Logistics student attends Sri Lanka convention

Wilhelmina Nawela, a graduate of the Diploma in Transport and Logistics recently had the opportunity to represent Namibia at the CILT International Convention in Colombo, Sri Lanka. The young logistics professional is one of the first graduates of the programme whose performance gave her an opportunity to participate in the international convention, all expenses paid.
Nawela explained that she had jumped at the chance as soon as the programme was offered. Working as a Logistics Assistant for B2Gold, the part-time course was intensive requiring her and her co-students to study over weekends. “This was quite a challenge as the pressure of the day job was always there. Perseverance and self-discipline were key factors to success,” she explained.
According to Nawela, her efforts paid off as she was awarded the honour of best student and a chance to attend the conference. “The conference had three parts to it, each geared towards increasing the profile of Logistics. These were the Charted Institute of Transport and Logistics CILT’s International Conference, the global launch of Women in Logistics and Transport (WILAT), and the The Young Professional’s group,” she said.
Describing her experience, Nawela said there were different speakers from around the world, sharing their experiences and discussing the challenges faced in the logistics industry from shipping, mining, transportation to clearing and forwarding. Several academic experts also gave their views on the future direction of Logistics. She observed that Namibia’s logistics industry faces these same issues and challenges, and learning from international best practises and experts will further the field of logistics across southern Africa.
Wrapping it up she said “It was fantastic of the CILT, NGCL and Polytechnic of Namibia to make this possible.”
Prof. Eugene Madejski a Fellow of CILT, and Deputy Director of Logistics was heavily involved in the conference and accompanied Miss Nawela and. He is confident that the field of Logistics will go from strength to strength here in Namibia and in the region of southern Africa. He sees a solid future for the industry with people like Wilhelmina Nawela, now part of the CILT and as a Namibian member of Women in Logistics and Transport (WILAT).