Learning new computer skills while managing work and family duties is no easy task. However, a group of North-West University (NWU) support staff members has shown that hard work and commitment can open doors to personal and professional growth.

Their efforts received recognition during an End-User Computing Learnership certificate ceremony held at the NWU Mahikeng Campus on 16 October 2026.

The programme aimed to improve employees' computer skills and help them work more efficiently. It formed part of the commitment of the university to staff development and lifelong learning.

The initiative received funding through a discretionary grant from the Education, Training and Development Practices Sector Education and Training Authority (ETDP SETA). Participants completed practical assignments, submitted portfolios of evidence and underwent assessments to demonstrate their new skills.

Addressing the graduates, Ngeniswa Tyobeka praised their commitment to learning despite the demands of their daily responsibilities. “These certificates represent more than completing a course. They reflect the time, effort and sacrifices you made to improve yourselves,” she said.

Ngeniswa acknowledged that many participants had completed assignments after working hours while caring for their families. She said the programme had helped employees who initially lacked confidence in using computers become more capable and independent. She encouraged graduates to apply their knowledge in the workplace and share their skills with colleagues. “Learning should not end with receiving a certificate. Continue to develop yourselves and use what you have learnt to make a difference," she said.

Ngeniswa also thanked the Learning and Development team, the programme facilitator and university management for supporting the initiative. She reminded employees that resilience and determination were essential for professional growth. She urged them to identify their talents, take responsibility for their development and seek opportunities beyond their comfort zones.

Lerato Wana, director of Student Life at the NWU, highlighted the importance of development programmes in helping employees achieve their career goals. Reflecting on her own professional journey, she credited training opportunities with helping her build skills and advance her career. “Staff members should take advantage of the development opportunities available to them. Every new skill creates possibilities for future growth,” she said.

Lerato thanked the People and Culture team for ensuring that development opportunities reached employees across different levels of the university. She welcomed the growing number of women taking part in training programmes and encouraged more staff members to follow their example. She said computer literacy remained an essential workplace skill as technology continued to change how organisations operated.

Dr Joe Molete, deputy vice-chancellor for Student Life, Transformation, People and Culture, with the assigned function of the Mahikeng Campus, congratulated the graduates on their achievements. He said that the NWU invested nearly R15 million in staff development, demonstrating its commitment to helping employees improve their knowledge and abilities. Dr Joe praised the graduates for balancing their studies with work and family responsibilities.

“You are role models because you have shown that personal development is possible even when you have many responsibilities,” he said. He encouraged employees to view qualifications as investments in their future rather than simply as opportunities to earn higher salaries. According to him, developing new skills increases employees' professional value and prepares them for opportunities that may arise later. He also stressed the importance of personal well-being, healthy relationships and spiritual growth in achieving lasting success.

Dr Joe urged graduates to demonstrate their new knowledge through improved performance, confidence and behaviour in the workplace.

The ceremony highlighted the commitment of the NWU to creating a workplace where employees can continue to learn, improve their skills and contribute to the success of the university.

At the Potchefstroom Campus, one message stood out during the certificate ceremony: “We see you, we value you.” It was a message of recognition, encouragement and reassurance to employees who had taken the opportunity to invest in themselves, strengthen their skills and create new possibilities for their future.

Held at the Divine Venue on 23 October 2026, the ceremony celebrated staff members who had committed themselves to learning while balancing the demands of their jobs and personal responsibilities. Their certificates represented more than the successful completion of a learnership. They reflected the willingness to try something new, the discipline to see it through and the determination to grow.

Dr Corrie Rheeder, campus chief director of the Potchefstroom Campus, described the occasion as the culmination of a rigorous learning journey. She said reaching the end goal was a wonderful experience and highlighted the importance of strengthening employees' digital competencies, particularly as the university continues to embrace more sustainable ways of working.

Drawing on her own experience of pursuing her PhD, Dr Corrie acknowledged that the journey towards achieving an academic qualification comes with its challenges. However, she said the graduates' accomplishments were a reminder that everyone has the capacity to keep learning and growing. She congratulated them on reaching this important milestone and encouraged them to take pride in what they had achieved.

Helen Lekalakala, director of talent management and organisational development at the NWU, explained that the initiative was introduced after the university identified a gap in development opportunities for employees in lower-level positions.

“We live in an era where we need to adapt. We noticed there was a gap when it came to our lower-level staff members, and we needed to address it and make a difference,” she said.

Her message to the graduates was simple but meaningful: “We see you, we value you. Continue to upskill yourselves and capacitate yourselves.”

She emphasised the importance of making development opportunities accessible to employees across the university, ensuring that everyone has the opportunity to improve their skills and contribute meaningfully in the workplace.

Two line managers also addressed the graduates, reinforcing the importance of putting their newly acquired knowledge into practice. Their message was clear: change your life, change your office environment.

They encouraged colleagues and managers to create opportunities for graduates to demonstrate their new competencies, rather than allowing their learning to end with the awarding of a certificate. The real value of the programme, they stressed, would be seen in how employees applied their skills, improved their daily work and contributed to a more capable and efficient working environment.

Ultimately, the message was about more than computer literacy. It was about recognising people's potential, giving them the tools to grow and creating an environment where that growth can be seen and felt.

For the graduates, receiving their certificates marked both the completion of their training and the beginning of further opportunities for growth.