenda Hlungwani
With so many universities/colleges to choose from, would you recommend TUT to prospective students?
“YES, definitely! It’s one of the best universities in South Africa and it remains the number one University of Technology in the country. What I like most about the institution is that it caters for every person with academic potential, even for people from poorer backgrounds.”
– Carlifonia Dube
“YES, because it’s a diverse University where you find different kinds of people speaking different languages. You feel free to speak your own language and learn that of others.”
– Sbongile Nonyana
“YES, especially if you are studying Information Technology. This University has produced some of the best Web Developers, Testers, Business Analysts and Programmers.”
– Kamogelo Mashita
The Times Higher Education World University Rankings 2020 includes 1 400 universities across 92 countries, standing as the largest and most diverse rankings ever to date. CHECK it out HERE.
Take a look at the Center for World University Rankings. CLICK HERE.
HOW DO WE RANK?
“Allow students to use lecture halls when studying for tests or exams, and deploy security personnel to ensure that students can study in a safe environment, day and night.” – (SN)
“Create questionnaires on what can improve around campuses and circulate it among students. This will help reduce the number of strikes that we face yearly.” – (KM)
“Always offer services beyond learning, like considering the well-being of students. Some of them go through a lot of things that might negatively affect their academic progress.” – (CD)
A GOOD DOSE OF ADVICE
“Always be self-motivated, committed to your studies, and always master self-management.” – Carlifonia Dube (CD)
“Study hard. Aim for higher marks, either for tests or exams. Share academic information with other students who need it.”
– Sbongile Nonyana (SN)
“Be self-aware, self-motivated and independent. After three or four years of study, one should be able to stand tall and believe in yourself. University doesn’t only teach you about what is in the curriculum, but also about yourself and life in general.”
– Kamogelo Mashita (KM)
>>> TIPS FOR STUDENTS
>>> POINTERS FOR TUT
WHAT ARE THE CHARACTERISTICS OF A SUCCESSFUL STUDENT, AND WHAT SUGGESTIONS DO YOU HAVE FOR TUT TO IMPROVE ON THE OVERALL STUDENT EXPERIENCE?
With a Diploma: Language Practice, Sbongile Nonyana (28) has a way with words. She is the first person in her family to obtain a university qualification.
Aim high and you
will surely produce
the best.
heita!
STAY IN THE PICTURE
Heita! is an electronic student newsletter of the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT).
It is edited and published by the Directorate of Corporate Affairs and Marketing.
EDITOR
Gerrit Bester
TEL 012 382 4306
WRITE TO US AT
LAYOUT
This publication may contain third party advertisements and links to third party sites. The Tshwane University of Technology does not make any representation as to the accuracy or suitability of any of the information contained in these advertisements or sites and does not accept any responsibility or liability for the conduct or content of those advertisements and sites and the offerings made by the third parties.
To view upcoming events,
please click here