With this reason, NIT former student Razack Kasanga is one of the ‘work-ready graduates’ who joined the Car and General Trading Ltd company in June 18, 2018 as Assembly supervisor, he joined as a fresh graduate from NIT with zero experience, but the company trusted Razack and gave him the supervisory role where he handled a team of 22 technicians. Read on.

Question: How would you summarize your career at Car and General Trading Ltd?

Answer: I’m currently working as a Zonal Sales Leader here at Car and General Trading Ltd; I also have experience in Workshop Management, Assembly Production and Field service activities.

I was employed in this company on June 18, 2018 as assembly supervisor. I joined as a fresh graduate from NIT with zero experience, but the company trusted me and gave me the supervisory role where I handled a team of 22 technicians.

Eight months later, I was promoted to workshop supervisor. I worked for this role for one year, again I was promoted to a Service manager role, i.e. managing workshop operations and field service activities (field service team).

It didn’t take long to be promoted, I was shifted to Sales, my current role in the company, a Zonal Sales Leader. The company trusted me, saw the potential in me which could help in the contribution to the continued company success.

It was not hard for me to shift from Engineering to -Sales and Management roles. When you grow in work, the company demands more from you and assigns you bigger roles in the company. I took the changes positively and I was ready to shift my mind, now I am enjoying working as a Sales manager, also helping the team to perform the company’s objectives while also developing their professionals.

The technical knowledge, skills and engineering management I got from NIT, helped me to perform well in every stage and in every task assigned to me.

In the zone I manage, with zero sales experience, within just 11 months, sales has grown from 1% market share to 23%, making it the leading growing zone in the company.

Now I have become one of the best sales leaders in the company, a mentor to other zones, and I have been doing induction programs to new employees in both technical and sales knowledge. Also coaching the staff on customer Loyalty programs.

Q: What did you study at NIT?

A: At NIT, I did a bachelor degree in Automobile Engineering ‘Level 8’ from 2013 to 2017.

Q: Why did you choose a Bachelor degree in Automobile Engineering at NIT as your career path of study?

A: When I was doing secondary education, I took science subjects. At that time my dream was to be a pilot or an engineer, this drove me to take PGM (Physics, Geography, Mathematics) in A-level studies.

My dreams were much related to Transport Engineering and Aviation studies, thus why I first chose NIT to study bachelor degree in Automobile engineering. My choice was due to many reasons, one was that I believed it would easily take me to where I want to be in the automotive industry.

In NIT, there are different programs which are related to Transportation, Logistics, Aviation and Importation. This made me have a thought of going to NIT to start my career as an engineer. For which I have achieved my goal, and gained extra knowledge and skills due to interaction of other courses which helped me in mechanical productivity and staff management.

Q: How have you stayed connected to the NIT’s alumni network?

A: In 2013, when joining NIT, there were no good learning infrastructures like what students see today.

There were not enough classes, no good library, no good Hall, no enough staff offices, and not enough teachers.

The changes started happening when we were just joining the Institute, they were happening so fast, the Institute image was changing, the transformation we saw was really amazing, it made us feel proud and feel as a part of the Institute transformation.

We got real affection and passion for our Institute.

This made us loyal to the Institute, loyal to each other as students, even after completing our studies.

We support each other on employment opportunities, we have WhatsApp groups where we closely communicate and see what our NIT is doing.

We connect and follow each other to LinkedIn platforms and other social media.

The new infrastructures, the new courses, the government news relating to our Institute are all being followed and discussed.

For those already employed, we try to recommend NIT students for employment opportunities,

We recommend to our Managers confidently as we know how competent NIT students are.

This is how I and other NIT’s alumni keep connected.

Q: What advice do you have for the next generation who are wishing to be automotive engineers?

A: One of the fastest growing industries is the automotive industry. The automobile production is increasing, the automotive design and technology is being developed day after day.

My advice for them is that, the industry is big with many potentials, there are so many opportunities in the automotive industry, so they should not limit themselves on learning and trying new things, they should not limit themselves to thinking beyond as the industry technology is changing every day.

Q: What else are you passionate about? What drives you at work, at home, in your community?

A: One thing that I’m passionate about is mentoring and coaching/training others. I’m someone who likes to share what I know, help and support others to grow and be successful.

At work

I enjoy working with leaders who recognize me, trust me, and give me exposure and who want me to grow to the next level of leadership. That’s exactly what Car and General offers me here.

I fortunately have support from the Management, HODs’ and the team that helps motivate me and encourage me to do better at what I do.

At home

I like staying with friends; sharing ideas, going out, travelling, having fun and eating. This makes me happy.

In Community

I enjoy helping people, giving them advice and supporting them to solve challenges.

Q: What is your advice to the National Institute of Transport (NIT) in increasing women enrolment in engineering courses?

A: Taking a reference from my company!

At Car and General, we have 2W and 3W Conveyor Assembly lines, more than 90% of the available technicians working on the assembly production are women. They produce the products with the best quality. They themselves go for test rides, doing PDI and check product quality. They work with discipline and high integrity.

This shows that, if they are given chances, they will give out the required productivity to any duties assigned.

My advice to NIT

The Institute needs to start making schemes of reaching the students at secondary education, giving them the overview of the engineering courses and opportunities available with it, encouraging them to apply for engineering programs, giving them the chance to know how many engineering courses they may apply and study, this will open their mind and give them more options in fulfilling their dreams.

With testimony from women who are engineers and technicians will help them to build confidence and inspire in studying engineering courses.

The Institute needs to start identifying the companies which are relating to the programs provided and creating a good relationship with different companies and organizations, sharing with them the engineering courses they are providing, then asking them to consider females in their employment vacancies.

These two things will help to increase the women enrolment in engineering courses.