Priscilla P. Ochan is the manufacturing excellence manager at Uganda Breweries Ltd. She says her humility and hard work have made her rise through the ranks at a young age. Photo by Rachel Mabala
In Summary
At the age of 30, Priscilla P. Ochan has worked her way to the top in a company she joined as a graduate trainee.
When she had just joined Uganda Breweries Ltd (UBL) as a graduate trainee back in 2011, Ochan was just like any other graduate straight from Makerere University with a hope for a bright future. Working for a factory was the least career path she would have chosen but when a call came in from UBL giving her an opportunity to be part of their graduate trainee programme, she gave it a shot, after all, there was nothing to lose.
At the age of 25, she was first assigned in the supply chain at the company.
She, however, later made rounds in sales, logistics and information technology departments and settled in packaging as the engineer where she was in charge of making sure machines run properly.
After one and a half years, Ochan was promoted to the shift manager position where she headed a team of 10 permanent employees and 20 contractors. She was only 28 years.
Although this posed a challenge, Ochan believes in taking chances and this was a task she was up to.
She, in fact, executed her duties well that just after two years as a shift manager, she was made the packaging manager and later manufacturing excellence manager, a job she has held since March.
Ochan is overwhelmed by how much her hard work has paid off but she credits her humble start for paving way for her success.
She says she had to make a decision whether to make the opportunity a career or a job to enable her shape her path.
Challenges
Just like most employees who have the chance to race through positions at a young age, trials are bound to come in.
Ochan says when she first went to the packaging department at 28 years of age, she had to lead an all men team who were above 30 years of age.
As a shift manager, she had to lead a team of mothers and fathers yet she had no child of her own. This was a bit intimidating to her but the confidence in her helped her succeed adding that she had to balance being a boss and at being respectful.
She also recalls a time when something went completely wrong at the brewery during the night shift and everybody relied on her to intervene. Ochan says since she was the only manager present, she had to make decisions the managing director had to make and luckily, she pulled it off. She says this was a test she is proud to have passed.
Though Ochan has worked her way up the organisation ladder, which many would call the height of their career, for her it is just the beginning. She says she is still mapping out her career since her current job description is more of strategies than technical.
Advice to fresh graduates
“Go for it”, those are the first words Ochan mentions. She says a lot of things could go wrong but do not run away from them, focus on your goals.
“There is no jumping the queue because you still want to go through the grooming, it is up to you to see the opportunity in your organisation and go for it. Be clear on what you want to be and work towards achieving it. It is not about going up the ladder but the experience you get is also an advantage.”
Future prospects
At this point in Ochan’s life, considering a better position in another organisation would come in handy given her vast experience but she is quick to quench her thirst for the top UBL positions. She dreams of reaching the top of the ladder at the brewery and not letting go while in the middle of it. She has her eyes on heading the whole operations department in the next three to four years and being a supply director.
editorial@ug.nationmedia.com
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