Noludwe Dyantyies completed a National Diploma in Marketing at Walter Sisulu University in Mthatha but found employment opportunities scarce at home in Queenstown in the Eastern Cape.
It was after observing her sisters’ difficulties with finding qualified mechanics to service their vehicles that she saw an opportunity in the job market and registered to study Motor Mechanics at the False Bay TVET College Khayelitsha campus.
This led to being placed at Kia Motors in Somerset West by the Youth Employment Service (YES), the government initiative to improve youth employability by providing work experience through internships.
Noludwe is now literally within sight of her goal, supporting the company in the Workshop Administration Office while she waits for an apprenticeship opportunity to open up. Ironically, her marketing diploma is proving its worth as her current responsibilities include booking in vehicles, customer service, quoting and order authorisations. While enjoying the interaction with customers, she is gaining invaluable business knowledge, learning about the different services and products involved in auto repair and making useful contacts in the sector.
She says the key to her progress thus far has been her positive attitude. Once she forms a plan of action, she refuses to let setbacks distract her from her goals or to be like so many youths and just sit at home and do nothing.
“I take all the experience and opportunities I get to advance my career and dreams,” says Noludwe.
With that attitude, it won’t be long before she gets that apprenticeship and takes another step toward her ultimate goal, to one day start her own company.
