Where Are They Now?
Real graduates. Real careers. Real results from Sondela Academy’s work-integrated learning model.
Real graduates. Real careers. Real results from Sondela Academy’s work-integrated learning model.
Class of 2019
Front Office Manager
Singita Game Lodges
“When I walked into my interview at Singita, they asked about my experience with high-end guests. I didn’t have to make anything up — I’d been doing it for three years at Sondela. That’s the difference.”
Class of 2021
Guest Relations Manager
Sondela Nature Reserve
“I came to Sondela as a student. Now I manage the guest experience for the whole reserve. The academy didn’t just train me — it gave me a home and a career I’m proud of.”
Class of 2020
Operations Manager
Protea Hotel by Marriott
“My mates at university got a degree and a blank CV. I walked out of Sondela with a National Diploma and three years of ops experience. I was managing a department within six months of graduating.”
Class of 2018
Senior Field Guide (FGASA Level 2)
Kapama Private Game Reserve
“At Sondela I tracked leopard at dawn and studied ecology by afternoon. By the time I sat my FGASA exam, I wasn’t nervous — I’d been living the content for years. Now I take guests on safari at one of the top reserves in Africa.”
Class of 2022
Conservation Officer
SANParks
“I grew up in Soweto. I’d never seen a wild animal up close. Sondela changed what I thought was possible for my life. Now I protect some of the most important biodiversity on the planet — and I get paid for it.”
Class of 2019
Game Ranch Manager
Private Reserve, Hoedspruit
“I manage 3,200 hectares now. Fencing, predator management, water systems, anti-poaching — I learned all of it hands-on at Sondela. You can’t learn ranch management from a textbook. You have to live it.”
Class of 2020
Sous Chef
The Roundhouse, Cape Town
“Service for 200 guests on a Saturday night? I did that every weekend at Sondela. When I got to The Roundhouse, I wasn’t the new girl who needed hand-holding — I was the one they put on the busiest section.”
Class of 2021
Head Chef
Bushveld Restaurant, Sondela Resort
“I trained here, and now I run the kitchen. That tells you everything about this place. They don’t just teach you to cook — they teach you to lead a brigade, manage food cost, and handle pressure. I was ready on day one.”
Class of 2023
Commis Chef
The Saxon Hotel, Johannesburg
“I’m the youngest chef in the kitchen at The Saxon, and I’m the calmest. Three years of live service at Sondela does that to you. My executive chef said he’d never seen a commis so prepared. That’s Sondela.”
Every graduate on this page started exactly where you are now — wondering if this was the right choice. One visit to the reserve is all it takes to know.
Graduate profiles shown are representative examples. Names and employers may have been changed. Actual graduate outcomes vary based on individual performance, market conditions, and programme completed. Contact TiOLi for verified graduate outcome data.