C A R E E R I DE AS
SHAPING RAW TALENT WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS PROFESSION? A man that I looked up to growing up was a boilermaker; that is where my love for the profession started. I was fascinated by turning raw steel materials into finished steel products.
day, received from the drawing office. I then collect raw materials as per the job specification, which may require cutting, shaping, assembling, and welding the steel pieces. I then submit them to the QC department for quality assessment before handing them over for processing.
WHAT IS A BOILERMAKING? Boilermakers are specialised artisans who mark off and fabricate structural steel and other metal stock to make or repair metal products and structures including boilers and pressure vesselss.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT YOUR WORK? I really like that there are job opportunities across various industries and sectors.
WHAT TRAINING DID YOU DO? I was 30 years old when I was selected to participate in a 4-year apprenticeship at John Thompson, a division of ACTOM (Pty) Ltd. I saw the advert for the apprenticeship in the local newspaper. DESCRIBE A TYPICAL DAY Arriving at work, a departmental briefing outlines the tasks for the
WHAT DON’T YOU LIKE? The lack of flexibility and exploring new ways of doing things across the industry. WHAT HURDLES HAVE YOU HAD TO OVERCOME? It takes an apprenticeship to enter the industry, because of the required practical element, and there are very few of them offered by companies. I had to drop out of college due to financial constraints and battled to find
employment in the steel fabrication industry.
WHAT’S BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT? Receiving the Best 1st Year Apprentice certificate, Best 2nd Year Apprentice certificate, and Best Overall Performing Apprentice certificate. WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE GOALS? Attending further training to upskill myself, so I can join the engineering drawing office. IN YOUR LINE OF WORK, IS EXPERIENCE AS IMPORTANT AS FORMAL TRAINING? Most certainly, the relevant work experience assisted me in obtaining the apprenticeship. IS THERE A TYPE OF PERSONALITY BEST SUITED TO THIS WORK, OR CERTAIN TRAITS ONE SHOULD HAVE (OR NOT HAVE)? One needs to be decisive, hardworking and physically fit.
WISEMAN BOLITYE BOILERMAKER
JOHN THOMPSON, A DIVISION OF ACTOM PTY LTD WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE STARTING OUT IN YOUR CAREER? Start acquiring work hours in the relevant field of work. It all adds up. DESCRIBE YOUR JOB IN THREE WORDS Challenging. Fascinating. Fulfilling.
SECURING YOUR CYBERSPACE WHY DID YOU CHOOSE THIS PROFESSION? My interest in cybersecurity was sparked by my passion for nature and “securing” our natural landscape. The shifting times as a result of the pandemic has also led to more individuals conducting online transactions, and so, the risk of cyberattacks and therefore the need for cybersecurity professionals increased. WHAT TRAINING DID YOU UNDERGO AND WHERE? I completed my Bachelor’s Degree in Computer Science at the University of the Western Cape. DESCRIBE A TYPICAL DAY I start my day by checking our Threat Analytics tool to understand how the current threat landscape impacts our organisation. If impacted, I review the necessary security configuration to be implemented and gain an understanding of how these changes will impact
our staff. Based on this impact outcome, we roll out the necessary security controls to mitigate a particular threat.
WHAT DO YOU ENJOY MOST ABOUT IT? I’m always faced with unique challenges, along with being actively involved in maintaining and improving the company’s security and compliance posture. WHAT DON’T YOU LIKE? Individuals who think that what I do makes life difficult for them, when in fact I’m watching their back and making sure that their accounts or devices don’t become an attack vector. ANY HURDLES? Growing up in the Cape Flats comes with its fair share of hurdles. Navigating your way through all of it can be daunting, but I count myself lucky to have had family always in my corner, supporting me to reach for what they were unable to attain. One of my
greatest achievements is being the first in my immediate family to obtain a tertiary education.
WHAT’S BEEN THE HIGHLIGHT? Because the impact of my work is very behind-the-scenes, it always feels good when individuals who catch wind of what I’m doing come over and thank me for the hard work. WHAT ARE YOUR FUTURE GOALS? Career wise, to transition into a Cybersecurity Engineer and then into a Penetration Tester. EXPERIENCE VS TRAINING? Both are very important – as we know, experience comes with practice and your skills will improve over time. However, because the cyber threat landscape is constantly evolving, formal training is as important. Whether it is self-orientated or course-orientated, learning is an ongoing part of being in the cybersecurity space.
NASH LEWIS CYBERSECURITY ANALYST
WONGA ONLINE PTY LTD IS THERE A TYPE OF PERSONALITY BEST SUITED? Attention to detail is a must, and ignorance will not count in your favour. WHAT ADVICE WOULD YOU GIVE TO SOMEONE STARTING OUT? Engage with the industry by following cybersecurity professionals and read reputable blogs daily to keep up to date with the latest cybersecurity threats, trends and advancements. P O S T M AT R I C 2 0 2 2 | 2 9
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