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"Grab every opportunity": Google SA's CEO
Luke Mckend, Stellenbosch University (SU) alumnus and head of Google SA, told students and alumni of Stellenbosch University that timing is everything; to choose their opportunities; and to make the best of everyone "as you never know how they can change your life".
He also added that a career should not be seen as "linear", but a gathering of a range of skills/experiences.
Mckend, who completed his Bachelor's degree at SU in 1993, shared his career journey and said you can be "serious without a suit". He explained that it is not about the status of your position, but rather "your intellectual capital and what you bring to bear - what you know and not what you wear".
He shared a highlight of his career when Google had the opportunity to broadcast a videoconference between Archbishop Emeritus Desmond Tutu and the Dalai Lama at the Archbishop's 80th birthday when the latter was denied a visa by the South African government. Mckend sketched out the enormous amount of planning and also technical risk it took to make this happen. "This was one of my most fantastic moments - helping people to connect." He went on and urged the students to be prepared to do interesting and risky things - "find a reason to enjoy what you do".
Your degree is the start, not the end
Mckend said there is much more relevance in what skills you gather than what you studied and added that even as a "non-coder he can add value to a company such as Google". He further said that in the overseas market more emphasis is placed on your potential as a person that the degree you obtained. "Your degree is not the end point, but rather the start. You must be flexible and not have a cookie-cutter approach [to your career]."
The event formed part of the student-driven initiative, Give Week, aimed at promoting early student engagement and building a culture of giving among future alumni.
Bev Witten, director of the division for alumni relations of SU, said that this type of event showcases the pool of successful SU alumni, their career trajectories and how their time at Stellenbosch shaped and helped to where they are today. She added that it also encourages other alumni to get involved with their alma mater; sharing their knowledge and expertise with future generations of the SU alumni family.
