The Durban University of Technology (DUT) continues to commend all its essential workers for their dedication and commitment in providing services to the community during the COVID-19 pandemic. DUT’s Communications teams Nomvelo Zulu spoke to Patricia Badenhorst, Training and Development Librarian at DUT.
Q: Kindly tell me about your role at DUT?
A: “I am a Training and Development Librarian. My role is to ensure that adequate and appropriate provision of all aspects of academic services library training is in place to support development and upskilling of library staff. My role also includes the development, design, implementation, and maintenance of library-instructional materials for teaching and learning.”
Q: How long have you been in that role?
A: “Since December 2020 and that would make it one year and six months.”
Q: Please describe yourself in a few words?
A: “I am a highly motivated and ambitious person who does not take herself too serious, meaning I work hard but I’m also playful. I believe in education and therefore I am always studying or looking for opportunities to develop myself. My family and friends ground me and I can say they are my world.”
Q: How has it been like working during COVID-19?
A: “It was very difficult at first as change is never easy. Due to the fear and anxiety of losing our loved ones, there were very hard days emotionally that made it hard to focus on work due to loss of loved ones and hearing of bad news daily. On a positive, side it has also opened up my mind it terms of pushing myself in finding different ways of working and exploring technology.”
Q: How do you deal with the fear of contracting COVID-19 and losing loved ones due to this virus?
A: “I guess we have all developed some coping mechanism. Mine is prayer, just praying for safety and the strength to face each day, as well as keeping a positive mind and following all the COVID-19 safety regulations.”
Q: What is your daily motivation?
A: “My children and myself. I want to be better than who I was yesterday.”
Q: Please take me through a normal day in your life?
A: “My day starts off with a morning rush of getting the kids ready for school, dropping them off, and rushing to get to the office. I begin my work with going through my emails, responding to urgent queries, checking my calendar on what my day is like then attending scheduled meeting and in between doing my daily task it ends off with rushing home to cook and spend time with my children.”
Q: What do you like to do in your spare time?
A: “I love reading books, traveling and spending time with family and friends.”
Q: If you had one wish what would it be?
A: “A world where children are safe and protected.”
