My Journey as a Career Development Programme Officer for UNICEF UJ.

 By Thato Lee-Ann Vululwandle – Former Career Development Officer (2024)

Our former Career Development Officer, Thato Lee-Ann Vululwandle

Leading the Career Development Programme taught me resilience, time management, and adaptability. Balancing university life and leadership responsibilities required sacrifices, but the rewards were immeasurable. The journey was not without its obstacles, but the rewards far outweighed the challenges, I would do it all over again.

I still remember the day UNICEF UJ launched its recruitment campaign on campus. I was seeking experience and a chance to give back to the community. As a registered volunteer of UNICEF UJ, I chose Career Development, inspired by the University of Johannesburg’s career expo that visited my high school in 2021. The career expo sparked my passion for studying law at tertiary level because very few learners from my community make it to university, so I wanted to make a difference.

Our first meeting as the Career Development team was in March, where we brainstormed ideas to deliver our programme. The collective energy strengthened my resolve. When the former UNICEF UJ president, Thulani Khumalo announced the need for a programme officer, I seized the opportunity. However, I made sure to ask what the role would entail, which had to do with managing tasks, drafting reports, and leading the team. Taking the responsibility did not intimidate me. Instead, it motivated me to step out of my comfort zone.

While developing the Career Development Programme's framework, I facilitated volunteer meetings, assigning research tasks based on our initial ideas. As a result, that is when the reality of being a team leader started to set in as not everyone was available for our meetings. It was difficult trying to accommodate every volunteer’s schedule because after all, we are all University students doing different courses and different years. However, I anticipated this, knowing leadership means managing varying levels of cooperation, and I was not afraid to seek guidance from the organization. This ensured that the activities we implemented aligned with UNICEF UJ's goals and refined my approach to accommodate the team's dynamics.

As the Career Development Programme Officer, I was thrilled when former President Thulani Khumalo invited us to meet with the Boys and Girls Club's manager at Vrededorp. I was presented with an opportunity to outline our programme's aims, structure, and delivery goals to our audience. This made me proud knowing that our ideas and hard work as a team were finally coming to life. The meetings yielded success with our respective partners securing a date for implementation. Prior to the launch, I joined UNICEF UJ's Literacy Programme team on their weekly outreach to observe and gain insight.  Preparation, practice sessions, and constructive feedback ensured a polished team performance.

The Career Development Team at BGCSA Pimville after implementation

The first implementation of the Career Development Programme left an indelible mark on my leadership journey, teaching me invaluable lessons about resilience, adaptability, and the importance of effective time management. To ensure the programme's success, I had to make significant sacrifices, including missing some university classes and adjusting my academic schedule. Additionally, balancing academic responsibilities with leadership duties demanded strength and adaptability. Managing diverse schedules of our team members posed challenges, however, I prioritised inclusivity, ensuring every Career Development volunteer had opportunities to contribute.

At Bertrams, our first implementation exceeded expectations as learners enthusiastically engaged with career opportunities. Implementing our programme at Vrededorp presented challenges, learners had different moods, forcing us to reassess our approach. I then arranged a team meeting to reflect and improve. Ideas like introducing prizes for participant engagement proved a success. Our final destination, Pimville, was a triumph. The energy levels of the learners soared, and we achieved our goals.

I am immensely grateful for the opportunity of leading the Career Development Programme of 2024 at UNICEF UJ. The leadership skills and collaboration with different people from different backgrounds enabled me the opportunity to grow in ways I cannot comprehend.