JONAS KAMAKELA - MBA, MAJORING IN MANAGEMENT STRATEGIES

Brief: MBA student at the University of Nicosia in Cyprus

Tell us how being a NUST student equipped you to do an MBA at the Nicosia University in Cyprus. My journey started in 2010 at Polytechnic of Namibia before it was renamed Namibia University of Science and Technology (NUST) when I registered for the Introduction to Engineering course but due to financial constraints I dropped out. I returned in 2011, but my passion for Engineering faded away, I chose Transport Management and Logistics, it was a new course the market was in demand of such graduates.

In 2013, I graduated on Top of my class as the Best Third Year Student. Shortly after graduation I joined the Centre for Training and Project Development (CTPD) as a Lecturer for Transport, Logistics and Supply Chain courses from professional bodies such as CILT and CIPS. Apart from lecturing I was a Workshop Trainer in the field of Logistics, Transport and Procurement. NORED, DebMarine and Oshikoto Regional Council are some of my clients. I left CTPD for personal growth to SAB Miller as a Distribution Controller.

In 2016, I registered for the Honours in Logistics at NUST Level 8, to be conferred in April 2017 which created an opportunity for me to be admitted at the University of Nicosia at Cyprus for the MBA Programme.

MBA Programme requires candidates that are self driven, critical thinker and innovative individuals, being a student at Polytechnic of Namibia helped me to acquire these skills and attributes during studies period.

What do you consider to be your most successful contribution to NUST? During my studies at the Polytechnic of Namibia, I was appointed as a Public Relations Officer for Transport and Logistics Society, entirely responsible for creating a relationship with Transport and Logistics industries to recognize Transport and Logistics courses offered at the Polytechnic of Namibia and make to provisions for industrial visit for skills exposure. We took students to Namport in 2013 for maritime Transport exposure and familiarization. When I graduated in 2013, The Namibian Sun published an article about the challenges, I faced during my studies and from there on, I have been an inspiration to many students at NUST and other institutions. When they graduated, they always remind me of how I have been their courage to push forward in life despite predicaments they faced in life, be it funds or lack of family support.

Kindly share with us some of the obstacles/hardships you had to endure to reach this stage of your life. To start off, I have been dragging obstacles since my childhood, things got worse when my Grandmother (Paskaria Ndahangala Kaita) passed on in 2009. When I came to Windhoek I was staying at my aunt’s shack in Greenwell Matongo. I would use candles or lamp powered by batteries for studying. I can recall my first day at the Polytechnic of Namibia in 2011, I went footing I only had N$ 8.00 for the cab to go back home. Footing from Green well Matongo became a routine, I would follow Independence Avenue from Green Well to Town (longest way). I discovered the shortest way from Green Well Matongo to Poly ( a route from Oponganda Cemetery straight to Town ). I got lost the first day but I mastered the route afterwards. Some days, I didn’t have taxi money I would sleep at the Service station or at TransNamib cabin with the security guards (safe place). It was hard, I would cry some days but I never gave up on my studies not even a minutes. The worse part of it was the lack of family support none of my close families knew what I was studying at Polytechnic.

What inspired you to further your studies and what are you planning to do after obtaining your masters? Being competitive in the job market drove my passion to purse the Master in Business Management (MBA) Majoring in Management strategy. With the MBA you can take up positions such as Chief Executive Offer when you have accumulated your experiences, the MBA exposes you to ranges of areas such as HR, Marketing ,IT ,Finance and so on. Depending on the availability of scholarships, I want to purse my Doctorate in Business Administration and/or PHD in Logistics at Stellenbosch University in South Africa on a full time basis. I want to contribute something to the academic arena, while nourishing my experience and skills in the Logistics and Supply chain field.

What advice do you have for other graduates? Graduates should not think they have made it in life after their first degree. Continuous Professional Development (CPD) should be the key. It is your dream and only you, don’t wait for anyone to push you do follow you dream.

Success quote! ‘’There are no secrets to success. It is the result of preparation, hard work, and learning from failure’’- Colin Powell