A satisfying career at Sanlam

After joining Sanlam in January 1993 as a temporary employee, Ravell Lucas was appointed on a permanent basis in March 1994.

That year, Sanlam created a document scanner system, a role Lucas worked in for five years.

In 1998, he was promoted to a policy issuer position for the new business department, where he worked for 12 years.

In 2010, he was appointed as a technical consultant, a role he continues to fulfil to date.

"I am self-taught and have gained a lot of experience over the years. I have been employed at Sanlam Namibia for 28 years now."

Job satisfaction

Lucas is committed to the Sanlam brand, and he says the company makes him feel financially secure.

"This is a place where my colleagues and I have grown together. I regard them as family," he said.

Lucas describes his daily routine in the workplace as very challenging, but says: "I would not trade it for anything. Every single day there is something new and exciting happening."

The job

Seeing and resolving technical issues such as "troubleshooting", and seeing clients satisfied when their personal computers are running smoothly keeps him going.

Lucas' job as a technical consultant includes tasks and duties such as assisting and solving technical problems, which he describes as an exhilarating part of my job.

This includes software problems.

When an adviser is appointed, Lucas sets up their computer hardware and software, verifying and testing to ensure the computer functions properly while working closely with advisers, brokers and broker consultants.

Upskilling

"I also assist with one-on-one training sessions on our needs analysis programme – Sanfin Namibia," he said.

Lucas has become a hardware and software specialist after successfully completing several computing courses.

Having been part of the technical team when Sanfin Namibia was rolled out and Spotlight was phased out, he had many duties. "I was responsible for collecting all the databases of advisers and brokers of Sanlam Namibia for conversion purposes to Sanfin Namibia.”

Background

Lucas was born in Windhoek and raised in Rehoboth by his parents.

He attended Origo Primary School in Rehoboth and matriculated at Cosmos Technical School in Windhoek. He would like to further his studies by completing a PC engineering diploma.

He added that once, during his school holidays, he assisted his uncle on the construction site of the current Sanlam building, not realising at the time that it would become the foundation of his professional life.