Love for TV outweighed my desire to work in procurement

As a child, Julie F. Nantaba admired TV personality Flavia Tumusiime during the days she was presenting a teens show on WBS TV station. And she hoped she would one day be a TV personality like her. However, she joined university for a procurement course and graduated with a Bachelors of Procurement and Logistics from Kyambogo University in 2015.
Unfortunately, all her attempts to get a job in procurement failed. The closest she got at pursuing a career in procurement was during her internship as stores manager at Rift Valley Railways company in 2014.

“I suffered the “after university syndrome” of roaming offices searching for employment, until a friend of mine connected me to Mahindra for a marketing position in 2015. I was supposed to market motorcycles. I, however, got frustrated with the job and quit in 2016.
But this time round, I was determined to find means of pursuing my dream career. So, when I chanced on an advert by NTV calling for auditions for a new TV drama series in April last year, I quickly jumped at the opportunity.

I made it through the auditions and since August last year, I play Vicky, a housemaid in Second Chance–Uganda. I also work as an MC and host at shows and events, including the recent East African Spelling Bee. I am only glad that despite my procurement degree, I am now pursuing a career in media and arts, which was originally my dream. To graduates who wish to switch careers, know how to deal with parental conflict in case your parents get angry about your new career choice. Remember, most parents part with a lot of money as tuition and would feel betrayed once you abandon what they paid for. Luckily, I talked to my mother and she was very understanding. But at the end of the day, know what you want and follow it. If you are happy, you bring positive energy to work.”

As told to Douglas D. Sebamala