If you’ve ever wondered what happens when compassion meets career ambition, look no further than Professor Mogammad Shaheed Soeker. This week, he’s stepping up to the podium at the University of the Western Cape (UWC) to deliver his inaugural lecture.

It is a moment that’s both a celebration of academic achievement and a heartfelt nod to the communities he spent his life serving and continues to serve. Now a Professor and Deputy Dean of Clinical and Community Engagement in the Faculty of Community and Health Sciences, his journey is anything but conventional. From community rehab centres to corporates, and finally back to the University corridors he once walked as a wide-eyed student with reverent respect for those who earned the title “Prof”, never even imagining that this would one day become his role. 

Prof Shaheed Soeker. Image: Shelley Christians/UWC

In fact, the Cape Flats resident who grew up in Athlone didn’t even dream of being an occupational therapist. Pharmacy was his first choice, but when seats were limited, fate and a helpful sister nudged him towards occupational therapy.

His first job was a month-long stint at the Nyanga Rehabilitation Project, where he managed home-based care and health promotion campaigns. “It was grassroots work,” he said, “and I loved it.”

From there, he moved to Tygerberg Hospital, spending five years helping patients assess their ability to return to work after injury. But then came a plot twist - he swapped community engagement for a suit and tie and joined the insurance world, working at Old Mutual and Momentum. There, he assessed disability claims and collaborated with everyone from actuaries to attorneys. “It was a crash course in multidisciplinary teamwork.”

Even while navigating spreadsheets and policy documents, academia kept tugging at his sleeve. “My colleagues used to call me ‘professor’ as a joke,” he recalled.

“At that stage, I was already publishing academic articles. Turns out, they were onto something.”

Soon, he was back at UWC, negotiating a role that allowed him to finish his PhD while launching his academic career.

His research is all about work integration for people with disabilities. It is a topic close to his heart. Whether it’s helping high school students find their career path or supporting individuals with traumatic brain injuries, Prof Soeker’s work is about giving people the tools to thrive.

Growing up in a working-class family, he attended Alexander Sinton High School, where he first encountered an education that taught about the realities of inequality. Those experiences shaped his commitment to social justice and his decision to stay at UWC, a university known for its inclusive ethos and transformative mission.

His initiatives teach entrepreneurial skills and job-hunting strategies to help community members bridge the gap between education and employment. He is creating tailored programmes to improve work readiness and connect individuals with health providers and job agencies. And always being mindful of the student interest, he is pushing for orientation programmes, mentorship schemes and cultural awareness training to make campus life more welcoming for everyone.

Away from the office, Prof Soeker is a husband and father of three. He married a fellow academic at UWC, and credits his parents for encouraging education without pressuring him to jump straight into work after matric. “They gave me space to grow, and that made all the difference.”

He’s also a big believer in giving back. Having once sent out many bursary applications, he now uses his author’s fund to support students in need. “It’s my way of saying thank you and keeping the cycle of support going.”

And while the name tag on his door now reads “Professor”, it’s the work he does beyond that door - in communities, classrooms and conversations - that truly defines him.