WOMEN IN PLUMBING 39
SA Women Plumbing Apprentices share their thoughts
Edited by David Smith .
Due to the success of our previous Plumbing Apprentices series last year , this year we will be running a new series which continues to share the amazing experiences of women who have entered the plumbing industry . This month we feature Betty Ntsanana Matlala from House of Plumbing .
1 . What is the best part of being an apprentice plumber ? The best part has to be the fact that I get to interact with various skilled and qualified plumbers . Also , that I get to apply my own knowledge and explore the fascinating work that is in this field of plumbing .
2 . What is the worst part of being an apprentice plumber ? It would be that of having to dig trenches , manually that is , as a startup ( not always ) but most especially when doing drainage systems and / or doing maintenance work that consists of plumbing fixtures such as pipes which transport water and other types of fluids .
3 . How are you managing the worst part ? I always manifest and strive for positive energy and prefer being surrounded by such , therefore in such situations I remind myself that patience is a virtue and that the ' hardest parts ' only pave a way for self-development and that the journey will not always be fruitful but in the end , I will bear the fruits .
4 . What do you believe plumbing is all about ? When it comes to plumbing I think of water , an essential commodity in life , I think sanitation and environmental safety and the conditions that come along with it . I believe plumbing is all about making every living person ’ s life simpler by using the different types of fixtures , pipes and many more plumbing systems that have been introduced in the industry and our everyday lives . I also believe that plumbing is not limited as many people tend to think but there ' s a wide range to it . For example , as a qualified plumber ( or skilled ) you can either work in the field , or on the technical side of it by being an auditor , administrator or even a salesperson , you can be a tenderpreneur , work with heat pumps and solar and many more – it just depends on what excites you in this plumbing sector .
5 . What will you contribute to plumbing when you qualify ? Firstly , I will be adding onto the list of female plumbers in the industry . Women are incubators and they are very good at paying attention into detail , therefore increasing the percentage of women in plumbing is the greatest contribution in this field of work and it ' ll help / encourage other passionate females to persevere and stay motivated to work in the plumbing industry as the perception of it being ' male dominated ' will change . Also , there ' s a lot to contribute , as plumbers we believe that everyone deserves clean and efficient water and without this trade it ' s hard to imagine where we would be as a people . As a newly qualified plumber , I ' d contribute to underdeveloped rural areas as that is where
Supplied by House of Plumbing
Betty Ntsanana Matlala , apprentice plumber .
I grew up and got to experience people living in conditions that are ' inhumane ' due to not being exposed to proper plumbing services and construction . In certain rural areas you ' d find families suffering the loss of innocent children falling into pit toilets , poorly serviced drainage and sewage systems and even lack of hygiene . Therefore , I believe I will be of great contribution once I ' m qualified and more exposed to / in the industry of plumbing .
6 . Who is your employer ? House of Plumbing , a division of Norcros SA .
7 . Are you a team player ? I believe I am . I am an apprentice plumber enrolled in a program that has undertaken 20 females , so one can imagine the level of composure , maturity and understanding that is needed within that group alone . Furthermore , I get to work in groups / teams at school and when I ' m doing my practicals I work remarkably well and efficiently with my team members , we do get the job done and our work does speak for itself . PA
“[ A ] s plumbers we believe that everyone deserves clean and efficient water and without this trade it ' s hard to imagine where we would be as a people .”
March 2023 Volume 29 I Number 1 www . plumbingafrica . co . za