12 BUSINESS AND TRAINING
Becoming the change …
by
Edited by Tanya Olckers, supplied by BluLever Education
At 26, Happiness Mgabhi is in her second year of BluLever Education’ s Employer- Based Learning( EBL) programme and is placed with Picasso Plumbing, where she is not only learning a trade but also helping change the face of the industry. Her story is one of strength, perspective and quiet leadership— proof that women belong on site.
Where I come from, there are no qualified plumbers. The job is usually done by local uncles who’ ve picked it up informally. I honestly didn’ t even know you could go to school to become a plumber until I heard about BluLever. Before that, I was volunteering with an organisation that focused on saving water and encouraging people to be the change they want to see. That’ s where I first became interested in doing something hands-on that really matters.
All images supplied by BluLever Education talk too much and that we wouldn’ t cope with the pressure or the workload. It was demotivating. I felt like I had to work twice as hard just to be seen.
But then I told myself something that really shifted my mindset: If my employer trusted me enough to give me this opportunity, then he must believe I can do this. That helped me stay focused and keep pushing through the noise. And I started asking myself, If I’ m really that weak, why do they feel threatened? That’ s when I realised that there’ s something strong inside of me— and all of us as women— that they can’ t deny.
Having our employer, Terry, on our side made all the difference. He believed in us, and that support kept me going, even when things were tough.
There was one day when we had to excavate to expose a burst pipe, repair it, and then install a 200-litre geyser— all in one day. We were short-staffed, and the plumber I was working with said we should call the office and ask to delay the job. He didn’ t think we could do it.
But I asked myself,‘ If two men can do it, what’ s stopping us?’ So I told him:“ Let’ s try. If we fail, then we can call the office.”
Happiness Mgabhi
A friend of mine joined BluLever as a plumbing apprentice and encouraged me to apply. He knew I loved working with my hands and solving problems. I was nervous at first— I had so many doubts. Plumbing is a physically demanding job and I worried I wouldn’ t be strong enough or accepted in the industry because I’ m a woman. But then I reminded myself: I want to be the change I want to see. So, I didn’ t just give it a try: I gave it my best shot.
When I first arrived at Picasso Plumbing, there were no other female plumbers. We were the first female apprentices. The guys didn’ t want to work with us. They complained a lot, saying women are weak, that we
We went ahead and did everything that was scheduled. We managed to get it all done, and from that day on, things changed. I gained his trust and, even more importantly, his respect. He never complained about working with a woman again.
That experience taught me to never say“ I can’ t” before I’ ve even tried. Give it your best, always.
The most rewarding aspect of my job is the sense of satisfaction I get from solving problems and making a real difference in people ' s lives. I love being hands-on and knowing that the work I do matters. One of the most meaningful parts of my job is the reaction I get from clients— especially in maintenance work where we go into people’ s homes.
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