Meet Stanley Mantady-Pandzou, Elevator Installer

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.

 elevator installer

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.”

lift operator

On-the-job training is usually where lift fitters receive the most training.

Find out everything you need to know to become a fitter.

If you’d like to be featured in this Instagram series, send a mail to editor@careers24.com, telling us about yourself and your awesome job, and we’ll be in touch!

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