The 3051 MUT graduates and thousands of parents and guardians that filled the iconic Seme Hall at the University’s main campus from 16-19 April 2024, are to benefit from informative messages from the University’s Acting Vice-Chancellor and Principal, Professor Marcus Ramogale, who described graduation as a “high point” in the life of a student because it is an investment to secure the future. The students graduated from diploma to Master’s level. The parents and guardians came to MUT to witness their children going through an important rite of passage, graduating with a degree or diploma. Addressing both parents and graduates at this annual event, Professor Ramogale gave them useful information as to how they need to navigate the tough times that hold out many promises but usually deliver a string of disappointments. There is always hope that a graduate will land a job. Coupled with this are stories of graduates, with all kinds of qualifications, including those with medical qualifications, not working after graduating.
About this, the Vice-Chancellor and Principal said: “When I graduated a long time ago, I had a job waiting for me. Now times have changed. There are no longer such guarantees.” Professor Ramogale went on and explain that there was a way out of this quagmire. There is a need for a complete mindset, he said. Graduates must learn that they can do things for themselves. “No one was born to be an employee,” the Vice-Chancellor said. Professor Ramogale made a distinction between a ‘job’ and ‘work’. “A job is a task that someone gives you, and upon finishing it, they will pay you. Work is what needs to be done to advance human progress. If you look around you, you will see problems that need you to provide solutions to. Some of these are those problems that irritate you. If they irritate you, they also irritate others. You can find solutions to such problems. You can then sell that solution. You can then live off what you are paid for providing that solution,” said Professor Ramogale. In a nutshell, Professor Ramogale gives a working definition of entrepreneurship. The University is lucky; there is a strong push for entrepreneurship so that the students can be able to create their businesses after graduation.
The Vice-Chancellor also appealed to the parents not to put pressure on their children because they have graduated. Professor Ramogale asked the parents to continue giving their children support, for which he thanked them profusely. Professor Ramogale also thanked the graduates for being exemplary to other young people.