ISBS Alumni Put Practical Skills to Work as Employers Look Beyond Qualifications

Graduates of the Imperial School of Business and Science (ISBS) say practical assignments, teamwork and workplace-oriented learning are proving valuable in their careers, as employers increasingly demand demonstrable skills alongside academic qualifications.

ISBS is a 100% citizen-owned private tertiary institution in Botswana offering BQA-accredited programmes across areas including business and management, accounting and finance, education, health and information technology. The institution offers qualifications from certificate and diploma level through to degree programmes, as well as corporate training, with both full-time and part-time study options. Its alumni network has grown to more than 3,000 graduates, with former students working across Botswana’s private and public sectors.

ISBS alumna Lucia Ramere, who has worked in marketing and media, speaks at events and has built her own business, says the value of her training became particularly evident when she began applying classroom learning to real assignments.

“The most valuable thing ISBS gave me was the confidence to believe in myself and the courage to pursue opportunities beyond the classroom,” says Ramere. “Through presentations, group projects, and practical assignments, I learned how to communicate effectively, work with different people, and think strategically.”

That experience supports what ISBS lecturer Maeta Kesebonye says is becoming a significant shift in Botswana’s employment environment: qualifications remain important, but employers increasingly expect graduates to demonstrate practical capability from the outset. “Employers in Botswana have moved beyond qualifications. They now want graduates who can apply knowledge, use technology and solve real business problems with confidence,” says Kesebonye.

She identifies digital skills, data literacy, Enterprise Resource Planning competencies, customer service and adaptability among the capabilities employers increasingly require. ISBS has responded, she says, by combining academic instruction with practical exposure, including SAP S/4HANA, computer applications, projects, case studies, simulations and industrial attachments.

For Ramere, the practical value of that approach was tested when she became involved in marketing campaigns requiring stronger public engagement. She says she applied marketing and public relations principles learned at ISBS to identify the target audience, refine messaging and select appropriate communication channels rather than simply pushing content into the market. “The campaign performed much better than expected, and it reinforced my belief that what we learned in class had real value in the workplace,” she says.

Kesebonye says this ability to move from knowing a concept to applying it is precisely the gap tertiary institutions have to address. She says ISBS uses case studies, simulations and projects in the classroom, while industrial attachments allow students to work alongside professionals and encounter workplace expectations before graduating.

Another alumna, Chedza Veronica Ntlhoiwa, says the transition into employment showed her that technical knowledge alone was not enough. Independence, confidence, self-discipline, communication and the ability to work with different people became equally important. While working at Blueberry Travel, Ntlhoiwa dealt with customer enquiries, bookings and travel information, responsibilities that demanded accuracy as well as an ability to work effectively with colleagues and customers.

“I learned that sometimes solving a problem is not only about knowing the answer, but also about knowing how to communicate and work with others to find a solution,” says Ntlhoiwa. She says teamwork, communication, problem-solving, confidence and time management remain among the skills she uses most. Her work also required her to learn different systems and airline booking platforms, strengthening her ability to adapt to technology and learn new tools quickly.

Kesebonye says these are among the qualities ISBS deliberately tries to develop alongside academic competence. The institution places emphasis on accountability, punctuality, communication and ethics, while students undertake projects, present solutions, participate in industrial attachments and interact with industry practitioners.

“At ISBS we develop the whole person, not just the certificate,” she says. The growing influence of artificial intelligence and digitalisation is adding another dimension to graduate preparedness. Kesebonye says students are being taught to approach AI as a tool for research, analysis and creativity while retaining critical thinking and originality.

“Relevance is not about a software. It is about the mindset,” she says, arguing that graduates need the capacity to learn new things quickly, solve unfamiliar problems and continue developing as workplace technologies change. Ramere says her own progression from graduate to marketing and media professional and entrepreneur has reinforced the importance of those broader capabilities. Communication is now central to her work with clients, campaigns, events and different teams, while teamwork and problem-solving remain part of her everyday professional life.

“The knowledge I gained was important, but the confidence, discipline, and willingness to keep learning have been even more valuable,” she says. Ntlhoiwa similarly says ISBS prepared her for more than examinations, with independence, discipline, confidence and teamwork becoming particularly relevant after graduation.

For Kesebonye, such alumni experiences are the practical test of the institution’s approach. She says the objective is to produce graduates who understand workplace conventions, can apply their learning, adapt to technology and require minimal supervision as they grow into their roles. “They can contribute to organisational success from day one of employment, adapt to new technologies and grow with the organisation,” she says.

Ramere says students themselves must, however, take advantage of the opportunities available during their studies rather than waiting until graduation to begin preparing for their careers.“ISBS gives you the tools, but it’s up to you to make the most of them,” she says. “If you are willing to put in the effort, ISBS can prepare you not just for your first job, but for a career of continuous growth and opportunity.”

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