Concerns about “what’s next” led two Stellenbosch University (SU) students to launch The Network, an event which connects students with industry professionals.
The initiative made its debut on 12 August at the AmaMaties Hub, taking the form of a live-interview and networking event.
“The idea behind The Network has always been simple: bridge the gap between students and the professional world by creating opportunities for students to hear directly from people who have actually walked the road before us,” said co-founder Thomas Saurma-Jeltsch, a fourth-year BCom (International Business) student at SU.
(From left) Bryan Versfeld, chief operating officer at Bowler Packaging is interviewed by co-founders Takunda Gatawa and Thomas Saurma-Jeltsch at The Network event on 12 August, an initiative created to “bridge the gap between students and the professional world”, according to Saurma-Jeltsch. PHOTO: Supplied/Robbie Dow
“It’s essentially a live podcast, where we interview professionals and the crowd is able to meet them and ask questions about their careers,” said Saurma-Jeltsch.
The featured speakers were Brett Commaille, co-founder of Hlayisani Capital, Mariza Lubbe, chief compliance and operations officer of Remgro, and Bryan Versfeld, chief operating officer at Bowler Packaging.
There were approximately 70 audience members at The Network event on 12 August at the AmaMaties Hub, created for Stellenbosch University students to learn more about their prospective careers from industry professionals, according to co-founder Saurma-Jeltsch. PHOTO: Supplied/Robbie Dow
“The idea came from conversations with other final-year students, and the question of, ‘what are you doing next year?’ kept coming up,” said Saurma-Jeltsch. “We realised there was a huge gap between what we learn in university and our understanding of what different careers look like in practice.”
This led Saurma-Jeltsch and co-founder Takunda Gatawa, a final year BEng (Civil) student at SU, to create a platform where students could get a clearer picture of life after graduation.
“We want students to hear something that could change the way they think about a career, and to give them confidence about their up-coming decisions,” said Gatawa.
“For me and my peers it’s been overwhelming to think about ‘what’s next’ after our degree,” said Amélie Joubert, a final-year BCom (International Business) student at SU and who attended the event. “Because of that, I found it really insightful to listen to the three speakers, and to hear about their respective journeys.”
(From left) Brett Commaille, co-founder of Hlayisani Capital, Mariza Lubbe, chief compliance and operations officer of Remgro, and Bryan Versfeld, chief operating officer at Bowler Packaging, were interviewed during The Network event on 12 August. PHOTO: Supplied/Robbie Dow
“We’re hoping to host three more events before the semester ends,” said Saurma-Jeltsch. “We want to grow the audience and the range of industries represented.”
“It isn’t meant to be confrontational, but rather conversational. It’s to create a dialogue that feels genuine and informative,” said Saurma-Jeltsch.
Information regarding The Network’s events can be found on their website.