As Makerere University is leveraging its 100 years of existence this year to build a transformed society (https://100.mak.ac.ug/), let me also share how I have leveraged from it.
Start of Teaching Career
I graduated from Makerere University in January 2011 though I finished the studies in May 2010. In August 2010, I started offering my services as a teaching assistant in the Department of Civil and Environmental Engineering. This went on until January 2014 when I had to leave Uganda to South Africa for Postgraduate Studies in MSc. in Engineering (Geotechnical Specialization) at the University of Cape Town (https://www.uct.ac.za/).
I stayed to teach in Makerere University because of my mentor Prof. Denis Kalumba. I remember going with him to the office of the Head of Department requesting that I be retained as a teaching assistant. The Head of Civil and Environmental Engineering Department at that time was Prof. Umaru Bagampadde who is also my mentor. Much as I was offered an appointment letter, at the faculty/college level, I was more of a volunteer. I used to get an allowance between UGX. 300,000 – 400,000/= a semester.
So how did I survive in those four years? I worked on many projects as a geotechnical/materials consultant in those years. And I was paid some good money because I was the “professor” from Makerere University. I maximally utilized my association with Makerere to my advantage. I worked as a Quality Control Engineer during the rehabilitation of the Lugogo Shopping Mall parking under a South African consultant. They always referred to me as the “professor” from Makerere University. Additionally, I obtained a scholarship through Makerere University to pursue further studies.
Lesson
In conclusion, the benefits of association may not be direct. Most of the times, they are indirect. And it is your responsibility in being intentional to tap into these indirect opportunities. What opportunities can you utilize at your work station? How are you utilizing the senior consultant hired by the company to work on a particular project? There is a lot you can learn from him. Have you approached your bosses about that CPD training being offered?
I HAVE BENEFITED A LOT FROM THE STUDENTS I TAUGHT IN THOSE FOUR YEARS
Wow! This is so amazing. As a final year biosystems engineering student at Gulu University I will just use these remaining months to convert some of my lecturers into my mentors. I now know the value of a mentor. Thanks for sharing.
Wow, this is an inspiring story. I love raw narrative of events as they happened. Giving these sort of unbiased stories, let’s us appreciate what we go through as engineers in the profession.
We get to know that the journey is not a bed of roses.