Two groups of second-year Office Management and Technology (OMT) broke the mould when they organised seminars as professionals, inviting speakers who are successful alumni in their respective industries. 

The practical project formed part of their second-year Business Administration course and aimed to teach students the various project and events management principles involved in putting a seminar together during the fourth term.

The students were responsible for all aspects including, deciding on a seminar theme, sourcing and hiring a venue, arranging catering, inviting guest speakers, fundraising to finance the event and other co-ordination activities.

Though the planning started early in the year, it all culminated in the panning out of the themed seminars. One group’s theme was ‘A World of Opportunities’, which the other group titled theirs, ‘The Eco Friendly Office’.

Second-year OMT lecturer, Jasmiena Latief, enjoys seeing the fruits of her labour during the seminar presentations.

Speaking to second-year OMT lecturer, Jasmiena Latief, she expressed her pride and enthusiasm at seeing the students’ work.

“I’m amazed at the students because every year they surprise us, even though we can sometimes take them for granted. I’m excited for their future as they have all proved their professionalism with the events and this reminds me why I chose to enter the education sector”, she said.

Melinda May, a student and facilitator for group who presented ‘A World of Opportunities’, shared that everything that they learnt was not in vain, particularly working with groups and different personalities.

“We learnt organising skills, how to review and manage decisions taken, and always needing to have a Plan B and C and D”, May said.

Fatimah Shade, a member of the '‘A World of Opportunities' group.

Another student, Fatimah Shade, said she enjoyed hearing from the speakers, who were OMT alumni.

“I learnt about the variety of industries one can enter with this qualification as well as the different roles you can take on once you’re already in a company. It was really an eye-opener and will help us to push forward with our academics to achieve good results”, she said.

Programme Co-ordinator, Mandie Richards, shared her sentiments, saying she felt the purpose of the seminars was achieved, as the students not only put their theory into practice, but were also encouraged to diversify their career options. 

By: Thando J. Moiloa

Written by CPUT News
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The Wholesale and Retail Leadership Chair (WRLC) has awarded bursaries to four undergraduate and three postgraduate students to cover their educational and living expenses.

The bursaries were awarded to academically gifted students from previously disadvantaged backgrounds. The bursaries were awarded to six Retail Business Management students and one Business Administration student. The bursary winners were: Sbabatso Emihle Sofute (1st Year), Likhona Lukholo Mtiya (2nd Year), Caylin Amber Louw (4th Year), Ziyanda Qwase (5th Year), Innocent Tumelo Ntuli (Master of Retail Business Management), Anushka Benjamin (Master of Retail Business Management) Bongani Bango (Master of Technology – Business Administration).

The first year up to fifth year students get a total of R50 000 each student and master’s level students receive R150 000 each, paid into their student accounts.

Head of Department & Wholesale and Retail Leadership Chair at CPUT, Prof Virimai Mugobo, said the awarding of bursaries to deserving students was one of the deliverables in the partnership agreement between the W&RSETA and CPUT.  Mugobo said one of the key deliverables of the WRLC was to establish international partnerships with universities across the world that offer wholesale and retail-related qualifications. Currently the WRLC has partnerships with universities in countries such as Germany, France, and Sweden.

Caylin Amber Louw, a 4th-Year student,  said: “I am really grateful to W&RSETA for selecting me, the bursary helped me financially  because I was a lot pressure[financially] because my single mother is unemployed and could not afford to pay the fees.”

“We congratulate the bursary recipients and sincerely hope that the bursaries will go a long way in assisting them to complete the 2022 academic year without any financial challenges, thus enabling them to concentrate on their studies,” said Mugobo.

The WRLC has also fully financed two students and one staff member who will be visiting Duale Hochschule Baden-Württemberg (DHBW), Ravensburg, Germany as part of the international exchange programme. The students will be in Germany for about three months whilst the staff member will spend two weeks in that country.  The students are Moemtaaz Manual and Aviwe Tapuko who are both third-year Retail Business Management students. The lecturer is Eric van Zyl.

