Setting students on a successful career trajectory was at the heart of an event recently hosted by the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences (FBMS).

Senior Lecturer Mandie Richards, who is the Faculty’s Transformation Forum Chairperson, said the Career Hook-up and Entrepreneurship Bootcamp, was a collaboration with PAWA Africa, its All4Youth Programme and their partners Nestle, NielsenIQ, ABB and Publicis Groupe Africa.

The objective was to engage with students and to enhance their understanding of the skills, competencies and graduate attributes required and to assist in shaping their futures.

Richards said the Transformation Forum also continuously explores various strategies which aligns to the Focus Areas of CPUT’s One Smart Vision 2030 and engages with industry partners to ensure that curriculum is responsive to the social and economic needs, whilst integrating programmes into the curriculum which are relevant and aligns to industry trends and, in so doing, improves career and employability opportunities.

“Institutions of Higher Learning and academics can no longer work in silos, as the voices of the students, their lived experiences as well as 21^st century skills need to be integrated into the curriculum, thus contributing to positive change and social and economic empowerment of youth and communities.”

Prof Desiree Scholtz, FBMS Assistant Dean: Teaching and Learning, welcomed attendees and told students that the event was an opportunity to learn.

“We have experts in the field to share with you how your future can change for the better. You need to make today the start of a mindset of how you can go about changing your future. The future is not going to happen to you, you need to make it happen.”

More than 200 students across the faculty were given the opportunity to engage with a panel of experts, which included: Shireen Lutchan (NielsenIQ); Noxolo Mnisi (Nestle); Refilwe Mocumi (ABB), Kaylyn Alexander (Publicis Groupe Africa) and the Faculty’s Work Integrated Learning Co-Ordinators, Bonita Allies, Lauren Swart and Beverley Seager.

PAWA Africa Executive Director, Alesimo Mwanga, said the event was important as institutions “sometimes operate in silos from what private sector needs”.

She said it was important to bring together the two worlds, “particularly for the benefit of the students so that they can also hear from industry what is to be required from them to be employable but also for Higher Education Institutions to hear from industry what the gaps are”.

Richards further stated “As graduates are also faced with the stark reality of unemployment, the event allowed for students, together with the All4YOUth partners to explore their side hustles and further create awareness as to entrepreneurial possibilities.

Students were invited to pitch their entrepreneurial ideas in teams at the entrepreneurship bootcamp and provide solutions to address the challenges experienced in communities in a speed pitch. The various pitches were indications of the entrepreneurial spirit and innovation of students, when afforded opportunities”.

The winning team provided a solution to load-shedding as it pertains to refrigerator storage for communities, to ensure that their meat does not spoil, and at a nominal fee, and each team member won Uber Eats vouchers. One student also won an Exclusive Books voucher for the best pitch of an idea which was to create a Dial Up App to connect runners who could assist people with errands.

Mwanga added that the event presented an opportunity for dialogue with young people, to hear from them what their perception is of getting employed and what challenges they face.

“I think the engagement was really fruitful.”

Written by Ilse Fredericks
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Internationalisation has become an entrenched feature in higher education, where students and staff exchange opportunities, collaborative online learning, and collaborative qualification offerings have become the norm.

As such, the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences (FBMS) recently hosted a three-day International Week at Granger Bay and Bellville campuses. The event was attended by the Strategic Initiatives and Partnerships Directorate, national and international academic, industry partners, and government representatives, both in person and online.

The industry partners included: ABSA, Sea Harvest and the South African Institute for Government Auditors. The government officials were from the City of Cape Town and the Western Cape provincial government. Speaking at the event, Assistant Dean: Teaching and Learning: FBMS, Prof Desiree Scholtz, said the benefits of these endeavours are unparalleled in creating life-long learning experiences. Scholtz said the operative word “here being ‘experience’ since the experience of being abroad is a life-long encounter”.

“Internationalisation opens new vistas of thinking, knowing, and doing that no theoretical learning can offer. The CPUT, and more importantly here, the FBMS has a growing number of partnerships in the Euro Zone, BRICS countries, Africa, and Canada with additional agreements being signed on a regular basis,” she noted.

Scholtz said the value assigned to internationalisation endeavours extends beyond developing academic prowess. “While the exchange of learning, teaching and curriculum is important to advance the academic agenda, we have found that personal engagement results in long-standing partnerships between departments and our faculty,” she said.

