TECHNICAL 41
Gideon : Yes , I can fully agree with that because as a training officer at the TVET college I spent 80 % of my days in the office and coordinating training providers . At the end of the day I missed being in the field though because very day is different . I missed that constant change in scenery and the monotony of going to the same little box every day didn ’ t work for me .
David : So how has that been for you as someone who had worked for so long in administration and training to go back and rediscover those skills ? Do you feel rusty or is it like riding a bike ?
Gideon : I would have to say a bit of both . The newer things which have come about in the last eight years meant that I had to re-educate myself and learn about all the new technologies and materials but ultimately a lot has remained the same so in many ways like picking up a bicycle and remembering how to ride . There was definitely some rust though , as well as some fitness to catch up on ! I am quite a portly individual and after sitting in an office all day and then suddenly being back on top of roofs again and squeezing into small spaces it becomes a bit of an issue .
David : Do you have any particular memories from your experiences in the industry which you would like to share ? however , it was a good social experience because we all got to give something back to the community . For me personally it was also great to actually be able to work with my students that I had spent two or three years training and we finally had the opportunity to work together — that for me was a really special moment .
David : Being able to pass on one ’ s knowledge to others and then see them grow is a really wonderful feeling . And speaking of which , do you perhaps have any advice for the apprentice plumbers out there ?
Gideon : Definitely . The Americans have a term called a ‘ journeyman ’, used to refer to someone who has just finished their apprenticeship . I love the word , to me it symbolises that although you are qualified to practice plumbing , you are still on a journey of learning . Take it from me , the old saying that you are never too old to learn rings very true in this instance and that is something I would offer as advice . Although you might be an apprentice now , you don ’ t know it all yet and you will come across situations where there will be components you ’ ve never even heard of . The other advice I would give is to upskill yourself in terms of learning the entrepreneurial and business management side of the trade . PA
Gideon : Yes , one in particular stands out from when I was still a lecturer at the plumbing college . The Department of Education and the Flemish Association for Development , Cooperation and Technical Assistance commissioned a revamp of a school called Refihlile Primary School in Thaba Nchu and I took my students to the school and we actually had the opportunity to put everything I had been teaching them in class into practice in a real scenario . In addition to the practical experience , the students also each received a toolbox as a starter kit to assist with their future careers . More than that
“ I love the word ‘ journeyman ’, to me it symbolises that although you are qualified to practice plumbing , you are still on a journey of learning .”
March 2023 Volume 29 I Number 1 www . plumbingafrica . co . za