14 BUSINESS AND TRAINING
Finding her strength: Philisiwe Shoba’ s plumbing journey
By
BluLever Education, edited by Megan O’ Connor
Philisiwe Shoba, from the Aquapros cohort, is building her path in the plumbing industry with courage and a growing sense of confidence.
All images supp
lied by BluLever Education
Even within her learning environment, the same attitudes persisted.“ At campus, some guys wouldn’ t let me carry heavy things, saying as a lady I shouldn’ t work so hard. Others would say,‘ You don’ t deserve to be here, you belong in an office doing girly things.’”
Rather than confronting these challenges directly, she initially held back.“ I was never a confrontational person because I’ m shy. The comments hurt me, but I would just laugh them off because that’ s just how I am.”
Over time, something shifted.“ As time went on, I learned to speak for myself and started to show them that I can do the heavy work just as much as they can. By doing so, things started getting better. My male classmates didn’ t see me as just a girl anymore, they saw me as their equal.”
Currently placed at Dreycor Plumbing, her journey reflects both the challenges and breakthroughs that come with stepping into a trade where women are still underrepresented.
Her interest in plumbing was shaped early on at home:“ My journey into the plumbing field has not been easy at all. Growing up with a father who’ s a carpenter inspired me to choose a career that requires skill. I’ ve always been the outdoor type of girl, doing things with my father.”
That hands-on upbringing naturally led her toward the trade.“ I chose plumbing because I’ ve always been fascinated and curious about how water systems work.”
However, choosing this path meant facing strong opinions and stereotypes from those around her.“ People would look down on the plumbing trade because most think it’ s all about toilets and sewage, which is not true. I received questions and comments like,‘ Why would you want to work with sewage as a woman?’ and‘ You’ re not going to fit because this is a male industry.’”
That shift continued into the workplace, where she faced similar doubts from more experienced professionals.“ At work, I encountered older males with a fixed mindset. They believe women don’ t belong on construction sites.”
One moment in particular stood out as a turning point:“ One day, while working with galvanised pipes, my colleagues didn’ t believe I could install it because it’ s‘ too heavy for the ladies.’ They all stood there watching, waiting for me to fail.”
Instead of stepping back, she used the pressure as motivation.“ Their eyes on me pushed me to prove myself. I found strength I didn’ t even know I had, and I did it. I proved them all wrong, and they just stood there in silence.”
That moment changed everything.“ I was very proud of myself because I realised that when I believe I can do something, I do it perfectly. After that, I received a different treatment, a positive one.”
As her confidence grew, so did the environment around her.“ The most rewarding aspect of working in this industry has been seeing how some men are starting to warm up to the idea of working alongside women. They now applaud women for entering this space and treat us with respect.”
These comments had a deeper impact than she initially showed.“ At first, I would laugh them off, but they were killing me inside because I wanted them to accept and respect my career choice.”
This shift has made a real difference in her daily experience.“ In my workplace, I’ m now motivated to do more. I have a healthy work environment, and I enjoy going to work every day knowing that I am seen.”
www. plumbingafrica. co. za @ plumbingonline @ plumbingonline @ PlumbingAfricaOnline July 2026 Volume 32 I Number 05