During the proceedings, delegates were given a slot to present an overview of their institutions. This started with the hosts, followed by other institutions such as the University of the Western Cape, the Polytechnic University of Porto, Portugal, the University of South Africa, and many more.

Reflecting on the conference, the organising committee chair, Andiswa Mrasi, said the FBMS Hybrid International Week is an annual event hosted by the FMBS.

Mrasi said the event's primary purpose is to create a platform where practitioners in the field of international education engage on important topics to enhance this discipline and share best practices. Mrasi, who is also a manager: Strategic Initiatives and Projects: FBMS, said: “This year, which marked the second Hybrid FBMS International Week was once again a resounding success. We were particularly pleased to witness the participation of local institutions.”

One of the event's highlights was the participation of local and international institutions, and the workshop on Collaborative Online International Learning (COIL), presented by Dr Pieter Steenkamp from the Marketing Department and Simon Kavanagh from Kaospilot, Denmark.

“We are encouraged to see the growth in engagements pertaining to Internationalisation,” said Mrasi.

Written by Aphiwe Boyce

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Radiate Resilience: Revitalise your Spirit, Rejuvenate your Mind and Rebalance your Soul was the theme of a recent Women’s Month celebration hosted by the Faculty of Business and Management Sciences (FBMS).

The event, held at the Cape Town Hotel School (CTHS), commemorated women in the Faculty and in the broader community.

The celebration engaged women in a panel discussion focused on “real issues” which impact women, as well as a social element which included pamper sessions by the CPUT Somatology students, a self-defence demonstration by a 7th Dan black belt, bingo and spot prizes, cooking sessions by Chef Asi Ndamase of the CTHS, financial advice by Old Mutual, beauty and a literary session and a conversation with award-winning author and entrepreneur, Samantha Adams, who launched her new book Justice for a Warrior.

Mandie Richards, Senior Lecturer and the Transformation Forum chairperson, shared her insights on the theme and highlighted how important it is for women to find a balance, and stated: “As women we play various roles as mothers, sisters, daughters, grandmothers, friends, mentors, lovers, and perform endless chef duties, and often face many challenges as we try to navigate our journey”.

She added that resilience did not mean not seeking help, as that is the first step in healing and dealing with the stress women face, and that “it is okay to not be okay”. She continued: “It is important that we make the time to find our happy spaces or moments which provide a surge for us as women, to revitalise our spirits.”

Prof Desireé Scholtz, Assistant Dean: Teaching and Learning, shared a message from the Faculty’s Acting Dean, Prof Renitha Rampersad, who acknowledged the resilience of women and that part of resilience required mindfulness, and humility.

Taryn Kroukamp, Acting Head of the Human Resources Management Department and a member of the Faculty Women’s Day organising team, stated: “The theme encapsulates the essence of the women we strive to be”. Kroukamp reminded the audience, that a balanced soul is the foundation for a resilient spirit.

The panel, moderated by Candice Oliver, a lecturer in the Marketing Department, included Dr Jade Riley and Dr Caylyn Mopp, both medical doctors, Dorothy du Plooy, a CANSA health care specialist and Larnelle Vogel, a Human Resources Specialist focusing on financial education and job creation for women. The celebration provided a safe space for women to ask questions on issues affecting them or family members.

Du Plooy shared crucial information about breast and cervical cancer and responded to a barrage of questions from women as to fears and uncertainties. Mopp shared information as to hormonal therapy and recognised the fears which women have pertaining to cancer. Riley and Mopp also advised women to have regular checks and that it was essential to have pap smears.

Some of the questions posed related to women being scammed of their money by men or falling in love with unemployed men. Vogel emphasised the importance of women being part of the financial discussions with their partners and stated: “If it is not sitting well with you, call it out and see it as a red flag, and do not take on projects.”

Mopp was emphatic as she stated: “Stop working on men’s potential and work on our own potential, because as women we are powerful”. Du Plooy added her pearls of wisdom by sharing her perspective and concluded the panel conversation to loud applause from the audience, with this final comment: “You are losing the battle if you have to groom the man, as he is not your child. Not my circus, not my money”

The celebration continued with musical performances by vocal artists, all graduates in performing arts, and had the women joyously celebrating being women, in dance and song.

Written by CPUT News

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