THE BOARDWALK’S ANGELA ROGERS ACHIEVES HER GOAL

IT Manager at The Boardwalk has graduated with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree

Proving that nothing is impossible to achieve in the historically male-dominated gaming industry, Angela Rogers, the IT Manager at The Boardwalk has graduated with a Master of Business Administration (MBA) degree while fulfilling her demanding roles as the head of her department, wife and mother. For three years, she has successfully performed a balancing act between work, studies and her personal life to achieve a goal she had dreamed of earlier in her life.

She had studied various other management qualifications through the Nelson Mandela Metropolitan University and the MBA was a natural progression for Rogers who believes that nobody should ever stop learning.  She commenced her MBA in February 2013. It was a three year programme for part time students.  This meant attending lectures at night and over weekends.

“My goal was to achieve the best results I possibly could. Failing or not doing well was not an option. However there were days when there were just too few hours and I would wonder if I would ever get through it all. 

“Studying and working, and balancing these with home life can really test your time management skills.  Hence I did not sleep too much as I was either doing work emails or assignments.  I never wanted either to fall behind and as the leader of a MBA syndicate group, I also had to ensure that all deadlines were met and that everyone gave their all to the programme,” she recalls.

“I am fortunate that I have a naturally high amount of energy and see most things as a challenge to overcome rather than as a problem to get me down.  I tried to always see the bright side of life and ensured that I was spiritually in tune too – so I would pray for strength through good and trying times.”

Although fiercely independent, Rogers never overlooks opportunities to learn from other people. She enjoyed bouncing ideas and thoughts with her colleagues, which provided inspiration. Her immediate team also supported her by taking on more responsibility when necessary to ease the burden on her.

“It is this tremendous sense of team spirit and teamwork that really makes working at The Boardwalk quite special,” she says.

Rogers, a mom to two busy teenagers, says her husband has been a pillar of strength and an exceptional support during her studies.

“I started studying again in 2006 when I was already a mother of two.  It was definitely a challenge for him then, and during the MBA, contrary to my belief that it would be easier because they were older, it wasn’t.  Working, studying and being a mom to two teenagers is a challenge. However, concerns about how difficult it could be, or worries about where you will find the time, should never deter you from pursuing your ambitions. Developing yourself is linked to your sense of wellbeing.

“Whether it is to study further, become more involved in the community or participate in a sport, if it is something you feel driven to do, then you should do it. Keep focused, ensure your partner is supportive and behind you.  Then make sure that your time management skills are top notch as you even need to schedule time for family, husband and even relaxation time – otherwise they will never happen.”

On behalf of the staff at The Boardwalk, General Manager Brett Hoppé congratulates Rogers saying that her commitment to seeing her degree through without ever skipping a beat at work is a great inspiration to her colleagues.

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