Q & A with a Let’s Build Our Country Fund Bursary Recipient

This week, we caught up with Innocent Mtimande, a final year Public Relations student at University of Johannesburg, and Let’s Build Our Country Fund bursary recipient.

 

How did you hear about the Let’s Build Our Country Fund (LBOC)?

I saw Ms Penny Mpanza’s interview with Morning Live. They were talking about giving out bursaries to disadvantaged students. That’s how I first heard of LBOC Fund.

 

How did you apply for assistance from LBOC?

I went to their website www.lbocfund.com and downloaded the application form.

 

Why did you choose to study what you’ve chosen?

I chose Public Relations because of the passion that I have for building brands from scratch to something major, hence my nickname is adequate_thebrand.

Another thing that influenced my decision to choose Public Relations is my former high school teacher Mr Mazibuko. He used to tell me that I will fit perfectly into Public Relations because of the confidence that I have and I can be a good representative of an organization.

I enjoy Public Relations & Communication because it is diverse. As a Public Relations Professional you can actually work in any industry you want to work in, because every organization needs a communicator.

 

What are your dreams for the future?

I have many dreams for the future, but the one that stands out is being the CEO of my own media company.

 

What advice would you give a student in Grade 12 who is making decisions about their future?

I would tell a Grade 12 student that life is actually too short to make unreasonable decisions. So they must use every opportunity that they are given to their advantage.

 

What advice would you give a student currently completing their tertiary education – any tips for success etc.?

The advice I have for them is that they should network, network and network. Not just networking – but networking with good people. They should also apply for internships in order for them to gain experience and have a competitive advantage.

 

To students wanting to apply for an internship: how do they go about doing this?

You go to the website of the organization that you want to work for and see if they have any internship vacancies available. You can also call the organisation and ask to speak to the organisation’s Human Resources department.

 

If there was one famous person you could spend time with, who would it be, and what would you ask them?

Patrice Motsepe, I would ask him about his success, and how he achieved success.

 

Who is your role model?

Mr Graeme Stephens (CEO Sun International)

 

What is the best advice you’ve been given?

My grandmother told me to not look back at my past, and focus only on building my future.
To learn more about Let’s Build Our Country Fund’s project on Different.org, go here.