'Perform with excellence and be original in everything you do,' is a piece of advice that Luvuyo Hlatshaneni, an Academic Trainee in the Department of Auditing at the University of Pretoria (UP), received at the beginning of her academic career. She is already reaping the benefits of applying this wisdom consistently, having been selected as the Institute of Internal Auditors (IIA) Global's student of the month for October.   

Vuyo – as she is affectionately called by colleagues in her department – left her hometown of Mthatha in the Eastern Cape with dreams of studying towards becoming an accountant, until she discovered the world of auditing while enrolled for a BCom (Financial Sciences) degree at UP.  

'I am passionate about internal auditing, because it enables me to apply logic and challenge myself,' says Vuyo. It is for this reason that she pursued a BCom (Hons) Internal Auditing degree upon completion of her undergraduate studies.

The IIA feature aims to profile future leaders in the internal audit profession from across the globe, an opportunity that Vuyo is excited about. She explains: 'I am always happy when I can promote the internal audit profession among people who may be unaware of it and students who are still trying to figure out which direction of study to pursue.'

Her passion for supporting students who are following the path she was on not so long ago is evident. Her current role entails helping students 'behind the scenes' by preparing lectures and setting question papers that build on her experience as a former tutor. 'I enjoy it when I can assist students who struggle with difficult concepts, and I am also learning a lot from my colleagues in the Department while gaining invaluable experience,' she adds.  

Vuyo states that being a participant of the IIA's Internal Auditing Education Partnership programme at UP has given her a competitive advantage for her future career ambitions. She will be taking part in a learnership programme with PricewaterhouseCoopers (PwC), which starts in January 2017, and also plans to study further and obtain a master's degree.