Expressing his love for calculations and entrepreneurship is what made Saalick Siddiqi breeze through his Degree of Bachelor of Technology: in Industrial Engineering and achieve Cum Laude and the Deans Merit award.

Siddiqi graduated during the second session of the 2018 Spring graduation ceremony held at the Sports Centre, Steve Biko Road, Durban.

“At first it was a relief, because when my final mark came out I knew I had made Cum Laude, and I had worked extremely hard to achieve it. When I found out that I had been awarded the Dean’s Merit as well, I was really excited and happy, because I wasn’t really expecting it,” he beamed.

For Siddiqi, he always had a keen interest in the field of engineering. When he first heard about Industrial Engineering he didn’t know what it was about, so then he researched it a little and found that it was something that he had found very interesting and it eventually turned into something that he is currently very passionate about.

Also, having had a grandfather who was a chief engineer on a ship for many years, also influenced his interest in the field.

“When I started Industrial Engineering at DUT, I was not exactly the highest achiever in the class. I was good at some subjects, but I also did fail my fair share of subjects as well. After I completed my National Diploma in Industrial Engineering I was nowhere near being a top achiever. However, before I started my BTech I promised myself that I would give it my all to get Cum Laude, and that it was not impossible for me to achieve it. When I eventually started BTech, I dedicated my time to completing my work punctually, and put in a lot of extra hours to make it happen,” he said.

The meticulous Siddiqi adds that he does not have a specific role model but does look up to Elon Musk, Jeff Bezos, and even the father of Industrial Engineering Henry Ford. “However, I rather prefer my role models to be people I know and interact with, so my actual role models are my parents. They taught me many things, but most importantly how to be a good person and work smart, as well as hard,” he said proudly.

Also, Siddiqi is grateful to his DUT lecturers who have played a big role in helping him achieve his dream. “The facilities provided by DUT have allowed me to learn practically as well through the research facilities that are available. Overall, I feel that DUT, in all its facets, has helped make me into the engineer I am today,” he added proudly.

His advice to any student who is thinking of a career in engineering is that there is no substitute for effort and determination. “One must believe in themselves, and not be afraid to aim high. You would be surprised at how much of a difference it makes when you put in that extra effort. Nobody has achieved anything worthwhile by not putting in any effort, so aim high and work hard and you’ll surprise yourself,” he said.

Siddiqi is currently working at IPC (Innovative PVC Compounds), which is his family business. They manufacture PVC compounds for use in various applications from footwear to wire coatings.  However, his future goal is to further his studies and pursue a Master’s Degree at some point in the future. “Nevertheless, I feel that I would like to get some more experience first before I set out on that adventure,” he said.

Pictured: Saalick Siddiqi

Waheeda Peters