Southern Gauteng region.

Southern Gauteng region.

Acting Executive Head of Division in Operations for the Southern Gauteng region.

I was entrusted to be the subject matter expert and to lead a small team responsible for the design, dimensioning, integrity, and evolution (in terms of capability and technology) of the Radio Access Network in the Southern Gauteng region. I was responsible for providing guidance and support to my team, for managing the performance of the individual team members, and for assisting with developing their technical and soft skills.

I was rewarded for my achievements related to improving network performance and customer satisfaction, by being promoted to the level of a Specialist. I proceeded to focus on developing my coordination skills, to execute projects involving cross-functional stakeholders, as well as developing my statistical analysis ability, to diagnose (that is, identify the root cause of) complex network faults.

After proving my worth during the initial 6 month assessment period, I was offered permanent employment. It was evident to me at the time that data was going to be the future of Vodacom, so I took the initiative to develop a deep understanding of UMTS/3G technology. I quickly set myself apart as one of the UMTS/3G technology experts among my fellow Radio Access Network Planning and Optimisation colleagues, which enabled me to provide valuable insight during the introduction of UMTS/3G technology to the Vodacom Radio Access Network. I got involved with designing and dimensioning the Radio Access Network of the Southern Gauteng region, and also took a keen interest in improving the quality of customers' network experience.

I was offered a Vodacom bursary in my final year of study as a result of my impressive academic record and subsequently joined Vodacom on a 6 month contract upon completion of my undergraduate degree. During this period, I underwent an accelerated and intense on-the-job learning experience, and had to prove whether I would be able to thrive in the demanding environment of the Radio Access Network Planning and Optimisation department of the Southern Gauteng region.