For the second consecutive year in 2019, the Department of Marketing Management collaborated with Italtile Commercial Division to provide the third-year BCom Marketing Management students with a work integrated learning experience whilst completing the Personal Selling and Account Management module. Italtile Commercial Division was established in 2009 as a part of Italtile Retail, forming part of the JSE-listed Italtile Limited Group.

 

The Personal Selling and Account Management module concluded with a prize-giving function to acknowledge and celebrate the top performers in the module. The prize-giving function was attended by familiar faces from the Italtile Commercial team, namely Marius Maree (JV Partner for the Italtile Commercial Division); Henri Alberts (Commercial Development Manager); Catherine Brown (freelance agent for Italtile); Brittni van Zyl (Commercial Marketing) and Tuscany Kitch (Commercial Key Accounts Manager). For Brittni van Zyl and Tuscany Kitch, this would be the second time attending this specific prize-giving function, previously in the capacity of Personal Selling and Account Management students and this time as team members of the Italtile Commercial team.

 

Representatives in attendance from the University of Pretoria included Prof Yolanda Jordaan (Head of the Department of Marketing Management); Sotira Petrou (Lecturer) and the final-year BCom Marketing Management students.

 

During the function, a presentation took the students back in time and all were able to reflect on how much they accomplished during this module. Students also shared words of appreciation towards the Italtile Commercial team who invested their time and energy to ensure that the students received the best possible hands-on learning sales experience throughout the module.

 

The following awards were handed out:

Top Academic Performance for the Personal Selling and Account Management module: Tayla Jane Tristen Howard

 

 

Spot prizes:

In addition, the function also celebrated the awarding of internships to 13 students. The interns were selected from a pool of 21 applicants, based on interviews held by an Italtile panel a week prior to the function. The following students were awarded an internship at Italtile for the second half of 2019. Based on the students’ performance during the Italtile internship, there is potential to receive offers for full-time positions at Italtile from 2020 onwards.

 

Recipients of the Italtile Internship:

From the selected group of interns, the top three students were announced and cash prizes were handed out for the first, second and third place of the Italtile Commercial Sales Programme. Abigale Sprighton received third place and Alessandra Bicego second place.

 

The most coveted award of the function was The Leonardo Award, which included a R10 000 cash prize. This award was named after The Leonardo building in Sandton, which upon its completion will be the tallest building in Africa. The Italtile Commercial team has been involved in this monumental construction by supplying tiles and accessories.

 

Teboho Toni Pitso received The Leonardo Award for securing first place in the Italtile Commercial Sales Programme. The award represents the Personal Selling and Account Management student who demonstrated exceptional talent and best represents ‘The Italtile Way’. This student, much like The Leonardo, has built a strong foundation for a promising future.

 

Recipients of the Italtile Internship for 2019

 

The function concluded with refreshments, and students celebrated the accolades of their peers. Students also had the opportunity to network with the Italtile Commercial team members who played an integral role in the knowledge acquisition and experiences of the students throughout the module. The Department of Marketing Management is appreciative of the partnership with Italtile Commercial with a positive outlook on future collaborations.

 

Personal Selling and Account Management Class of 2019

Front row from left to right: Prof Yolanda Jordaan,Marius Maree, Sotira Petrou, Abigale Sprighton, Teboho Toni Pisto, Alessandra Bicego,Tuscany Kitch, Catherine Brown and Henri Alberts