After settling down to have a chat with Mr. Rodgers Achoki (class of 2019), it was easy for me to see how teacher-student mentorship has had a positive impact on his career choice. As a final year student at Lukenya University where Rodgers is enrolled in their Bachelor of Commerce -Finance programme he is excited to soon be joining the working class bracket where he hopes to make an impact in the finance, business, and economics sector.
As a current intern with Nova Pioneer’s Finance team, Rodgers has had the opportunity to work on billing, fulfilment of purchase orders, payments, and allocation of receipts and invoices. Rodgers is more proficient in the Accounts Receivable pathway and hopes to someday grow his skills in Accounts Payable. All the same, he sees himself working in just anything within the field of finance. This is not his first internship experience. As a Form 3 student at Nova Pioneer- Tatu City boys campus, Rodgers got the opportunity, through the school’s Post School Success team, to intern at The Nairobi Hospital, allowing him to build his portfolio and expand his view across different industries within his career choice.
Mentorship
Why Finance? Rodgers attributes his Finance option to his high school business teacher, Mr. Raphael Abucheri, who currently serves as the Dean of Learning and Instruction at Nova Pioneer’s Boys campus in Tatu City. In Rodger’s words, “ Mr. Abucheri motivated me to love business and spurred me on in my interests. He was also my mentor and accountability partner.” When I inquired whether there were any regrets for taking Business as a pathway, Rodgers was quick to respond that if he had to pick a university course choice again, he would pick the exact same thing. As much as he is a business and number nut, Rodgers also holds a candle for Biology which he grew to love and enjoy due to the diligent facilitation of Ms. Brenda Ogutu who was his high school Biology teacher and also a mentor who inspired him to soar.
Within Finance
In Finance, Rodgers is responsible for assisting where needed by teammates in the Kenyan and South Africa Finance team which gives him a vast resource library as he gets to enjoy a diverse experience. Additionally, he has done billing, fulfilment of purchase orders, payments and allocation of receipts and invoices. From this, he has derived that he is more proficient in the Accounts Receivable pathway as he knows more and finds it easier. Not one to give up he says he will grow from his safe space here and eventually venture into Accounts Payable. All the same, he sees himself working in just anything within the field of finance. On further prodigy, he felt that probably a bank would be an experience he would like to savour. As he reflects on his experiences as part of the Finance team, he is glad to be getting a taste of what he can expect in life in Finance. He has received feedback that will help him grow and has built muscle around seeking assistance when needed as the learning never stops in the spirit of #JoyofLearning and #AlwaysGrowing.
The Nova Pioneer Effect
Rodgers believes that he had been at a crossroads when it came to picking between Business studies and Biology post-high school but he received support from his mentors to make the right choice for him, something he is grateful for. To spice things up, Rodgers and I discussed our culture principles at Nova Pioneer and took a glance at which principle he feels he does not associate with so strongly. He picked high expectations because he always feels like it adds a huge layer of anxiety and pressure for him and it is mostly externally influenced and does not take into account what it takes to meet these expected levels of performance. He says that he likes to be in control and as such will push himself to achieve his own expectations or do better than them.
As a final touch goodbye, he said that Nova Pioneer was a good place, a friendly environment with interactive people and he feels like it is the best place to learn or work at. If this draws your heartstrings, follow the link here to attend an Open Day and join our big, wide, and growing community.
