A career as an artisan allows you to create, invent, manufacture and repair things. These artisans share some inspiration through their #CareerPride stories.
If you’re an aspiring entrepreneur, you’ve probably drawn your inspiration from business owners, a number of successful CEOs or industry leaders.
However, there is another source to learn invaluable information from: artisans. Yes, that’s right! The nature of the job of artisans allows these professionals to express themselves through invention, creation, manufacturing, repairing and a host of other activities. The following artisans know a thing or two about this, and share their #CareerPride stories:
1. Meet Gaironessa Petersen, Seamstress
Gaironessa is a self-taught seamstress. She started working with machines and stitching garments when she was only 15 years old. Gaironessa used to spend hours behind her machine perfecting her sewing skills. “I enjoy fixing people’s clothes and making our customers feel good,” Gaironessa says.
Learn: Everything you need to know about becoming a Clothes Pattern-maker.
2. Meet Bonga Ngxingwa, Demi Chef
As a demi chef, Bonga is responsible for ensuring that the line cooks or station chefs in a kitchen are organised during food production. He needs to call out orders to station cooks and ensure that each menu item his station is responsible for is prepared on time. Bonga loves that his job has broadened his recipe knowledge. “I’ve learnt to make so many dishes that I previously did not know.”
Search: All the latest jobs in the hospitality industry
3. Meet Cindy Geduldt, Hairstylist and Trainer
Cindy wanted to work in the creative industry from a young age. To kick off her career as a hairstylist, Cindy trained and worked full time, while also studying part-time. With enough experience, she started teaching trainee hairstylists. “I love that no two days are the same in the beauty industry. There are constant change and new developments happening all the time,” Cindy says.
Learn: Everything you need to know about becoming a Hairdresser.
4. Meet Fulton Clinton Jamieson, Craftsman
Fulton’s career as an artisan started the day a farmer who was working as a woodworker, asked Fulton to help him with bending the metal for wooden chopping boards. Soon after that, Fulton was working full time, and learnt the art of woodwork and metal. “I love working with metal especially when bending it and attaching the metal to the wood.”
5. Meet Dylan Jones, Junior Blockman
Dylan went through a couple of career changes before he realised he wanted to be in the food industry. Ever since making up his mind, Dylan has never looked back. “Learning about meat and the meat industry is fascinating. Getting ethically raised animals from the farm all the way to our hands takes a lot of hard work, and learning the skills of a blockman has taught me to respect that,” he says.
Read: 7 good reasons you should consider a career in hospitality
6. Meet Ayanda Qonya, a Stitcher
I started stitching using my hands about three years ago, Ayanda says. Over the years, he started learning how to use a sewing machine; a skill that saved Ayanda a lot of time. “I’ve always loved stitching, and love that the work I do with my hands makes people smile.”
Looking for a career in the trades? Find out everything you need to know here.
Are you proud of your career? If the answer is yes, why don't you share your career story with the rest of South Africa? Pop us an email at editor@careers24.com and we’ll be in touch.
