Retreat resident Bradley Davids, 44, started working for the city council straight after matriculating from Alexander Sinton High School in 1989 and his first job was sweeping up dirt.
Now, 25 years later, Mr Davids has completed a Doctor of Philosophy Degree (PhD) in Public Administration and is heading up the human resources department of the City of Cape Town’s Traffic Services.
Over the years Mr Davids completed his undergraduate studies in public management at the Cape Peninsula University of Technology, then furthered his academic journey at the University of the Western Cape where he completed his Master’s degree and most recently, a PhD.
Athlone-born Mr Davids said he didn’t expect to still be working at the City 25 years later, having earned a few degrees.
“The decisions young people face is choosing a career that we will be passionate about but in my case it was a different story, as I was chosen by my career,” he said.
“I started working as a labourer, pushing a broom 25 years ago. It was the only work I could find at the time. Who would have thought this would be possible? Sometimes we just need to believe and not lose hope. It is most certainly possible to achieve your dreams if you have the commitment and drive,” he said.
He encouraged young people to chase after their dreams and work hard to achieve the best results.
“Always have a positive ‘can-do’ attitude towards life as this will stand you in good stead. The challenges will most certainly be there but you need to work through them. Perseverance, determination and just plain old tenacity are some of the qualities that will help achieve your goals,” he said
Mr Davids added that the City of Cape Town is a dynamic platform that has offered him room to grow and develop as an individual and as a public servant. This, coupled with his determination and positivity, resulted in his success.
Xanthea Limberg, the City’s mayoral committee member for corporate services and compliance, congratulated Mr Davids on his achievement.
“I must commend his commitment to staying the course and building such a successful career. His focus and strong will to succeed should be an inspiration to his peers and colleagues.
“Quite often we see young people succumbing to peer pressure for the wrong reasons and in some cases straying away towards social ills. My challenge to them is to follow Bradley’s example. There are many opportunities out there. You just need to find them and pursue what interests you,” she said.
Mr Davids is among a group of 161 graduates who were recently awarded certificates by the various tertiary institutions accross the province in recognition of different levels of qualification.