| ####

2 / 32

2 / 32

Mbali Mkhize, Senior Director, Marketing & Communications

S

ome of our readers may have heard those very

words in 2014. They capture the enduring value

of a post-matric qualification and I am sure we

can all testify to their truth in one way or another.

Whether you studied matric under a tree or in a posh high

school or private college, you all converged at MUT to

receive your first post-matric qualification. Our discussions

with alumni have shown that the qualifications for which

they enrolled may not have been their original preference,

but they embraced them as a means to an end – and this

strengthened their determination to succeed.

What became evident as we dug deeper in interviews with

alumni is that to reach one’s goals, sometimes one has to let

go of the past and look into the future. This positive thinking

has propelled MUT graduates to use their first qualifications

to jumpstart their careers. The stories covered in this

publication show the journeys of some of our alumni gems,

and the bigger picture they create is a pattern of creativity,

innovation, adaptability and futuristic thinking.

A common thread between many stories is how problem-

solving gives rise to entrepreneurship. It is encouraging to

see these entrepreneurs’ passion for solving the problems

of the lower-income group and the contribution they are

making. These activities are not necessarily linked to the

qualifications for which these go-getters studied. However,

the training that comes with the qualification makes

everything come together.

Attaining a post-matric qualification is the first step towards

economic liberation. It does not matter what the qualification is; in

the end everything you do will have a connection to what you first

studied.” These were the words of the late Dr Ben Ngubane to the

MUT Class of 2014, spoken during the Faculty of Natural Sciences

graduation ceremony dedicated to him.

The sterling work which our alumni are doing will captivate

prospective students, inspire other alumni and encourage

academics and employers who played a role in shaping

their stories. We can no longer afford to stand by and say

we are unemployed. The time is now to develop a can-do

mindset and look at how we become relevant, using our

qualifications as a starting point.

We salute all alumni and acknowledge how they have delved

into the unknown, taking MUT with them even onto the

global stage. MUT has recently introduced its first Master’s

qualification in Nature Conservation, and is heartened that

many of its alumni have gone on to pursue further degrees up

to PhD level, still proudly waving the MUT flag.

Congratulations go to our 2021 Master’s degree recipients,

whose research topics are all featured in this publication.

Your efforts to sustain the environment do not go unnoticed.

The all-important

What became evident

as we dug deeper in

interviews with alumni

is that to reach one’s

goals, sometimes one

has to let go of the past

and look into the future.

FIRST STEP