What Does a Pathfinder Do Anyway? Kutchi Katatumba Explains.

Meet Gold Fellowship Pathfinder, Kutchi Katatumba. As a talent developer and human resources professional with over a decade of experience, Kutchi is a specialist in supporting young professionals to unleash their potential and position themselves for jobs in high-demand industries, having successfully prepared numerous individuals for such opportunities.

In this conversation, she shares valuable insights into her role as a Pathfinder, what inspired her to take up this position, and offers a key tip that every rising tech professional should apply for career success.

Can you share a bit about your background?

I have a background in Psychology and HR, with a specialisation in Talent Development and Recruitment. My passion has always been in supporting young people to realise their potential. Before joining The ROOM Gold Fellowship, I worked with young people from diverse backgrounds, providing educational, technical and soft skills training​ to maximise their chances of getting jobs in Investment Banking and Asset Management. I also volunteer as a career coach and mentor, and was recently a Rise selector for the Rise program.

How do you define your role as a Pathfinder?

I define my role as being a partner, career coach and the biggest supporter of the young professionals I work with. This entails collaborating with them to map out their career goals and ambitions, connecting them with opportunities that fit their profile and supporting them to realise their potential.

What inspired you to become a Pathfinder with The ROOM Gold Fellowship?

Hearing the stories of the winners of the 2022 ALX SE Students challenge inspired me to become a Pathfinder with the Gold Fellowship. These stories showed me there is an abundance of top talent on our continent who just need support to accelerate their careers. The Gold Fellowship provides a great opportunity to support the next generation of tech leaders in Africa through mentorship, coaching and building relationships, and I’m excited to be a part of that.

What are some of your key responsibilities as a Pathfinder?

My primary responsibility is to provide mentorship to Gold Fellows, partnering with them to develop their career goals and create a plan to achieve them. I also offer guidance in essential job preparation skills such as CV writing, networking and interviewing. Additionally, I help the fellows identify job opportunities that align with their profiles and serve as a sounding board for them throughout their career journeys. Finally, I encourage fellows to attend networking events, and support them in building relationships that can grow their careers.

What do you love most about your job?

I really enjoy connecting with the young professionals. It’s always inspiring to hear their stories and how they have overcome challenges to get to where they are.

Why do you think mentorship and career coaching is important? What role does it play in accelerating the growth of a young professional’s career?

Mentorship and career coaching provides an opportunity to learn from someone who has experience navigating the complex and challenging world of work. A mentor and career coach can provide guidance on career decisions, keep you accountable to your own goals and ambitions, and provide networking opportunities. A lot of young professionals lack access to experienced industry professionals and have limited exposure to the world of work. This impedes their ability to get jobs, not due to the absence of talent, but as a result of their struggle to navigate the system. Mentorship and career coaching addresses this issue, and can accelerate the growth of a young professional's career by providing the tools, resources and support needed to realise their potential.

What do you think is a key resource for a young professional looking to ignite their career?

Networking! Building and creating a professional network can provide opportunities for career growth. By connecting with people in their industry, young professionals can learn about job openings, gain mentors and build relationships that may lead to future collaborations or partnerships.

What value does the Gold Fellowship hold for young professionals? What difference will it make to their lives?

There is great value in the Gold Fellowship because it gives young professionals access to a Pathfinder who can provide mentorship and support. The Gold Fellowship also provides co-working spaces for the fellows – not only does this enhance productivity, but it is also an opportunity for fellows to connect with startups. More importantly, Gold Fellows get to connect with other talented tech professionals and be a part of The ROOM’s talent community. In short, the Gold Fellowship is building the next generation of influential African leaders; I don’t see why anyone wouldn’t want to be part of it!

The ROOM Gold Fellowship connects top ALX tech graduates with Pathfinders who mentor, coach, and support their career growth. Apply today to one of ALX’s world-class programmes so you can gain entry into the Gold Fellowship and unlock a range of benefits and perks reserved exclusively for Gold Fellows.