PGDA Success Story: A Second Chance for Rodney

Rodney entered his PGDA year believing his natural ability would carry him as it always had. Until that point, he had never needed to study with real discipline. However, this course demanded a maturity he simply didn’t yet possess, and the first failure shook him. The second one left him devastated, unsure how to rebuild.

Looking back, Rodney describes this period as the moment life “went off track.” Failing CTA twice left him unsure of who he was without the title he’d been working toward, and he suddenly found himself drifting through jobs. From kitchens to farms, to sales, simply trying to stay afloat.

He speaks about being out of money, newly married, and uncertain about how to provide for his young family. “I didn’t know what to do next,” he recalls. It was the first time he realised that life wasn’t moving forward with him, and that he no longer recognised the path he was on.

Rodney moved back to Klerksdorp in 2018, not as a career decision, but as a pull toward home. He wanted to be closer to family again, to regain a sense of belonging that he’d felt drifting away. What he didn’t realise then was that this return would quietly mark the beginning of his steady rebuild.

Back in practice, he was surrounded by professionals who saw potential he couldn’t yet see. Rodney began learning the discipline and consistency he previously lacked. His employer, Donnie Rothman, often told him, “Your life is in your hands,” a line that reshaped how he approached both work and himself.

When he failed the SAIPA professional evaluation on his first attempt, it echoed the sting of earlier academic setbacks, but this time he didn’t withdraw. Instead, he committed to SAIPA’s intensive board course, spending full Saturdays in class and holding himself to expectations he once avoided. On his second attempt, he didn’t just pass; he placed first nationally, a moment that surprised him and signalled the return of a long-lost confidence.

That result did more than mark a milestone; it sparked a hope he hadn’t felt in years. Placing first nationally showed him that his strength was still there and that his future didn’t have to echo his past. With his confidence rebuilding and his footing finally steady, Rodney made the decision that would change everything: he would try again, this time with clarity and purpose.

By the time Rodney was ready to try again, he knew he needed more than an online programme. He needed real support, structure, and collaboration. When he compared institutions, Milpark Education stood out immediately for its strong ITC performance and the way students spoke about feeling genuinely guided through the process.

What drew him in wasn’t just the name; it was the connection. Rodney recalls watching one of Milpark’s marketing videos and “I knew immediately this was the place,” he recalls. Their calm, clear approach made him feel understood instead of overwhelmed.

And once he entered the Bridging Short Programme in Advanced Accounting (BCTA), that feeling only grew. Lecturers walked the journey with him, working through calculations step by step, explaining what mattered and why. “I haven’t learned the way I’ve learned at Milpark ever,” he fondly recalls.

For the first time in years, Rodney didn’t feel like someone trying to undo past failures. In Milpark’s community, he felt supported, capable, and welcome. It was here that the dream he once believed was lost finally felt within reach again.

Explore the Bridging Short Programme in Advanced Accounting (BCTA)

Rodney knew that returning to PGDA would require something very different from who he was at 22. Back then, studying had been casual and instinctive; just enough to get by. But now, with years of life behind him and a second chance ahead, he realised he needed a mindset built on structure rather than talent, and on daily consistency rather than hope.

What changed everything was a simple yet powerful line he heard early in his BCTA journey. One of his lecturers, Jonathan Dillon, told him: “Time and discipline. With time and discipline, you can accomplish anything.” Those words became an anchor for how Rodney approached every week of study. He built routines, cut out distractions, and reshaped his days around intentional focus.

He learned to prepare like a chef, laying out his “ingredients” before each study week so nothing would catch him off guard. And he learned to be calm, as he puts it, “You can’t panic. Calm people get through the exam.” The more he leaned into this mindset, the more PGDA stopped feeling like a mountain and started becoming a series of manageable, disciplined steps.

That shift didn’t just change how he studied; it changed how he saw himself. With every act of discipline, the future he once believed was lost became clearer and more reachable. He wasn’t just returning to PGDA; he was returning to himself.

Learn more about the Postgraduate Diploma in Accounting (PGDA)

Finishing the PGDA didn’t just close a chapter for Rodney; it reshaped the way he saw himself. The discipline he built and the resilience he proved throughout the year began to show in his results, eventually placing him among the top-10 students in his class. That growth prepared him for an opportunity he once never imagined, being selected as a 2026 Academic Trainee in Management Accounting & Finance at Milpark.

What excites Rodney most is that this position isn’t just academic. It’s relational. It allows him to be the person he needed years ago. As an Academic Trainee, he’ll help facilitate learning, work alongside lecturers, and support students as they navigate the very modules that once challenged him. He sees this as the perfect stepping stone toward his broader ambitions: completing his articles and qualifying as a CA(SA).

For Rodney, this isn’t just a job. It’s a calling. It allows him to become the person he once needed; someone who can guide and steady students when the journey feels overwhelming.

Milpark offered Rodney more than a qualification; it offered a second chance at a dream he started 15 years ago. Through discipline and continued hard work, Rodney not only passed in PGDA with flying colours but is now ready for the next step in his journey to the ultimate goal of being a Chartered Accountant. Apply today to start the next chapter in your career.