Young welder follows in father’s footsteps

Escorting his father to welding projects when he was young resulted in 25-year-old Marley Pedro making a living from the knowledge and skills he gained over the years.Pedro, who hails from Rundu’s Kehemu location, said he had other dreams while in school, but everything changed when he was 19.“I never wanted to become a welder when I was a child. I always thought of other kinds of jobs, but when I was 19, my father thought it was best if I was his assistant when he went to go do his work,” he said.“When he realised that I had the understanding and practical skills, he let me do the job all by myself, and that’s when I realised that I could pursue this career.“I never enrolled at a training centre to acquire the skills I now have. All that I know was self-taught through my father.”PricelessNarrating his journey, Pedro said his father didn’t pay him well when they did jobs together, and after a while, he confronted the older man about it.His father’s response humbled him, he said.“I asked him about the issue of him not paying me well and he told me that the experience and skills I am getting from him are priceless. From that day on, I never complained again – I did what he said and accepted whatever I got from the work we did together.”While he still works alongside his father, Pedro said he now also secures his own jobs to make a living.With the money he makes from his work, he is able to take care of himself and his children, and assist his family, he said.“I am able to take care of myself and my family simply because I chose not to sit at home and rely solely on my parents for everything; I chose to do something with my life.”Pedro said he loves that he is able to assist the community with his skills, adding that he is filled with pride when he sees his work such as gates and roofs he constructed.Formal qualificationOn his aspirations, the young craftsman said in the next five years, he would love to have his own workshop.He added that he would like to enrol at a vocational training centre to further improve his skills.“I want to go to a vocational training school and acquire a formal qualification in welding. I am struggling to register at the local ones because I don’t make that much, so I don’t have enough to pay tuition fees. The money I make is mostly to assist my family at home,” he said.To this end, Pedro has appealed to Good Samaritans who are able to help him make his dream a reality.SuccessPedro further encouraged unemployed young people to make use of any opportunity they can get to make a living.“It does not mean that if you don’t have a degree or qualification that you cannot contribute towards the development of the community and uplifting yourself. “Just go out there and try anything which is legal to make a living. “Surviving on money you sweat for is success to me,” he said.kenya@namibiansun.com

Young welder follows in father’s footsteps

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Republikein 2025-11-04

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Young welder follows in father’s footsteps

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Republikein 2025-11-04

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