“The purpose of the international exchange programme is to expose our students to international wholesale and retail trends. The programme affords them the opportunity to observe and learn how wholesale and retail businesses operate in the specific country they will be visiting. Upon their return, they [will]share their experience and knowledge with fellow students and staff in the department,” Mugobo continued.

“We wish them well during their stay in Germany and we hope that they will be take the opportunity to learn not only about how wholesaling and retailing are conducted but also learn more about the Germany culture.”

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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Talent and discipline are important, but so is humility, said co-founder of Washirika Holdings, Romeo Kumalo.

Kumalo was the guest speaker at the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences graduation, where diplomas and degrees were conferred to graduates in the fields of Management, Human Resource Development, Human Resources Management and Business Administration.

A business tycoon, Kumalo urged graduates to live a life or service, as well as to invest their time wisely.

 “Invest time and effort in knowing what your passion is, because your passion makes you see opportunities where others don’t.”

He also told the graduating class to remain positive, adding that while he was starting his own company, Washirika Holdings, he had to always try and have a positive outlook.

“Optimism opens you up to new ideas.”

Kumalo encouraged graduates to study further, be curious, take action, choose wisely and always be kind.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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CPUT first-year students recently donated R54 300 to the Red Cross Children’s Hospital Trust.

The Business Administration 1 students and lecturer Belinda Berman, who is the project’s facilitator, recently handed over the cheque to the Trust on the District Six Campus. The money was raised earlier this year and will be spent towards the upgrading and extension of the Hospital’s Paediatric Intensive Care Unit.

The Department of Business and Information Administration started the initiative in 2009 as a Business Administration 1 live academic entrepreneurship project and has to date donated a R430 685 to the Trust.

During the handover, Head of the Department, Prof Visvanathan Naicker, thanked everyone who was involved for their “hard work” in raising the donation for “a good cause”.  Naicker said when the students graduate they will have a proven track record of fundraising.

Every year, prizes are awarded to the student team who has the best academic portfolio and the team that raises the most profit.  All students receive a certificate of participation and merit certificates are issued to the winning teams.

Pauline Solomons, a Fundraiser at The Children’s Hospital Trust, said the students’ longstanding donations entitle them to shares in the Hospital and the partnership has grown incredibly over the past nine years. “The hospital treats 250 000 children every year,” said Solomons.

Another Fundraiser at the Trust, Nokuthula Bonga, said the Hospital upgrades include installing a lift and redesigning the floor near the entrance.

Berman said the project’s academic portfolio will also help the students with project management in the future. She thanked all the students for their time and efforts and expressed how proud she was that they had embraced the spirit of ubuntu.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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Anele Gebenga, An MTech student in Business Administration, has walked away with this year’s Abe Bailey Travel Bursary Award following a rigorous selection process.

His political leadership in the South African Students Congress and the role he played in providing educational support to Lentegeur High School learners in Mitchells Plain earned him the prestigious award.

“You have been selected for your exceptional leadership qualities and community service and we congratulate you on this outstanding achievement. This prestigious award has been made to over 800 South African students of outstanding calibre since 1951,” reads the letter sent to him by the Abe Bailey Trust.

Anele says he wants to use his experience as motivation to the students he interacts with as a Retention Officer in the Project Management Department that, no matter where they come from their dreams can be fulfilled.

He has been applying to the award since 2016 when he first saw an advertisement on campus notice boards calling for applications to the bursary award.

Anele and his counterparts from other South African universities will benefit from the enriching educational tours and team-building exercises in Cape Town from 26 to 28 November, before departing for Addis Ababa, Ethiopia, the next day.

 “In Addis Ababa we’ll visit the African Union offices and some heritage sites before jetting off to the United Kingdom where we’ll visit the universities of Oxford, Cambridge and Edinburgh,” he says.

The focus of the Abe Bailey Trust is leadership development and the Trustees wish the bursaries to be awarded to persons who are academically strong and have shown exceptional qualities of leadership and service.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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