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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