When her plans to study teaching fell through, Thandi Tshabangu, a Human Resources Intern at Khanye Colliery did not give up. Thandi had applied to study teaching at the Tshwane University of Technology, but the intake for the course was full. Consequently, she pursed a National Diploma in Human Resource Management since it was the only available course that she was eligible to register for. This turned out to be a blessing in disguise. “I started liking HR from the second year and by the third year I really loved it,” Thandi says.

In 2019, she completed her diploma in record time and passed with distinctions. However, she hit a stumbling block when she found out that her bursary suddenly stopped covering her fees during her studies. As a result of the outstanding fees, she was unable to obtain her diploma, which was necessary for applying to jobs and other opportunities. “I missed out on so many opportunities because most companies did not want the academic records, but instead wanted a certified copy of my diploma.” Instead of feeling sorry for herself, Thandi came up with a plan to try and find a job that would help her raise funds to pay for her outstanding fees.

She landed a teaching assistant position at a nearby school in Ekangala where she resides. “Through the teaching assistant job, I was able to save enough money to pay off the outstanding fees,” she explains. Once she got her qualification, she proceeded to apply for opportunities directly related to HR. “My brother saw the Canyon Coal HR job post on Facebook and shared it with me. I applied and got called for an interview.” She successfully made it through the selection process and proceeded to start her internship in May 2023. “It has been an amazing journey and experience for me and I have learnt a lot so far,” she says.