FEATURES 25
Tell me why you became a plumbing contractor – Juan-Pierre Strydom
Edited by
Megan O ’ Connor
This month Juan-Pierre Strydom gives his history in the plumbing industry , how he has become the success that he is today , as well as advice for younger generations looking to plumbing as a potential career .
I grew up in a family where my father ’ s side were all in the construction industry . My earliest memories are going to building sites with my father and exploring . My earliest recollection of plumbing was how he managed to bend copper pipes using his knee as leverage .
In 2003 , I became part of the country ’ s crime statistics and had eight armed robberies . After a long conversation with my family , I decided to move to Knysna and join my father in his business .
At the age of thirty , I became an apprentice and got into the trenches - learning from the ground up . For the first two years it was all about the basics of stormwater , sewer and general drain laying - working with copper pipes and other tools was still a long way off . Learning from and watching my father do plumbing , hold the tools , clean the copper tubes and prepare the areas where an installation was being done was my trade school .
I was taught hands-on , step-by-step until I was allowed to plumb a house from the ground up , until final completion .
Being part of a family business , I was taught how to measure and quantify projects . To further my skills , I enrolled in a quantity surveying course to better understand the intricacies of costing projects , and to make sure that work is carried out within budget and on time .
After six years , I enrolled into the CETA programme and obtained my qualification through the system . Upon receiving my plumbing qualification , I qualified to install solar and heat pump systems .
We have expanded our business and brought in another member of our family . He is now fully qualified and runs our third team in the business .
I am truly blessed to have my father , Japie , still running around and working at the age of 74 .
Images supplied by JP Strydom
Charl Nothnagel , Japie and JP Strydom .
October 2023 Volume 29 I Number 8 www . plumbingafrica . co . za