If you walk past the IT building and hear a loud noise coming from the first floor, don’t be alarmed. One of these days Wendy Robyn will start announcing the completion of a project with a vuvuzela. Yes, things do get a little bit hectic in the IT network department and a little stress relief always helps.
Wendy is responsible for project financing in IT’s network department. This includes the accumulation of information for cost estimates, requesting funds, handling orders, paying invoices and updating project statements to ensure the successful completion of projects. She also takes care of inquiries regarding project finances. Not bad for someone who chose German above accounting at school.
After matric at Immaculata High Girls’ School, she completed her National Diploma in Human Resources in 2003. Shortly thereafter she started working at Pierre Cronje, a furniture manufacturer who has been featured on Top Billing, first as receptionist and soon she advanced to payroll administrator. It’s here where her love for home decor was cultivated, coming to good use now that she and her husband has their own home after 9 years.
Since then Wendy finsihed level 3 of AAT Accounting and she will be starting level 4 soon. Studying while raising two children, aged 6 months and 5 years, is a challenge – especially when the 5 year-old tells you to put your books down. “I had to start studying at 4 in the morning.”
“I like structure and finance.”
“The best part of my work is to finalise a project and the satisfaction it brings.” She enjoys the exactness and precision of finance and that a project’s budget can be balanced when it’s completed. “If one cent’s not accounted for, I will try and find it.” On the other hand, projects staying open for long due to various problems and delays, can cause some frustration.
Who would’ve though she almost resigned in her first week at IT. “The combination of trying to understand Afrikaans and the foreignness of the technical environment was a huge challenge.” And now, after 7 years, there’s no sign of an English accent and she’s gotten the better of technology and Afrikaans.
“When Lynn, Albrecht and me start talking about the “old days” and telling all kinds of stories, you know the stress levels are on the rise again. We laugh a lot.”
“Work isn’t everything. Family and life outside work is what it’s all about.”
With two children under 5 years other pastimes aren’t always an option. But retail therapy is definitely one. “Oh, I love shopping, but I don’t spend a lot of money. It’s more about the fun of finding a bargain.” Luckily she’s very disciplined when it comes to money matters – at work and with her own finances. When she’s not shopping, you’ll find her on the rowing machine at the gym, but never on a treadmill. “It just makes me dizzy.”
“I’m not too crazy about sport in general, but will go to gym and try to eat healthy. Anything with seeds!” She also loves walking and will easily rather walk somewhere instead of jumping in the car.
“You don’t say ‘no’ to charity”
For Wendy charity isn’t negotiable. She and a friend started Christmas Smiles, a group who collects Christmas gifts for lesser supported charities like Sunrise Educare in Bishop Lavis and the CHOC House (Children fighting Cancer). “Because I have children myself, children in need are my main focus. It’s my way of giving back, because I’ve been blessed so much.”
When the family takes a break, Club Mykonos is a popular choice, but one day, when the kids are bigger, they’ll try and visit the real one in Greece. Australia and France is also high on the wishlist. But for now, 2 kids, a dog and husband keeps her busy enough.
If you’re interested in getting involved in Christmas Smiles, e-mail her at wrobyn@sun.ac.za.
As jy verby IT stap en `n donderende getoeter vanaf die grondvloer hoor, moenie skrik nie, dis net Wendy Robyn wat `n projek afgesluit het en dit een van die dae gaan begin aankondig met `n vuvuzela. Ja, dinge gaan soms so bedrywig by IT se netwerkafdeling dat daar oomblikke vir stresverligting gemaak moet word.
Wendy is verantwoordelik vir projekfinansiering binne IT se netwerkafdeling. Dit sluit onder andere die insameling van inligting vir kosteberamings, fondse aanvra, bestellings hanteer, fakture betaal en projekstate opdatum hou vir die suksesvolle afsluiting van projekte. Sy hanteer ook alle navrae rondom projekte se finansies. Nie sleg vir iemand wat Duits bo Rekeningkunde op skool gekies het nie.
Na matriek by Immaculata High meisieskool, het haar Nasionale Diploma in Menslike Hulpbronne voltooi. Kort daarna aanvaar sy `n pos by Pierre Cronje, `n meubelvervaardiger wat al op Top Billing gebruik is. Sy werk eers as ontvangsdame, maar kort voor lank word sy aangestel as Payroll administrator. Dis ook hier waar haar liefde vir dekor saad geskiet het – `n passie wat baie handig te pas kom noudat sy en haar man, na 9 jaar, hul eie huis het.
Intussen het sy vlak 3 van AAT Rekeningkunde voltooi en sy sal binnekort voortgaan met die vierde.Dit was wel uitdagend om te leer met twee kinders van onderskeidelik 6 maande en 5 jaar, waarvan die oudste haar beveel het om haar boeke neer te sit. “Ek het maar 4 uur in die oggend begin swot.”
“Ek hou van struktuur en finansies.”
“Die beste deel van my werk is om `n projek te kan afsluit en die satisfaksie wat dit meebring.” Sy geniet dit om met finansies te werk, omdat dit so presies is en sy `n projek kan balanseer teen die einde daarvan. “Die laaste sent wat uit is, sal my pla!” Aan die ander kant is projekte wat lank oopbly weens verskeie probleme en vertragings, `n groot frustrasie.
Maar sy het amper binne die eerste week bedank by IT.”Die kombinasie van Afrikaans probeer verstaan en die vreemdheid van die tegniese omgewing was vir my `n groot uitdaging.” En nou, na 7 jaar by IT is daar is nie eers `n sweempie van `n Engelse aksent nie en het sy beide die tegnologie en Afrikaans onder die knie.
“As Lynn, Albrecht en ek eers so sit en begin gesels oor die “ou dae” en allerhande stories vertel, moet jy weet, almal is alweer gestres. Ons drie lag baie.”
“Werk is nie alles nie, familie en `n jou lewe buite werk is wat op die ou end saakmaak.”
Met twee kinders onder 5 jaar, is ander tydverdrywe nie altyd `n opsie nie. Maar retail theraphy is definitief een. “O, ek is lief vir shop, maar ek gee nie baie geld uit nie. Dit gaan meer oor die lekkerte van soek en`n bargain kry!” Gelukkig is sy is baie gedissiplineerd wat geld betref – by die werk en met haar eie finansies.
By die gym sal jy haar maklik op die roeimasjien kry, maar nie op `n trapmeul nie. “Dit maak my te duiselig.” “Ek is nie mal oor sport nie, maar gaan darem gym toe en probeer gesond eet. Enigiets met saadjies!” Sy hou ook van stap en sal maklik erens heen stap in plaas van om in die kar te spring.
“Jy sê nie ‘nee’ vir liefdadigheid nie.”
Liefdadigheid is vir Wendy nie onderhandelbaar nie en sy en`n vriendin, begin om elke jaar Kersfees geskenkpakkies in te samel vir organisasies wat reeds min befondsing ontvang soos soos Sunrise Educare in Bishop Lavis en die CHOC House (Children fighting Cancer). “Omdat ek self kinders het, is behoeftige kinders ook my hooffokus.Dis my manier van teruggee, omdat ek self so geseënd is”.
Tussendeur is daar af en toe tyd vir `n vakansie by Club Mykonos, maar eendag as die kinders groter is, sal die plaaslike Mykonos verruil word vir die regte een! Ook Australië en Frankryk is op die lys vir `n trip in die toekoms. Maar vir nou hou haar 2 kinders, 1 hond en haar man haar besig genoeg.
As jy meer van Wendy se liefdadigheidsprojek, Christmas Smiles, wil weet, stuur vir haar e-pos by wrobyn@sun.ac.za.
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