By Mohalenyane Phakela
MAFETENG — Career Development Training Institute (CDTI) marked 10 years since the organisation’s founding at its campus in Motse-Mocha, Mafeteng. The celebrations went on from Friday till Saturday night.
CDTI is a training college offering both International and national certificates as well as diplomas in a range of commercial and computer studies. It was established in 2004 as Maseru Career Development College and, at the time, was only found in Maseru. Two years later, the institute branched out to other districts and was renamed Career Development Training Institute. It now has campuses in the country’s seven districts.
In commemoration of the 10-year milestone, management, students and invited guests were treated to a two-day fiesta at the institute’s Mafeteng campus.
The Friday entertainment line-up was mainly for the students’ benefit with deejays and artistes such as Stlofa belting out tunes, much to their audience’s delight.
The Saturday programme, however, which kicked-off with a fun-walk in the morning, was a bit more formal and was graced by a number of invited guests and government representatives.
The students were still entertained with songs and poems helping to liven up the event, before kwaito stars Stlofa and Gudoza mesmerised the crowd later on in the evening.
Speaking at the event on Saturday, Likhoele Chief, Majara Leshoboro Seeiso, urged the students to work hard.
“You have been privileged with institutions like CDTI which allow you to further your studies and create your own career paths,” Chief Seeiso said.
“We did not have these kinds of opportunities in our time as most of us could only go as far as high school.
“So please hold on to this educational opportunity that you have as hard-work pays.”
His speech was followed by clapping and ululation from both students and the invited guests.
Also addressing the students was Blue Cross representatives, Thato Motebang and Setlolela Ralethoko.
They first congratulated CDTI for its milestone, before addressing the abuse of drugs, an issue they grapple with on daily basis.
They duo urged students to shun drug and alcohol abuse, saying that they can destroy their future. Motebang and Ralethoko made their warning more poignant when they described some of the people who come for treatment at their centre in Thaba-Bosiu; some of whom had failed to graduate due to drug addiction.
Students, they said, should stand firm and know the purpose of being at school and not to be easily influenced by others who lead them astray, adding that they should not be like the grass that can be swayed in any direction by the wind.
A number of guests and government representatives gave motivational and congratulatory speeches.
The institute’s alumni, some of whom have since joined the corporate world and work for some of the biggest companies in the country, were also afforded the opportunity to encourage the students.
In his vote of thanks, the director and founder of the institute ‘Makatleho Mohale said: “I would like to take this opportunity to thank you for supporting us today as we celebrate a decade of our existence.
“Looking back at the journey that we have travelled, the route was not easy but with God we managed to get here for no weapon formed against us shall prosper.
“We started small but managed to branch out to other districts taking equal opportunity of quality education to different communities,” Mohale added.
