Celestin thrives in his career at Kepler

Do you ever wonder how life progresses after graduation? Apart from starting small businesses, our students join existing establishments to provide services in Communications, Entrepreneurship, and Healthcare Management after graduation.

Meet Celestin Nkeramihigo, our Alumnus from 2013, as he takes us through his journey after Kepler. Celestin graduated in Business Communications in 2016 from Kepler with the partnership of Southern New Hampshire University. Currently a Dean of Management Faculty at Kepler, he has been working with Kepler for six years.

Celestin started working with Kepler through the study-work program at Kepler and has thrived in different spaces since then, including course facilitator, manager, curriculum design, and associate director of the program. The latter role focused on developing new programs and implementing graduate employment programs in Ethiopia by preparing graduates for the working environment. 

Celestin was reportedly able to perform his positions accordingly through focus and innovation. Learn more about his journey after graduation through a Q&A session. 

How would you describe your post-Kepler triumph story?

Firstly, my journey started before I graduated. In 2015, I started working as a junior course facilitator at Kepler, then later to the course facilitator position. I graduated when I was already teaching. Thanks to Kepler, My journey wasn’t complicated because I got the opportunity to transition from school to work without hardships. 

Thanks to Kepler management, I pursued my master’s degree with their support and transition from one position to another.

 What Rwandan or African problem are you trying to solve with your expertise?

Nowadays, students attend classes for credits, and I want to help to change that type of mindset. I want to inspire students to go to class to learn practical skills rather than get school credits. So, I intend to support EAC students in understanding the importance of mastering a skill rather than knowing a skill. I believe that everyone involved in education is always thinking about bringing innovation from knowledge-based to competency-based.  

What are your career aspirations for the next five years?

My projection is to see an essential step in managing education-related projects. Education is a basic need that supports people to create a pathway to their lives. Through my educational background and experience, I want to see myself exploring new projects in the coming years and working with everyone from the start of the project to the end to bring innovations.

What is your message to current Kepler students and young people in general?

Life is not easy. Students and fresh graduates think that jobs are available, which is true, but these jobs are highly competitive. People who can get jobs aren’t those with the highest grades but those who know what they are doing and are open-minded. One of the keys to success is the willingness to learn new things because, with that mindset, you will be creative, innovative, and adaptive, which will help you in the future.

Are you Kepler alumni? We would love to hear from you! Reach out to us via communications@kepler.org to let us know about your progress after graduation!