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#WomensMonth: The women who build our cars
29 Aug 2018
The automotive industry has always been known to be a male-dominated industry, yet we often forget to think or talk about the millions of women who work tirelessly around the clock for us to enjoy a nice ride behind the wheel of our car.
Among those unsung heroes, who we often don't pay attention to, or even honour, is Makgotso Pelo who works at the Nissan South Africa plant in Rosslyn, Pretoria.
Makgotso Pelo, supervisor: production control at Nissan South Africa
Pelo is one of the many women who work at Nissan, more particularly in the Nissan South Africa manufacturing plant.
Pelo started her career in early 2012 at Standard Bank as a field consultant. She then joined the Nissan family as a student in a learnership programme in 2012. After a one-year learnership agreement, Makgotso was appointed to line feeder at the Nissan manufacturing plant in 2013.
In 2015, she then went through team leader training at the plant, becoming a team leader for production control. In 2017, she was privileged to be one of the candidates to be selected to go to the Nissan UK plant for the six weeks supervisory development training.
This Women's Month, we chat to Pelo and learn more about the strides that she is making in the automotive industry.
Could you describe a typical day in your job?
My day typically consists of preparing counter measures for any issues in line stoppage and identifying any defects. As much as I try to anticipate or prevent potential issues, I don’t always get it right, which can be quite frustrating. Some days are more challenging than others, but I love what I do.
What did you want to be when you grew up?
My dream growing up was to be a mechanical engineer. This wasn’t seen as a typical career for a girl when I was growing up, but I never pictured myself wearing high heels at work. I am the sort of person who has always enjoyed getting my hands dirty.How did you get into the automotive space?
I joined the automotive industry completely by chance. I saw a post about learnership opportunities at Nissan South Africa and took a chance by posting my CV on the database for job seekers. I really did not know much about the Nissan brand at all. I was so excited to receive a call from HR to invite me for an interview. The interview went very well and thereafter, I was offered a contract as a learnership student. I had no idea what I was in for but I was prepared for the challenge.
As women, we are capable, we are doing it! The biggest enemy to our own success is fear.What was the best advice anyone ever gave you?The best advice I got was that anything is possible as long as you put your mind to it.
What advice do you have for the future generation of women wanting to get into the automotive space? Who or what is your biggest motivation?
My 14-year-old daughter, having to wake up each morning and choose to be strong for my child, that is my biggest motivation. Additionally, I don’t believe in the “impossible”, everything you set your mind to, you can achieve.
Are South African women getting enough of a chance to shine in the automotive industry?
There are not enough opportunities for women in the automotive industry to shine. Yes, this industry is currently undergoing transformation and employing a lot of women, but how many of them do we know about? At Nissan, we are flying the torch high and make it a point to continuously communicate about and celebrate the women who make this organisation successful.
What’s the least and most exciting aspect of your workday?
What I find exciting about my job is that it constantly keeps me going. Anything can happen at any given time and you need to continuously ensure that you are adaptable and able to deal with what comes your way. I appreciate the fact that every day presents a new opportunity to learn.
Women are considered to be natural problem solvers. Why do you think this is perfect in the automotive industry?
Sometimes our work is very challenging so we end up using our feminine touch to solve the problems. We are able to listen, we are constantly learning and empowering ourselves and we are willing to mentor those in need. My biggest wish is to one day have a shop floor which is led by women from manager to team leader.Could you list a few, if any, specific challenges females face in this industry?
Sometimes it is difficult having to lead a team of men, as there are cases of insubordination. However, I must acknowledge the men at Nissan because I do not have any of these problems. There is perfect harmony and everyone is respected for their role in the value chain.
What is your advice in overcoming these challenges?
Stand your ground. Always have the organisation’s best interests in mind and you will not go wrong with any decisions you make.
What trends do you predict in the automotive industry in the coming years?
In the coming years, I see more women joining the automotive industry. Not only on the corporate side, but getting their hands dirty in manufacturing. We are headed towards Industry 4.0 and are excited to see how mechanisation will affect the manufacturing value chain. At Nissan, we are already upskilling a pool of talent in preparation for this.
