Movers and shakers

Records clerk at the Business and Intellectual Property Authority of Namibia (BIPA), Christabella Mwiya joined the company as a temporary scanning clerk, and remains determined to reach her goals while upholding her duties. Taking the chance to apply for positions advertised internally, she was eventually called for an interview as a records clerk. She has been in this position for two years, and said the journey has been great.

Mwiya obtained an honours degree in records and archives management from the University of Namibia (Unam) where she specialised in records management. “I chose this major because I wanted to try something that I was not familiar with or common to everyone else. I completed an online course to gain certification in data analysis with the University of Cape Town and a certificate in intellectual property. I am also currently enrolled for an online course in agile project management with Alison,” she said.

Additionally, her educational plans include pursuing a master’s degree in business administration.



Other plans

Mwiya said she did not study to end up in this career. While in secondary school, she was intrigued by a family relative who studied economics and then decided to take it on after secondary school. “Unfortunately, things did not go as planned, so I diverted to try out records management and see what the future holds for me. So far, it is pushing me in a very good direction,” she said.



The best part

As BIPA’s records clerk, Mwiya said the best part of her job is the constant opportunities to learn from superiors and grow as an individual. She said she is often exposed to challenges, especially when it comes to dealing with clients on a daily basis. This helps her develop both professionally and personally, enjoying the collaborative environment in the workplace.

Some of the lessons learnt within this position at BIPA include planning, organising and time management. Acquiring these principles has taught her to juggle priorities and work on various tasks simultaneously.



Duties at work

In her position, she is responsible for: Maintaining archived records with guidance of the records officer for business registration services; updating processes and checking applications and file records; recording all incoming and outgoing correspondence, performing data extraction and data entry; aiding in the retrieval of information from files to answering queries; scanning files to be stored digitally using electronic storage media and performing quality checks to ensure that production targets are met.

She advised young professionals that the amount of work you put in is the amount of praise and reward you will receive. “There are days where things are great, and there are days that are very challenging, as with any job. Keep in mind to choose a company that will give you support to help you through any obstacles thrown at you,” she said.