The Centre for Community Engagement and Work- Integrated Learning (WIL) recently hosted a 'Trans-disciplinary Service-Learning & Civic Engagement Partnership Summit World Café and Open Space Dialogue'.

The primary purpose of the occasion was to gather stakeholders including lecturers and students from various disciplines, government officials, community members and CPUT alumni to surface, explore and put forward inputs towards formulating guidelines for designing and implementing ‘Transdisciplinary Service Learning’.

Doug Reeler from Tamarind Tree Associates who facilitated the different sessions said: “In my view this was achieved. Each of the groups that met documented their findings and submitted these to [Service-Learning & Civic Engagement Units Manager], Jacqui Scheepers who will oversee the formulation of the said guidelines.”

The workshop’s theme was, “How can we work creatively across disciplines to enhance service and service engagement? What are we getting right and what do we need to get right?” Reeler said the event helped to strengthen relationships for future work in this important field. “People learned much from each other and I was told that several [people] made plans for working together.  I also saw people being honoured for their contribution over the past year,” he added.

Student, Mikayla Siljeur said the event was a great opportunity to network with academic staff and community partners outside of a formal setting. “The open space dialogue created an opportunity for me to develop some innovative ideas that would be beneficial for future students,” she remarked.

Another student, Jessica Martheze said: “This experience has allowed me to have better perspective of community service.”

Meanwhile CPUT alumnus, Mpendulo Gabayi recommended regular similar workshops. “It was very fruitful with people coming up with interesting opinions which can help the common goal which is integrated learning and how we can support the students and community at large,” Gabayi noted. Department of Applied Sciences lecturer and Work-Integrated Learning Co-ordinator, Dr Lalini Reddy said the event was a great and ‘very refreshing programme’.

Reddy said: “We found out how similar we are in terms of identifying a need for our society to collectively groom our youth to become our future leaders.”

Written by Aphiwe Boyce
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A CPUT alumnus returned to the institution this week to encourage young business graduates to pursue their dreams.

A Marketing alumnus, Ziyaad Abdurahman says graduates cannot expect success to come their way, but they will have to work hard to achieve their dreams.

The author of the recently released novel Gain Friends, Lead People, Be a Hero, Abdurahman says he worked non-stop for several months on his novel.

Abdurahman says he had to make many sacrifices in order to achieve his goal of publishing a novel, whilst meeting his targets at his day job at Old Mutual.

GO-GETTERS: Business Faculty graduates have big plans for their futures

He also encouraged graduates to continue to seek more knowledge.

The importance of continuous professional development was also highlighted by CPUT’s Deputy-Vice Chancellor Academic, Prof Anthony Staak, who pointed out to graduates the importance of upgrading their skills and knowledge in a rapid changing world.

“We hope that CPUT will have a role to play in your life-long learning,” says Staak.

Tonight CPUT will confer qualifications on students who completed programmes in the Faculties of Applied Sciences, Education and Social Sciences, Faculty of Informatics and Design as well as Health and Wellness.

On Wednesday morning, graduates and their supporters will descend on the Cape Town campus for the fourth Business Faculty graduation ceremony.

By Candes Keating

Written by CPUT News

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Faculty of Business and Management Sciences in collaboration with the Alumni Office recently hosted its annual Diversity Seminar on the Cape Town Campus.

The theme this year was Silent Youth Voices, and all speakers emphasized the need for this generation to make their voices heard and take responsibility for their actions.

Artscape CEO, Marlene le Roux encouraged the audience to recognize differences among themselves and shared what needs to be done in the future to bring about social cohesion, nation building and inclusiveness.

“Now is the time to think, feel and act differently,” said Le Roux.

CPUT alumnus Toni Stuart, who is a fulltime poet, told the audience that she gets paid to write, perform and teach poetry.

Stuart said her poetry comes from silence. “If there’s no silence we won’t hear others’ voices as well as our own.”

A group of Office Management and Technology (OMT) students, whose story was called Youth Voices, received the award for the Best Digital StoryTelling Video and walked away with certificates. 

Charlton Gary Brandt was selected as the Pay It Forward 2016 Champion for the volunteering he has done and continues to do in the community.

All first year OMT students have to engage in the Pay It Forward Project which is linked to the curriculum.

“Students are selected from each class to receive a merit award, based on their engagement with communities, the professionalism they display, the time periods they volunteer as well as feedback from the organizations at which they volunteer. It is imperative that students volunteer their services and in so doing, assist in uplifting communities.  Education is  not about one person being advantaged, it is about communities being the beneficiaries, ” says OMT senior lecturer Mandie Richards.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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“Don’t be selfish, but be selfless,” says Kolosa Madikizela, Executive Director of Pragma.

