A BSc graduate, who works in a tuck shop at a school in the east of Pretoria, this week told Pretoria Rekord about her 12-year struggle to find employment in the science field.

Today, 35-year-old university graduate Zenande Mcotshana is afraid of being stuck in her recently acquired tuck-shop job in the east of Pretoria, unable to make full use of her skills.

Mcotshana matriculated at Saint James High School in Durban in 2008. She later graduated with a BSc Chemistry from Walter Sisulu University in 2010.

She says she has a great deal of laboratory experience in chemistry and physics.

“I have two years of experience in microbial bioassay studies.

“I am competent in phytochemistry, isolation, characterisation and structure elucidation of compounds with five years of experience in this field.”

She says she moved to Pretoria to pursue a career in chemistry, however, finding work was proving to be difficult.

This led her to enrol at the Tshwane University of Technology (TUT), which later landed her an internship at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR).

“I was at the CSIR for two years.”

Mcotshana decided to come to Gauteng as her birthplace in the Eastern Cape did not have many opportunities.

She said Pretoria also raised challenges in finding suitable work, so she decided to complete her master’s degree in 2021.

Despite acquiring all these qualifications she has had no luck getting a career in science since 2010.

“I am a qualified chemist who is goal-driven, resourceful and I have a passion for science and technology.

“I apply for work on numerous recruitment sites, however, there’s never any success to employment as you never get calls for interviews.”

She says she always thought that after school and graduating, finding work wouldn’t be a problem given her education.

“My biggest dream is to work in a lab and do some research with pharmaceutical companies.”

Mcotshana says she is interested in researching HIV/Aids and finding cures for the currently incurable diseases.

“I continued to go to school because I couldn’t find work.

“It’s been stressful, especially when you have the right amount of knowledge and can’t find a suitable place to apply your skills,” Mcotshana says.

She says she was recently assisted in finding employment, to help her cover for basic needs, at a tuck-shop in a Pretoria east private school.

Her family had always been supportive. She is currently living with her twin sister, however, she felt like a strain as she was unable to support herself fully.

“I would like to request any employers in the pharmaceutical sector or chemical companies looking for my kind of expertise to consider me for future employment.”