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LANDSCAPING FEATURE

and Masters degrees. The University
encourages students to take a year off to
gain practical experience in the workplace
between the undergraduate and post
graduate courses.
EVW: I tried to find work in 2010 after
finishing my third year, when the
landscape industry was still reeling from
the 2008 recession. Unfortunately I wasn’t
able to and returned to do my Honours
and Masters degrees. After that, in 2011,
I applied at many different firms and for
seven years worked for other companies
before starting my own business. The three
companies I worked for did very different Jasmyn Residence upgrade, University of Pretoria
kinds of work – from high end corporate, By Gina Switala
to public works, to estate landscaping, and
all these gave me a wonderful range of
experience.
GS: After studying I worked for Newtown to go it alone. It is a very personal decision
How long did you work there? Please Landscape Architects for just under a year, for anyone to take, but in my case I felt that
give details on the good and not so good and then for Servest for four years. Servest it was inherently the right thing to do as I
aspects of working for someone else is a large landscape contracting firm with was ready for something new, something
mainly corporate clients and I learnt a to call my own.
KM: I was with Insite for eight years and lot about the practical side of landscape
it was a true gift, as I was thrown into the installation and maintenance. The advantages are that:
deep end from day one. Coming out on EVW: Working for someone else is less • My time is my own. That said,
however, having this freedom comes
the other side all those years later, with the
confidence and experience I gained, was stressful in the sense that you don’t have with the need for self-discipline and
immensely valuable. The directors of the to take final responsibility for something, responsibility;
company allowed me to work on a great especially as a young landscape architect. • I’m able to work from home and as a
variety of projects and also trusted me to Also, it is comforting to know that someone mother, this is a huge advantage. I’m
else is checking your work, helping you
able to commit that little bit more time
carry/lead projects from a relatively early
stage in my career. avoid pitfalls, and also paying your salary. and energy to family matters;
I was fortunate that two of the companies • you reap the rewards of your own
The good aspects of working for others I worked for had wonderful people who effort and talent. The more you invest
were: were prepared to show me the ropes. in yourself and your projects, the more
you gain on a personal level - be it
The downside of working for someone
• learning from them and being able to
bounce ideas off each other – this was else is that you sometimes have to bear emotional, financial or educational;
invaluable and the greatest tool when the consequences of someone else’s poor • freedom in design and how you would
being part of a bigger team. There was decisions or time management. like to handle/manage a project or
always someone to learn from, assist or Did you have a mentor? If so, what did situation is a big plus, although at the
end of the day, the client is always the
workshop with;
• the onus of responsibility for a project you learn from him/her? boss!
does not fall fully on you as an employee; • the world is literally your oyster – if you
• the security of a fixed salary is a KM: I didn’t have a single, specific mentor, see an opportunity, it is yours to catch.
tremendous advantage; but rather a number of people for whom I Having made the move to start my own
• accounts, invoicing, tax, payments, have great respect on a professional level. company, I have had access to projects
office facilities and computer equipment The directors at Insite taught me a lot that I would most likely never have
etc are all provided and not for one’s about design and project management, had before; my capabilities and sense
personal responsibility or maintenance. and shaped my early career; we are still of awareness within the industry have
friends to this day. Office colleagues, grown;
clients and team consultants have also • failure comes at a cost but when the
The bad aspects of working for others
were: inspired me, and I am grateful for all the successes and victories do roll in,
• travelling to work from Joburg to opportunities I’ve had to learn. they are very liberating and are great
Centurion, and to project sites. I was reminders of why you do what you do!
working very long hours and adding EVW: I didn’t have a specific mentor, but The disadvantages are:
because the second company I worked for
travel times onto the day didn’t help.
Working from home has provided me was very small, I learnt a lot about different • the lack of financial security, especially
with freedom from the stress of the aspects such as marketing, running a in the early years, is extremely stressful.
roads; business and how to make it more efficient. Working yourself to that point of
stability seems to be a constant goal;
• as much as I was given independence to This was a valuable experience for me. • working for yourself means that you
manage designs and projects, there was Why did you decide to open your own
always a restriction that I couldn’t shake never truly switch off, and your office
and a ceiling that my head would knock company? What are the advantages and door is always open;
into. I needed to find expression that disadvantages of this? • without a team to assist, you have to
was truly my own – a personal brand KM: As a risk-averse person, it took a assume all the roles – director, designer,
accountant,
secretary,
draftsman,
and a personal achievement.
number of years for me to gain the courage salesperson, computer technician,

20 Landscape SA • Issue 93 2020