David Macfarlane
Wilma Wessels took the education high road and successfully completed five Damelin Management School courses in four years. The top student in her class last year, Wessels says: “After studying the first, second and third modules in credit, I completed both business management and advanced business management as well.”
Wessels’s choice of courses has led her on a career path from basic credit management part I, which enabled her to manage credit risks, enhance cash flow and increase profitability, to credit management part II, and finally to credit management part III. This enabled her to become the manager of her credit department at National Brands.
“Career pathing” is what Damelin calls the education structure from which Wessels has benefited. As a division of the Damelin Education Group, Damelin Management School offers part-time instruction in a variety of courses. The structure of these courses gives students opportunities to consolidate their qualifications on clear paths towards their career goals, with the benefit of working at the same time.
Choosing a career is one of the most important decisions in anyone’s life. What to study and where are major considerations, as is affordability. Traditionally, students go to college, university or technikon straight from school and, very often, only after expending considerable time and money do they realise they’ve made the wrong study choice.
Damelin Management School allows students to select their paths whether it be financial, marketing or one of the many others the school offers. Short, hands-on courses provide practical business know-how and result in immediate improvements in performance.
“I believe that the success obtained in my studies through Damelin has equipped me with confidence and the necessary skills to move forward in my career,” Wessels says. “I initially joined National Brands Limited as senior credit controller and today hold the position of finance systems and procedures manager.”
Nick Matzukis, CEO of Damelin, says, “South Africa has a vast unskilled and semi-skilled workforce with a limited number of qualified personnel. The most apparent trend at present is that companies prefer to send their employees on shorter, more practical courses, since they cannot wait for a couple of years before they see the benefit of an employee’s training,” said
“Lifelong learning is very important to us and much of our training is skills-based,” explained Matzukis. All Damelin courses have a practical component, he says. “There must be some sort of relevant practical experience gained, even in a degree course. This ensures that graduates can add value to an organisation from day one.”