Students excel in Supply Chain Management practical assignment

BCom Supply Chain Management students from the Department of Business Management were congratulated at a recent awards ceremony hosted by the department and Bramhope Group, one of Department of Business Management's partners in student development and a company dedicated to transferring skills to the workplace through its student development programme.

Bramhope, together with the department, developed and facilitated a practical assignment that third-year Supply Chain Management students had to complete within a given time frame and within certain specifications relevant to current best practice in supply chain management. Students worked in small groups and the three teams that achieved highest marks, were announced during an award ceremony held on 10 November 2016.

 "We are all aware of the serious challenges that higher education in South Africa is facing. However, we at Bramhope remain positive and focussed on our goal – to form successful partnerships with tertiary institutions in order to assist with student development through practical skills development programmes. We invest a lot of time and money in our development programmes, because we have seen the positive impact our involvement has made in the lives of young and upcoming professionals," says Isak Marais, CEO of Bramhope Group.

Bramhope was recently announced as one of the top three most innovative companies in SA – rated by the annual Accenture Innovation Index. "Innovation is part of our culture. We incorporate it into everything we do. Thus, innovation also plays a big part in our student development programme and we believe it to be of utmost importance to expose students to innovative thinking. Tomorrow's innovations will come from today's young minds,'' says Marais.

"This is not only a win-win partnership for both UP and Bramhope, but also for our students,” says Fani Jojozi, Supply Chain Management lecturer in the Department of Business Management. “The value they gain from practical industry-related experience, contact with real businesses and their leaders who operate successfully within their future industries of employment, are invaluable.”

Bramhope's student development programme does not stop at this level. The company also runs an internship programme, providing students with the opportunity to complete an internship at Bramhope, where they will gain further practical experience, confidence, life skills as well as long-term career-building opportunities.

"Working with companies such as Bramhope Group, our students have a far better chance of securing a 'dream job'. It also helps us as a university to better understand exactly what industry requires of its future workforce. We then apply this knowledge to ensure our courses are in line with what industry expects and demands from its workforce," adds Jojozi.

"We are proud of our students and confident that their future as successful young business management professionals will be bright."

UP students during a site visit to Bramhope Group's brand new warehousing facilities in Jet Park, Ekurhuleni

Back row (from left): Fani Jojozi (Lecturer),Uné Oosthuizen, Déan Beegte, Brendan Fraser, Frank Modeya, Lebohang Mokhosi, Danielle Geelhuizen, Isak  Marais (Bramhope CEO), and Gerhard Uys

Front row (from left): Katlego Thabede, Avisha Sooklall, Jade Negrão, Njabulo Shabalala, Sepele Mathekga, and Carla Rood