February is a mysterious month. Some discover love. Others discover hacks around how to be efficient with their taxes. Yet others settle into the new jobs and resolutions they took a few weeks ago as the old year ended.
We’re also pleased to welcome back into the fold an alumna, Nancy Leshaba (Cohort 15), who has joined our Tech Team as a Junior Scrum Master. Umuzi has seen growth in the Tech Department as we’ve partnered with a listed telecoms company to upskill quite a number of their staff in a number of the critical tech skills they require to remain relevant in the evolving market, so we are always on the lookout for new skills and talent that’ll shape what will become the future Umuzi community.
The financial wellness course ran in partnership with Worth in the last quarter of 2021 has produced some insights - check these out further down in the newsletter.
We thus say welcome to the 2nd edition of the Umuzi Alumni emailer. If you have any suggestions of things we could do to make this even cooler, please let us know; we are all ears. So without further ado let's do this!
Radical Alumni
Each month we are going to profile some radical Alumni, what they are doing, where they are working and some interesting BTS of their journey.
Alumni profile:
Lindiwe Gugushe - Cohort 12 UI Designer
Current Position: E-Learning Designer
Lindi has made it onto the exciting Design Indaba’s Emerging Creatives Class of 2022.
Post her work experience at Abnormal Agency in the heart of the Lockdown, Lindi went on to hone her creative craft, hustled as she experimented with 3D modelling and getting a number of custom-made products onto the market.
“With her graphic design skills she has contributed to bringing Afro-centric representation to renowned organizations like the University of Witwatersrand, Harvard University and Facebook”.
Mel Mthembu - Cohort 6 Multimedia
Current Position: Film Producer
Isiphetho (The End)
Mel has worked on yet another kasi original movie, Isiphetho, which screened on the 17 February in Morningside, eThekwini. This was a great opportunity to see a creative genius at work.
“Isiphetho follows the destitute aftermath of the Covid Pandemic and dramatic, violent scenes of unrest unfolding in KZN and Gauteng. A young man finds himself on the receiving end of retrenchment and is forced to take drastic measures to make ends meet for his family”.
The film can be found, 17 February on YouTube Channel: iqs_mel. Make sure to check out this epic short-film.
Movers & Shakers
Have you been promoted? Or changed jobs recently? Congrats if you have. You join these amazing Alumni who have moved on up in their careers. Every month we will be profiling Umuzi Alumni movers and shakers. Please let us know below if you are one of those amazing humans who's doing great things.
Yolanda Buthelezi - C24 UX Stratergy
Signed Contract: @ Sanlam
Role at Employer: Junior UX UI Designer
Nokulunga Jona - C11 UI Design
New Job: LSHTM (London School of Hygiene & Tropical Medicine), UK
Role: Contract Graphic Designer
Where are you in the world?
We want to know how things are going with you. Employers often reach out to Umuzi to ask if we can connect them with experienced talent. That could be your next break. We have built a system that helps us keep track of all the amazing things that you are up to. It's a self-service platform that allows you to update your professional profile, as well as let us know if you are looking for a job opportunity. If that's you and you're interested in your next step - we can help you find it.
Alumni Events
If you are hosting an interesting event (or exhibition, product launch or hackathon) or participating in one, let us know and we will blast it out to our community here.
If you are hosting an event in April let us know and we will shout it from the rooftops.
Alumnus Projects
If you’ve ever had to take a taxi anywhere in the city, you know that getting lost is a part of the journey. Check out this great ode to taxi drivers that Mo Matli, Mandlenkosi Phakhati and Bonko Khoza worked on.
Umuzi News
Tsholofelo Radebe, C12 UX strategist, has simplified that mysterious 4 letter word which many philosophers have battled to capture over generations. UX brings to life even the most complex problems. A slice of cake and a cuppa may just be in order as you unpack love here.
Worth Financial Analysis Feedback
You may recall the opportunity that was given to our Umuzi community to participate in a financial wellness course in partnership with Worth. We had a good response, and the data from the participants has really blown us away as the impact and value of the course is tangible and community members are beginning to feel more in control of their financial future.
Numbers time as a result of the course:
74% of participants have now built an "emergency reserve".
1/3 started investing money. This means they are building a nest for themselves for the future!
93% surveyed felt that they are now able to confidently pay off their debts.
Whilst others still worry about the bank account running dry half way through the month, and overwhelming majority felt "Money is not a worry". This is not to say they don't want more...tjerrrrr...we all do. It's an indication that more people in our community are now able to sleep far better at night.
Alumni Opportunity Alert
2022 has brought a number of high profiled tech companies to our doors. They are excited about working with our community to enable them to further their chances of participation in the digital economy. Umuzi has also brokered deals with these giants to include our amazing alumni community in these opportunities here.
African Coding Network Campaign
Facebook Social Media Marketing
This programme is perfectly suitable for you if you are completely new to the field of digital marketing or you’ve been tinkering with social media platforms for your business already. Amongst the skills you will learn on the 6 course certificate is how to establish an online presence, create posts, build a following, and manage your social media accounts. You’ll develop skills in creating and managing advertising campaigns in social media and learn to evaluate the results of your marketing efforts.
This six-course program which can be completed just under 4 months if one dedicates 7-10 learning hours a week has been developed by digital marketing experts at Aptly together with Meta. “Once you earn your Meta Certification, you’ll get exclusive access to the Meta Certification Career Network. A job search platform that connects Meta Certified professionals with 60+ top employers who have committed to sourcing talent through its certification programs.”
Grow with Google programme
Remember if you are interested in Google programmes Umuzi still has a number of Google programmes with our Alumni. Here are the available courses to choose from:
Data Anlatyics - is the collection, transformation, and organization of data in order to draw conclusions, make predictions, and drive informed decision-making.
UX Design - designers focus on the interaction that users have with products, like websites, apps, and physical objects. They make those everyday interactions useful, enjoyable, and accessible.
Project Management - Project managers are natural problem-solvers. They set the plan and guide teammates, and manage changes, risks, and stakeholders.
IT Support - This program also prepares you for the CompTIA A+ exams, the industry standard certification for IT. Get professional training designed by Google and get on the fast-track to a competitively paid job.
Remember if you are interested in Google programmes Umuzi still has a number of Google programmes with our Alumni.
Recommended Reading: How Job Applicants Try to Hack Résumé-Reading Software?
Have you ever wondered why your super hot and relevant experience filled CV seems to be going down the black hole and you never get a response after you’ve applied for that “perfect match” job opportunity? It’s clear that the Bot sifting through thousands of CVs online isn’t noticing yours. Read here how some job applicants are hacking their way around this AI sifting through 1000’s of CV and forever skipping yours.
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