Developing women in leadership roles Claire Mandy Koegelenberg started out as a production planner for traction transformers where she assisted in achieving a notable safety record in a project building and delivering 150 units with zero recorded incidents . It was Koegelenberg ’ s duty to ensure that the transformers were built in time and that the correct stock was available to complete the project .
She explains , “ In transformer manufacturing one deals with heavy , hot , and sharp raw materials and components . We use powerful rotating machines and heavy objects are constantly being moved through the production line by means of overhead cranes and equipment movers . An accident could occur at any moment if the team is not focused and disciplined enough to follow safe working instruction and regulations .
The energy sector remains one of least gender diverse sectors globally .
“ As a production scheduler , my role did not put me directly into the same risk category as the machine operators , assemblers or testing teams . However , as I engaged daily with production teams on the shop floor , I was trained and equipped to identify , understand , and manage the risks inherent in a production environment . I was empowered to ensure the safety of all personnel in our workspace .”
University of Johannesburg , she started working at Hitachi Energy in 2020 as a trainee engineer and was appointed permanently in October 2021 .
Monnamme paid special tribute to her manager Confidence Mabulwana for his exemplary leadership saying , “ Mr Mabulwana is not just a manager , he is an inspirational mentor too . He is incredibly supportive of the team and encourages us to become the best version of ourselves .”
Currently at the entry level of her career , Monnamme is focused on learning more about her job and exploring the technical side of it . She notes however , “ Long term I would like to branch into project management . To get there I believe it will take perseverance , hard work and further study .’’
She adds , “ Hitachi has significantly changed the narrative by empowering females and developing women in leadership roles .”
The company is continuously developing employees to further advance their professional skills and knowledge , creating experts and leaders , resulting in high-quality products , systems , and services to customers and economic , environmental , and social value for a sustainable energy future . An inclusive culture powered by individual differences , collaboration , and diversity of thought is core to this drive . •
Koegelenberg commenced her electromechanical studies in 2010 and then moved to Supply Chain Management , as a buyer / expeditor where she now has over ten years of field experience . “ Having been here for a decade , I can honestly say we are becoming more inclusive . I can actively see more women being hired within various business areas – including the engineering side .”
Koegelenberg is a member of the Employment Equity and Skills Development Committee at Hitachi Energy and adds that clear goals have been set in this regard .
Hitachi Energy
Tracy Golovey , country HR manager : Southern Africa at Hitachi Energy .
Hitachi Energy
Clair Mandy Koegelenberg , buyer / expeditor in supply chain management for the Transformer business at Hitachi .
Mentorship is key Tshegofatso Monnamme is a tender and quotation specialist for high voltage ( HV ) products . She works closely with the factories that manufacture HV equipment in compiling tenders and ensuring all customer requirements are met .
With a national diploma in Electrical Engineering ( Heavy Current ) from the Vaal University of Technology and a BTech from the
www . africanmining . co . za
African Mining Publication
Despite making up 39 % of the global labour force – women only account for 22 % of the traditional energy sector .
References :
1 . https :// www . iea . org / topics / energy-and-genderEnergy and gender 2 . Despite making up 39 % of global labour force – women only account for
22 % of the traditional energy sector .
3 . In line with previous studies , we find significantly fewer women working in the energy sector compared to men . In relative terms the gap is more than twice as large as it is the case of the non-energy sector . In addition , we see that wages for female employees are almost 20 % lower than for male employees , with the gap being somewhat greater than in nonenergy firms . ( https :// www . iea . org / topics / energy-and-gender )
African Mining
African Mining • January 2023 • 55