Page 15 - DUT Excellence Semester 2

SIX DUT STUDENTS GAIN A PLACE IN THE TOP 100 MAGUBANE’S BOOK EXPLORES LOVEIN THE ERA OF
FINALISTS FOR THE 2022 DHL GRADSTAR AWARDS
Six Durban University of Technology students were recently named as finalists in the Top 100 finalists for the 2022 DHL GradStar Awards.
They are Nevesan Naidoo, Jenalee Govender, Nikita Singh, Siphindile Radebe, Shaeel Baliram and Zaba Mthembu.
Now in its 7th year the GradStar Awards recognises the most employable full-time students in the country and is the only programme of its kind where thousands of students enter in order to be recognised by top employers in the land.
Promoted by sponsor DHL, and also supported by employers Epiroc, Fasken, Absa, FutureFit Academy, and Golden Key Honours Society, the awards are taken seriously by employers. Over the past two years, students have recognised their need to be noticed by employers in order to secure employment for the future.
Naidoo, a third year Electronic Engineering student, said being amongst the top 100 students and one of six from DUT was an honour in and of itself.
“It felt surreal to hear my name called during the announcement webinar. Being in the top 100 has inspired me to put more effort into achieving my upcoming objectives.Through networking, this win will help me draw the attention of potential employers. Mentorship is one of the many perks of being a part of the GradStar programme, as well as one of the programme’s outstanding services,” he said.
Naidoo also works part-time at DUT as a tutor, tutoring in data analytics and computation, and is also a member of the Golden Key International Honour Society.
Nina Paulsen/Waheeda Peters
Pictured: Nevesan Naidoo, Shaeel Baliram and Nikita Singh.
For alumnus Baliram, upon hearing the news that he was a finalist in the DHL GradStar Awards Top 100, he was over the moon with joy and excitement.
He recently obtained his Bachelor ofTechnology Degree in Electrical Engineering: Heavy Current, with Cum Laude and the prestigious Dean’s Merit award at DUT.
“I have always envisioned myself as a GradStar Top 100 and at the beginning of the competition I had made it my goal to accomplish. Having that goal come to fruition has been a tremendously rewarding and fulfilling experience. I am extremely proud of this achievement and I am deeply honoured to be recognised by DHL GradStar Awards and their partnering companies as one of the Top 100 graduates in South Africa,” he elatedly commented.
Currently, Baliram is employed as a graduate-in-training at a leading manufacturing company in the automotive industry. His future plans are to be taken on as a junior electrical engineer and to gain
13 DUT EXCELLENCE 2022 // SEMESTER 2