It was Stanley's interest in the elevator industry that led him to pursue a job as an elevator installer. In this article, Stanley tells us about his career journey.
Stanley is an elevator installer/fitter for an installation company in Cape Town that sub-contracts its expertise to the elevator industry. We spoke to Stanley so we could learn more about his career as an artisan.
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It was Stanley’s curiosity and interest in fitting and turning that led him to pursue a job in the elevator industry. “I used to see people working on lifts and I was curious to know how they assembled the lifts,” Stanley explains. “One day I met a guy who was working on a lift and I asked him if there were any jobs available where he worked.”
Soon thereafter, Stanley was called in for an interview. After his interview, Stanley was offered a job. Since his appointment, Stanley has been working for Icon Elevators for a period of nearly two years, where he’s worked his way up from being an assistant to becoming a fitter.
Lift fitters, also known as elevator repair technicians, are generally responsible for installing, and refurbishing/replacing, lift equipment in new and existing buildings. Individuals perform this work while working at heights, around exposed electrical contacts and moving sheaves and cables.
“I love assembling the different parts of the lift,” says Stanley. “Every component of a lift - from the car, ropes, platform, roof and ceiling - comes in pieces and I am responsible for fitting everything together.”
We asked Stanley what advice he has for other people who aspire to follow his career path, and this is what he had to say: “You need to know the electrical and mechanical basics,” Stanley advises, adding that, “you can gain these skills through on-the-job training.”
On-the-job training is usually where lift fitters receive the most training.
Find out everything you need to know to become a fitter.
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