Sasol Report to Society 2020 - Book - Page 87
CASE STUDY
Big dreams pay off
Despite her humble upbringings in
the small community of eMbalenhle
in Mpumalanga, Gugu Nkosi was
always a high-performing learner.
“I did well at school,” she
remembers. “A particular highlight
was being promoted from Grade 9
to Grade 10 after only completing
the first quarter of the year.”
Gugu matriculated from Kusasalethu Secondary
School in 1995 with a university exemption and a
distinction in biology. She went to work as a
trainee metallurgist at the mines near
Westonaria, Gauteng. By the end of that year,
she decided to pursue a career in the
petrochemicals industry.
At the time, both Gugu’s parents had been
retrenched and were unemployed, and so in
order to study, she needed a bursary.
Fortunately, her bursary application to Sasol was
successful. Gugu went on to study chemical
engineering at the University of Cape Town.
Once her studies were complete, Gugu started
working at Sasol as an engineer-in-training in
Group Technology. She later became a senior
process engineer and was offered the
opportunity to gain design office experience in
Reading, United Kingdom. With Sasol’s support,
she also completed her MBA part time through
the UNISA Graduate School of Business
Leadership. Today, Gugu is a senior business
analyst at Sasol’s Secunda Synfuels Operations.
“
Actively pursue your dreams
regardless of your background.
Gugu Nkosi
“
Sasol In Society: 2020 Report
85
