HUMAN resource manager at Coca-Cola Amatil (Fiji) Ltd, Kameli Batiweti, attributes his success to two things — God and hard work
Mr Batiweti has been in that position for the past 12 years and says these two factors plus humility have earned him a very rewarding career.
He began working when he was 17 years old, forced to leave school because his parents suddenly became unemployed. He worked as a storeman, the only job he could find at that time.
Fast forward 32 years later and he’s climbed up the career ranks, working in the human resources field for the Sheraton Hotel Group before joining Coca-Cola.
“I wanted to become a pilot, it was unfortunate in Form Six that I had to leave school because my parents were unemployed so I had to sacrifice and start work,” Mr Batiweti said. “So plans to be a pilot went down the drain. I had to start work as a storeman and I am grateful for that experience because that experience has held me up until today.”
He said he did not imagine that he would end up where he is now.
“I couldn’t see the light at the other end of the tunnel. I was wondering which way I was going to finish off. But I thank God that it is through his guidance and everything that God has done that I am where I am today.
“I don’t say it just because everyone is saying it. I say it because I have experienced it.
“It was through God and hard work,” Mr Batiwatei said. “Hard work was what I picked up from my dad and that’s something that’s carried me all the way. Hard work — going the extra yard, making sure what I said was going to happen, happened.”
Mr Batiweti says his humble beginning helped him become a better HR manager, and he also applies biblical principles when dealing with employees.
“I have worked as a labourer, so where I am today I am able to understand where the employees are coming from, because I came through the ranks.”
His advice to young people is to work hard and remain humble — two things he believes today’s generation needs more of.
“Hard work because with the Generation X, Y and Z that are coming through now, they come out of colleges today and want to be a general manager tomorrow but that transition is a journey. The first step is hard work, things don’t come easy, you must work hard to earn your stripes and therefore my advice is, whilst qualification is good, experience holds you.
“And just be a humble. A lot of people have heads that are thicker than their shoulders, they forget where they come from, in the process they fall and they still don’t learn. Humility takes you a long way.”
