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UFS student scoops second place in national design competition

26 August 2022 | Story Anthony Mthembu | Photo Supplied

Katleho Nkosi, a fourth-year Education student at the University of the Free State (UFS), obtained second place in a national design competition hosted virtually by Entrepreneurship Development in Higher Education (EDHE).

The national design competition formed part of the launch of the Student Entrepreneurship Week 2022, which took place at the University of Venda on 18 August 2022. As such, students from many of the universities in the country, including Nkosi, took part in designing a poster that would be used to advertise the event.

Nkosi is delighted and excited about this accomplishment. “This win was really surprising and unbelievable for me, because obtaining the second-place position means that my work is good,” said Nkosi.

The participants were allowed to conceptualise and submit their final product between 28 June and 15 July 2022. “I had no experience in this space, I only designed content for fun, and I participated in this competition because I was motivated by a friend,” Nkosi highlighted.

Click to view document Click here to view poster in full size.

The motivation behind the design

Since the Student Entrepreneurship Week was held at the University of Venda, Nkosi used the vibrancy and colourfulness of Venda as inspiration for his design. “When I was designing the poster, the only thing on my mind was making sure that I put something together that was related to Venda,” he explained. In addition, the theme for the Entrepreneurship Week was ‘Move to Market’, and Nkosi asserts that he tried to integrate the theme with Venda, and this is how the design came about.

The outcome of the competition and future plans

Although Nkosi did not win the competition, he did receive a cash prize for being among the top three. Furthermore, given his accomplishment, Nkosi would like to take part in many more design competitions moving forward. “Now that I have realised that I have the potential to win, I think I can take this as a career path in the future,” he said. Nkosi is also looking at merging his love of teaching with his newfound love for design. “I’m going to try and find the connection between design and education, because I really love to teach, so I could perhaps become a design teacher,” Nkosi expressed

News Archive

Students get practical training in banking

2009-05-13

At the official announcement of the ABSA Internship Programme were, from the left: Ms Venete Klein, Executive Director: ABSA Retail Banking, Prof. Helena van Zyl, Director of the School of Management at the UFS, and Ms Christa de Bruin, Programme Leader: Internships at ABSA; back: Tebogo Mekgwe and Chantelle de Coning. Both are Honours students in Financial Economics and Investment Management at the UFS.
Photo: Stephen Collett

The Faculty of Economic and Management Sciences at the University of the Free State (UFS) has launched a unique programme that will give provide postgraduate B.Com. students with the opportunity to work at the ABSA Regional Office in Bloemfontein for three weeks and obtain practical experience on what banking entails.

“It is the first time in the history of our faculty that we are getting involved with a programme of this nature where theory and practice will meet,” said Prof. Helena van Zyl, Director of the School of Management at the UFS at the official announcement of the ABSA Internship Programme this week.

The ABSA Internship Programme was born out of the faculty’s long-standing relationship with ABSA. The programme, the brain child of Mr Deon Loots, former Regional Manager of ABSA in the Free State, offers the ten hand-picked students the opportunity to equip and empower themselves better for their future. They will be working at the ABSA Regional Office from 22 June to 10 July 2009 and will be exposed to as many focus areas of the bank as possible in order to give them a good overview of what banking entails.

“A degree, even an honours degree, is not enough. When graduates knock on an employer’s door he/she already assumes that the student will have a certain set of knowledge. We must once again look at ways to enhance our students’ practical and softer skills in order for them to compete in the labour market,” said Prof. Van Zyl.

“With this programme we want to equip and empower our students and develop their talents. In the end the student must be able to answer the question, “What makes me better than the 27 000 other students on our campus and on campuses elsewhere?” Prof. Van Zyl said.

Ms Venete Klein, Executive Director: ABSA Retail Banking and Visiting Professor at the University’s School of Management stated that it was always good to meet and engage with young talent, the leaders of tomorrow. “The students are entering the world of work at a crucial and difficult stage; a time when financial services worldwide are transformed. They have proven themselves academically. Now they have the opportunity to complement theory with work experience. With this programme they can develop into competent and compassionate professionals. I am proud that ABSA is part of this programme,” she said.

Media Release:
Lacea Loader
Assistant Director: Media Liaison
Tel: 051 401 2584
Cell: 083 645 2454
E-mail: loaderl.stg@ufs.ac.za
13 May 2009

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