Twenty-six-year-old Candra Shanice Pedro from Bonteheuwel has made headlines for being the first female shipbuilder in South Africa.
The youngest of four children, she attended Spes Bona High School and matriculated in the year 2010.
She previously worked at Armscor dockyard in Simon’s Town as a shipbuilding apprentice, from 2013 until May this year when she qualified and became a tradesman and received a Red Seal Certificate in shipbuilding.
Ms Pedro said a career in shipbuilding takes hard work and dedication.
“We start from the training centre, where we are taught basic hand tools and machinery. From there we are sent out to each workshop. The boat house workshop deals with composite hull boats; regardless of its name it’s quite big in
size.
“Boat house is our woodwork or marine joinery section, where we work with wood and fibreglass. In the submarine section and shipwright workshops, we cover the steel work, from light sheet metal work to heavy platers also known as heavy sheet metal work; we
do fabrication and manufacturing as well as refits and inserts,” she said.
The job also requires basic welding, from arc welding, gas welding, to brazing and gas cutting. Shipbuilders also get sent to the naval engineering drawing section which deals with computer engineering drawings, where they are taught to do auto cad in conjunction with ship or boat drawings.
From there they are sent to the Armscor Engineering Service – a material laboratory where they are taught about different kinds of materials and the process they go through to meet the required specs for the job.
“Being qualified as the first female shipbuilder, it feels way bigger than myself. I could not have come this far on my own, every person on my journey has been like a light on my path and I am humbled to have been given the opportunity to pursue this trade and gratefully qualify in,” said Ms Pedro.
She has so far been contracted to build the Vee craft marine – a 12 metre aluminium patrol vessel in conjunction with Nautic and Simon’s Town dockyard.
“I was blessed to be a part of the process of building this vessel. This trade is really broad and covers so many sections regarding vessels so there will always be something new to learn in this field. It has its challenges as every career does, but if you’re someone who loves a challenge, has an interest in how vessels are not only designed but also repaired and everything else in this marine industry and you’re not afraid of getting dirty in the process, then ship building might just be for you,” she said.
On her blog Ms Pedro says there’s something she’s learned during this process, that might be of encouragement for those trying to achieve their goals, it would be, “prepare your heart to fight
for what you want to achieve in life. fight to be better, fight to do better. Fight to be more than just enough, to be the true potential that
God created. Life has a way of pushing us back or pushing us down, but don’t allow it to keep you there, push forward, in everything you do.
“Be consistent, be hardworking, be kind but objective, it’s okay to be afraid but go for it, and do it anyway, be open-minded and always ready to learn and no matter what happens, never, ever, ever give up and once you have achieved all that you set out to do, remember to thank God, because, He always knew that you were destined for greatness.”