Meet Stephanie Thomas | Notable Achiever

In recognition of students who stand out from the crowd, GetSmarter’s Notable Achievers campaign highlights a top-performing student each week.

Stephanie was chosen by our Student Success Team for consistently achieving high marks in her modules on the University of Cape Town Human Resource (HR) Management online short course.

Stephanie has just come back from traveling to start her career in SA and has this to say about her experience:

Working for a large corporation in the fast-paced, service-oriented cruise industry definitely sparked my interest in human resource management. After thorough research I discovered that the course would perfectly compliment my social work degree, however, I needed a study method that would suit my flexible work schedule. The unique advantage and convenience of studying online is that I was able to learn and complete assignments whilst working onboard a cruise ship, from internet cafés all over the world, and on the airplane ride home.

What were your concerns before enrolling in the UCT Human Resource Management course? How were your concerns alleviated and why?

Since I have never studied online, I was concerned about my ability to efficiently manage time and motivate myself to put in the necessary hours each day. Additionally, since this is a completely new area of study for me, I felt anxious about my lack of business knowledge. However, with the constant support and guidance from the online team, as well as the encouragement from my family and friends, my concerns were put to rest.

What aspects are you enjoying about learning online with GetSmarter?

The online platform is very user-friendly and easy to navigate. Particularly for someone who is unfamiliar with online study platforms. There is also constant support and guidance from my success manager, Bronwyn, my course tutor, John, as well as the technical support team, who attend to issues immediately. The course content is well structured and sufficiently challenging. I particularly enjoy the small group discussions, which I find extremely valuable and stimulates critical thinking.

University of Cape Town (UCT)
Human Resource (HR) Management online short course

How do you plan to use the skills you learnt on this course in your career?

For my goals, with the use of my newly acquired skills and business acumen, to enter into the corporate world and pursue an exciting new career in Human Resources.

What does it mean to you to earn a UCT certificate?

As an alumna of UCT, I am aware of the high standard of education offered, the dedication of the staff, as well as the honour of holding a certification from an internationally accredited University, which is continuously recognised as the best University in Africa.

Will you be displaying your certificate?

I most definitely will be displaying my certificate alongside my Bachelor of Social Work certificate!

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 is truly an honour to be acknowledged as a Notable Achiever. I believe it is my constant desire to learn and grow, and my tenacity to set and achieve goals that is the driving force behind this accomplishment.

I encourage all future students to take advantage of this opportunity to develop their skills and grow their careers by utilising the resources and tools provided by the online team, regularly contributing to group discussions, and applying the feedback received from your tutor and fellow peers.