While the COVID-19 pandemic created uncertainty in the lives of many, for Ms Langa Ntuli of Umlazi township south of Durban, it meant working harder to remain relevant in the financial services sector. She enrolled for the Postgraduate Diploma in Finance, Banking and Investment Management offered by UKZN’s School of Accounting, Economics and Finance and is proud to have passed with distinction.
The programme suited Ntuli as it is designed to provide students from commerce and non-commerce backgrounds with the necessary theoretical knowledge to follow a career in finance or banking.
Ntuli is a Commercial Insurance Vetting Administrator at Nedbank Wealth where she has gained exposure to and knowledge of property development, valuation and purchases. She said: ‘This qualification affords me the possibility of advancing my career in property finance to a level of an associate and more.’
She admitted that juggling part-time studies with work and parenting was not easy. Due to COVID-19 lockdown restrictions, she had to adapt to online learning which was novel to her. ‘Distance learning was a first for me. It meant working from home during the day, attending to my daughter after work while listening to lectures on Zoom, and sleeping late after studying,’ she explained.
Ntuli said that her outstanding academic achievement made her realise that there is no limit to what one can achieve if one does not limit oneself.
She is contemplating embarking on a master’s journey and hopes to make a difference in society and mentor young Black women.
She is grateful to her employer for supporting her career development by funding her studies.
Words: Hazel Langa
Photograph: Abhi Indarajan
