Campus Manager
WHEN Tavengwa Manyimo first walked into the campus of Forek Institute of Technology in the beginning of June 2020, he marveled at the hotchpotch of programmes the institution offered.
It was not something Manyimo was used to in his previous job as principal of Brooklyn City College in Mbombela. This time the scope was large, broad and diverse as he found a campus with the School Electrical Engineering, School of Fabrication (welding, boiler- making), School of Construction, School of Agriculture, School of Mechanical Engineering and a Trade Test School.
There were also non-trade courses on offer – namely – Office Administration, Pest Management, Bookkeeping and Occupational Health and Safety.
“I requested to be taken through the campus. It was something so different and big than what I was used to at Brooklyn where the scope was limited to Business, Engineering and Policing courses,” Manyimo said.
He accepted his new job as campus manager at Forek – a choice he does not regret and believes was correct for his growth, exposure and enhancement of his Curriculum Vitae because of the array of courses. “I am challenged. I have to think outside of the box because of the broader scope, unlike before when I had to think about only three programmes,” Manyimo said.
On his office table, voluminous piles of papers are neatly arranged, a good sign that he has got things under control. Other boxes are neatly packed in appropriate places around the office. The office of a campus manager is like what an engine is to a car. If it does not function, a lot of activities come to a grinding halt.
Manyimo deals with recruitment and enrollment of new students; manages course instructors; gets the marketing and publicity machinery of the institution working; ensures that learners get necessary study materials and fees are collected; and that the service the institution offers is relevant and top-notch.
He also has to regulations are followed, for example, trade tests and that accreditations and compliance with relevant bodies are in order.
“At the end of the day,” he said, “we have to ensure that the institution is running properly and the learner not only gets a certificate but has the skills to display in the job market and even start his own company. Our clients must get the right service and we have to be sure mould people to be what they want to be.”
Manyimo also has to manage a number of off-campus projects that Forek Institute of Technology is contracted to implement. Such projects include agricultural incubation, Unemployment Insurance Fund and National Skills Fund (NSF) trainings. The college has 175 learners who are doing generic management courses and food processing, 35 under the Mpumalanga Department of Agriculture’s Fortune 40 plant production incubation programme, and 40 learners doing abattoir processing.
Manyimo said that he was also impressed by the impact the institution has had in the community. “Our work goes beyond training. It is encouraging that a private college that does not get government subsidy helps the needy through the Chairman’s Bursary scheme. We have helped local netball and soccer teams and offer free electrical work in local schools,” he said.
Manyimo holds various qualifications in Purchasing and Supply, Marketing, Transport and Logistics. He is currently studying towards his Master of Business Administration. “What I’m doing now is out of experience and not necessarily what I studied,” Manyimo said.
At Brooklyn, he rose meteorically all the way from being a lecturer, Head of Department, campus manager and principal. The offer to work at Forek was however too enticing for Manyimo and he has no regrets.
“My experience is deeply rooted in the education sector. I have been in this sector for a cumulative 15 years. My experience at Forek is nothing short of amazing as I get to acquire new skills and abilities that help me to manage and co-ordinate the manager’s office with efficacy,” Manyimo said.
