From an early age Bongani Ntuli dreamt of being a medical doctor who runs his own practice.

However, a strange combination of luck and lack of finances saw him ending up in the construction industry, and rising through the ranks to become a project manager.

Ntuli, 38, is now armed with a diploma in project management from Southern Business School and works for Maipi Trading, a private company which is building a school in Nqceleni, Eastern Cape.

His responsibilities include planning, ensuring there are resources for each and every planned activity on site and compiling site reports for various stakeholders, including engineers and clients.

Ntuli, of KwaMhlanga in Mpumalanga, was a straight-A student during his high school days with maths and physical science as his favourite subjects.

"After matric, I went to Medunsa in 1997 to enrol for a medicine course but due to finances I couldn't afford to register," he said.

He had hoped to get student financial aid from the old Tertiary Education Fund of South Africa (Tefsa) but somehow did not make the cut.

Ntuli ended up opting for an engineering diploma course at the then Technikon Pretoria (now Tshwane University of Technology) in 1998.

"Due to finances, I also couldn't complete my engineering qualification and was forced to drop out in my second year," he said.

Ntuli was lucky that his first job as an office clerk for a construction company owned by a relative "found him" shortly afterwards.

"That's where I learnt a lot about the management of projects but I've always had a passion for construction," he said.

"I grew up in a family of carpenters; my uncles and brother are carpenters and during school holidays I'd work at one of their sites," he said.

After realising that he also had a deep passion for construction, Ntuli pursued a qualification that would equip him with crucial skills.

He had already worked on big projects including parts of the R1.7-billion Thelle Mogoerane Hospital in Vosloorus, East Rand, as well as building several schools and clinics across Gauteng.

"I love the fact that I'm part of the development of our country, helping to turn something from paper to reality," he said proudly.

"I pride myself whenever I pass some of the buildings I was involved in such as the hospital [Thelle Mogoerane] which is visible from the N3 highway."