Work doesn't start after university. Start working now; take a part-time job, do internships through every vac, start your own business. whatever. Just start doing something

In what way does your qualification relate to your work, whether directly or indirectly?

In my current role as a Director of my own company in the tech industry, my degree has been exactly what I needed to succeed in thisw role. To build my business I lean on my knowledge in Business, economics and accounting courses, and to build cool tech; I use my computer Science and Information Systems knowledge.

What are the key skills that have been useful in your career journey so far?

Most strikingly I would say it would be the intangible assets like being able to produce high quality work quickly. To know how to perform research and execution simultaneously. I think the knowledge you gain at university helps you to understand how generic problem sets are solved and opens your mind up to how things are truly possible. Of course then I also practised my skill sets

What are your day-to-day activities?

I liaise with Venture Capital funders and heads of business forming strategic relationships and raising capital for the business. I also design and build software to solve our business case. Besides that its a lot of just running around getting things done, its different everyday, but when running a start-up, you have to be able to do everything.

How did your extra-curricular involvement while at UCT add value (transferable skills) to what you offer the world of work?

I made connections (Business and otherwise) that I would have never made had I not actively partaken in extracurriculars, Gymnastics for example; Kept me fit and healthy, gave me a handful of great friends and one business partner. The addition of taking positions in the management committee throughout the years, also made me stand out from other candidates when applying for a job post-university.

Algorithms society put me in a room full of ridiculously smart people, I never understood most of the initial lectures, but I forced myself to keep going, and it all clicked into place literally two years later when I was completing my undergrad. everything that I had heard and only half understood, now became crystal clear because I was already halfway there just from listening in.

Do you have any advice for a new graduate entering the world of work ( e.g. how to develop skills while at university?)

Work doesn't start after university. Start working now; take a part-time job, do internships through every vac, start your own business. whatever. Just start doing something... you may get tired, and you may not see any of the benefits instantly. But that time investment pays a nice, steady flow of dividends over the years to come. Dividends which will set you apart from your peers after you graduate.