By Tanya Olckers
The guys from Biggs Plumbers tell us why they joined the profession in this two part Tell Me Why special edition.
David Inch became a plumber as a teen, following in his father’s footsteps. The weirdest thing he has had to do as a plumber is pull rats out of drains. He offers this advice: “Be kind, gentle, honest and hardworking. Be yourself and make the most of every day.”
Grant Stanford loves his job. He became a plumber because he liked working with his hands and describes the industry as hard work, but fun at the same time. He says, “If other plumbers are stuck, I can always give a helping hand.” Grant once found a 2ℓ Coke bottle in a drainage pipe right by an IE elbow.
Ian Peters was interested in the trade, which led him to become a plumber. He also enjoys helping other plumbers but finds difficult clients a challenge. He admits that he has seen too many weird things as a plumber to name. “Be committed,” he says, “Be prepared to work hard.”
Ismail Maart believes that being able to help others by fixing their water systems and making things easier for them is part of being a highly skilled plumber. “Plumbers are highly skilled professionals that do a job others can’t because of their specialised knowledge,” he says. “Plumbing professionals are faced with a lot of environmental regulatory and technical challenges every day.” The funniest thing he says he sees are systems and components incorrectly installed by other plumbers.
Gideon Slabber was driven to become a plumber because of a desire to help people in need and not be office bound. His advice to those wanting to become plumbers is, “Have hair on your teeth and be willing to work hard.” He finds it challenging when people look down on the plumbing profession. He also finds it frustrating when clients instruct him how to do his work instead of letting him get on with it.
Mark Wilken loves being a plumber and enjoys every moment of it. The most fun part of his job is jetting. He also believes that being a tradesman would be an advantage in the future. His advice to those interested in plumbing as a career: “Go for it. You won’t be disappointed.”
Johan Nel became a plumber to help people. He says, “Never give up your dreams. Always work hard.” As a plumber, he feels he helps to make the lives of others easier. What he finds weird in the industry is rude people.
After seeing how plumbers make a difference in the lives of others, James Kruger decided to become one himself. His advice to others is “Be willing to learn from those who are qualified, and work hard.” The funniest thing he has seen in his career so far is watching someone get splashed with sewerage.
- All images supplied by Biggs Plumbers