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Meet Ameer Baig | GetSmarter Notable Achiever
In recognition of students who stand out from the crowd, GetSmarter’s Notable Achievers campaign highlights a top-performing student each week.
Ameer Baig is currently studying the University of Cape Town Business Systems Analysis online short course and has been chosen as our Notable Achiever for maintaining a high standard throughout the course.
His Success Manager nominated Ameer due to his high performance on his course, regularly achieving 80-90% for his module submissions. Ameer’s assignments are so good they are regularly used as model answers.
Have you studied an online short course before?
Yes, I have done various online short courses with different institutions. Most of these were IT-related (such as A.I. Theory, Java and C++ programming) but I’ve also delved into a few other areas that I’ve found interesting (such as screenwriting and game theory). This is the first course that I have done with GetSmarter.
Why did you decide to take this course?
My current position requires competencies that relate directly to the course content and, while I have some experience with these tools, I always welcome the opportunity to enhance my knowledge of them.
What is it like learning online with GetSmarter?
The website is intuitive, efficient and very well-developed. The online medium is a great way to present and facilitate learning in the current technological climate, and the ever-present accessibility to online support can potentially make the learning environment a superior one.
What were your concerns before enrolling on the UCT Business Systems Analysis course, and how were these alleviated?
My concerns were primarily related to time management, as my preference has always been for quality over speed. Fortunately, my employer was willing to allow me some much-needed study time.
How do you plan to use the skills you learn on this course in your career?
I plan to integrate these skills into my existing toolkit, and continuously add to them whenever possible. My objective is to use these tools to become a Swiss Army Knife of analysis and problem solving.
What does it mean to you to earn a UCT certificate?
The prestige of having a certificate from such a reputable institution is quite flattering.
Will you be hanging it up? If so, where?
Yes. In my study at home.
What is one of your favourite articles on the GetSmarter Career Advice blog?
I quite like the article on late career changes, It’s Never Too Late To Change Your Career. While I can’t see myself changing careers very soon, I do find it interesting how specialised knowledge in one field can be transferred to another industry with remarkable results.
What is your favourite module in the course so far?
I enjoyed module 5 which related to creating a business requirements specification. It was interesting to note the similarities and differences between the prescribed methods and the industry standards of doing these.
If you could study another GetSmarter online short course in the future which one would you choose?
I’d like to step away from familiar territory for a bit and do something completely foreign to me, like the UCT Digital Photography online short course.
Our Student Success Team identified you as being an outstanding student. Why do you think you are a Notable Achiever and what advice can you give to others looking to do this course?
It’s common knowledge that high quality input results in high quality output and, therefore, hard work, perseverance etc. is required, but I think that people often forget that the point of education is to learn.
My advice is just that – learn. Forget about doing things out of obligation or competition or just for the sake of doing it. Rather focus on gaining knowledge from activities, because ultimately, the content of our minds is the only thing that truly belongs to us. If you truly want to learn, achievement will follow.
Want to accelerate your career and stand out as a GetSmarter Notable Achiever?