The University of Pretoria’s (UP) Alumni Relations Office recently launched its series of Global Alumni Virtual Chats, with the second one – titled “Global lockdowns: Learning, thriving or just surviving!” – tackling the challenges of life under lockdown in various parts of the world.

The event saw international alumni from New York, Melbourne, London and Chengdu, China, join the discussion.

With these online events, UP aims to demonstrate that the institution will always keep in touch with alumni, no matter the circumstances, said Vice-Chancellor and Principal Professor Tawana Kupe, who spoke as a guest during the live virtual panel discussion event that was broadcast live via UP’s LinkedIn page.

Werner Barnard, Vice-President: Global Head Customer Experience at Pontoon Solutions in New York, was one of the panellists. He was asked which skills would be in high demand after COVID-19. “Broad-based IT skills will be in demand, but specific programming skills will be very relevant across financial sectors,” he said. “Communication skills will also become a significant driving force to create a balance between virtual [communication] and the need to still have personal interaction with clients. The balancing act between technology skills and excellence in communication style and engagement will ultimately create the perfect balance in future.”

Kim Hilder, a senior talent consultant at recruitment company Robert Walters in Australia, advised graduates to use this time to research the companies they would like to work for and to upskill themselves. “Use this time to enrol for online courses to up your skills and knowledge,” she said. “Be that candidate that the company has been looking for. Be open-minded and utilise technology. Should you score an online interview, there is no need to be nervous ­– just dress accordingly and pretend that you are meeting your potential employer in person. Also update your LinkedIn profile – recruiters will be looking at that now more than ever – and be mindful and careful of what you post on your personal social media accounts.”

English teacher Xolisile Sithole, who is based in China and has been living under lockdown for more than 70 days, was one of the panellists. Having heard the stories about people struggling with feelings of isolation as a result of COVID-19, Sithole, who studied psychology, said she is focussed on helping to ease the pressure as communities find ways to get through the pandemic and its various negative side-effects.

If you missed it and would like to watch the discussion, you can view it here.