Keynote speaker at the final Faculty of Engineering graduation ceremony, Madikizela, urged the graduating class to make a difference in South Africa.

A CPUT alumnus, Madikizela says the country is at a point where each of us should look at how we can positively contribute to our communities.

“Your education can open many doors for you, but it can also help you to make a difference in communities.”

Madikizela says South Africa is in desperate need of leaders who will “lead with the heart” and urged graduates to do just that.

“If we all do this, what an impact it will make on our country.”

Referring to a well-known quote, Madikizela says: “Ask not what your country can do for you, but ask what you can do for your country.”

News of CPUT’s extraordinary alumni can be found in our Grad Mag 2016.

Written by Candes Keating
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Provides coverage for the Engineering and Applied Sciences Faculties; the Bellville and Wellington Campuses, and research and innovation news.

“If you keep your head up, look at the horizon and not down at the pothole, you’ll achieve your success,” says CPUT alumnus, Dr Marthinus Jordaan.

Jordaan was the guest speaker at this afternoon’s graduation ceremony of the Education Faculty where certificates, diplomas and degrees were conferred on hundreds of graduates.

Jordaan, who runs his own three-star rated guest house, shared his moving academic history which spanned over five decades.

His story illustrated how zeal and endurance paid off against all odds. “While in Grade 6 we were told that we would never make it to matric,” he intimated.

He added that after passing Grade 11 a teacher advised him to repeat the grade as he would not pass Grade 12.

He said that it was during the second year in Grade 11 when he started enjoying school more and looked forward to furthering his studies.

After matric he spent two years in the defence force before enrolling for his first post-matric qualification.

He obtained his PhD from the Central University of Technology and his doctoral thesis looked at genealogy, heritage and tourism.

He has published eight books and is now busy writing three.

He wished the graduates well in their individual careers and urged them not to fail their potential.

Virnen Ludick was awarded the Dean’s Medal for his exceptional academic achievements.

News of CPUT’s extraordinary alumni can be found in our Grad Mag 2016.

Written by Kwanele Butana
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The Business and Information Administration Department in the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences continues to pursue integrating practice into theory by engaging with industry partners.

Students and academics recently had the opportunity to engage with Sheremone Lottering, Regional People Partner at Shoprite Group of Companies. Lottering is a CPUT alumnus who completed his National Diploma and BTech degree in Human Resources Management (HRM) at CPUT and is currently studying towards a Postgraduate Diploma in Strategic Human Resources Management at Stellenbosch University.

His guest lecture, The HR Value Chain: An essential component for adding value to HR, aligned to the content of the curriculum in subjects across the levels of study, and highlighted the pivotal role of Human Resources and the impact upon each aspect in the Value Chain.

Lottering further advised that, as the Regional People Partner, he gives input to all functional business and People related strategic requirements which is key to the day-to-day operational excellence of their business operations. His role also requires that he drives the tactical and routine people service delivery aspects in their business areas and that he takes operational accountability for the overall performance and productivity in the organisation.

Lottering stated: “Businesses cannot only be operations focused, they also have to be people centred.” He further stated that “It is essential that the correct people are employed in organisations with the necessary skills”. He expanded upon business strategies as it related to Checkers Sixty60 and the role of data analytics to achieve overall success.

Lottering quoted the philosophy of many great leaders “If you can’t measure it, you can’t improve it”, and expanded upon the requisite audits which are required to ensure that the objectives of the organisation is achieved, and the importance of the financial resources, and the impact on the bottom line. He provided the audience with a relevant case study at the organisation and integrated into each level in the Value Chain.

He also highlighted that morals, ethics, values and fairness is integral to the success of any organisation, and contributes to the culture of the organisation.

Tyrees Jantjies and Kay-Cee Appollis, both Advanced Diploma students, provided positive feedback and indicated that the guest lecture enhanced their understanding as to the relevance of the Value Chain and the application to the various activities in the organisation.

Mandie Richards, senior lecturer and transformation chairperson in the Faculty of Business and Management, emphasised that pedagogy needs to be responsive to industry needs, and thus opportunities are provided for student to experience engagement with experts from industry.

Richards said the lecture elicited challenging questions from the students and staff, as pertains to the retail store and were provided with firsthand information by Lottering as to strategies currently in place at the Shoprite Group to address the situation. She further advised that Lottering’s guest lecture provided valuable insights and that information shared as pertains to strategy at the organisation, most times cannot be found in a textbook.

Written by CPUT News
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