Nkosinathi Shoba | A Recognition of Prior Learning (RPL) success story

Nkosinathi Shoba has a background in chemical engineering and worked as a process engineer, process manager, and production manager.

However, he felt he had to reinforce his managerial skills, and in 2014 he completed the Management Development Programme through Stellenbosch Business School’s Executive Education.  Fast forward a few years to 2018, he decided to apply for an MBA to ensure that he converts his technical knowledge to implementable proposals by mastering business knowledge. He chose Stellenbosch Business School for its reputation and deep belief in responsible leadership and research.

As a recognition of prior learning (RPL) student, he found the process easy, efficient, and straightforward. RPL acknowledges that students have acquired various skills, competencies, and experiences. As he was working full-time, he made time in the early mornings and weekends to work through the required reading material.

Key moments that stood out for him during his studies were the group work and collaborations. In addition, he says that discussions around diversity were insightful and pushed him to consider his way of thinking while improving his ability to adapt to different situations.

Shoba has achieved success in people development, technical performance improvement, and mentoring future engineers for the country and the rest of Africa. Consequently, he has travelled extensively around the continent and the world and is currently based in Addis Ababa, the capital of Ethiopia. As a firm believer in continuous learning, he was inspired by positive feedback from a lecturer to pursue his PhD in the field of Industry 4.0.