Sibabalo Bizana
Sibabalo is from Engcobo in the Eastern Cape but lived in Khayelitsha, Cape Town, most of his life. He is a professional nurse who graduated with a Cum Laude from Cape Peninsula University of Technology and currently working at New Somerset Hospital.
How old were you when you decided to pursue your current career path and what inspired you?
Mid 2014 during my gap year I remembered a career exhibition I went to in CPUT where there was a student representing nursing science. He mentioned that the course provided all its students with a bursary and accommodation (which I discovered to be false information). This made me apply for the course and I was invited to an interview and I got accepted to study the course. I did not know anything about nursing, I just knew that I will work in a hospital.
Did you ever get help with career guidance? Any mentor(s) and what role did they play?
I didn't have any formal mentoring or career guidance. However, my high school life sciences teacher kept me on my toes as he saw potential in me. My mother also played a huge role as she always wanted to see me succeed since she was not able to finish school.
What challenges did you face (or are facing) / had to overcome in your journey?
After matric I took a gap year because I did not know which career path I wanted to pursue, I felt like I was stuck in life. In varsity, there were times when I felt overwhelmed with the amount of work and also having to shuffle between classes and doing (compulsory) practicals (work in hospitals). I had to cut out some activities or limit the time I spent on them.
What has been your biggest driver/motivator?
I had obtained average marks in matric which got me admitted into an extended nursing program, 5 years instead of 4 years, which came with a stigma of being seen as a slow learner. Although this was the case, what pushed me to work hard in my studies was hearing about Cum Laude while watching a graduation ceremony. That motivation was enough to push me to work hard and I graduated with a Cum Laude.
What advice or key learning points from your journey would you like people to take onto theirs?
If you're still confused regarding what you want to become, it is totally fine and it is also okay to take a gap year. I am a strong believer that everything is possible as long as we put in hard work and time towards it. We might fail sometimes but we should not let that demotivate us. Our journeys will never be the same. We all want to see ourselves successful but that is not a satisfying feeling, the story of how you got where you want to be will make you happier than waking up successful.
Any advice for a young person from a rural area / township who currently has no clue where to even start when choosing a career path?
When choosing your career path take your time and think about what you like, not what your family or friends like/want. If you see people who are in the field you want to go into don’t be ashamed to approach them and ask for help and mentorship. Furthermore, once you know and have decided what you want to do, gather as much information as possible and draw up a detailed plan for your journey.