Mandy Whatford | A story of true grit

Mandy trained in Project Management at Cape Peninsula University of Technology (CPUT) in 2013 via the CTICC, which helped her to understand project management and target deliveries.

“I’ve always wanted to make my management and peers proud and know that they can depend on me for doing what is required over and above. Most of all, I do it for myself and because I love what I do,” she says.

For her efforts, she has won a number of awards over the years, including Employee of the Month, the Excellence Award and Employee of the Year. “If you have a can do attitude, anything is possible,” she says.

Mandy says she has gained enormous job satisfaction at the CTICC and is particularly grateful to Craig Barrington, General Manager: Facilities & Operations, for believing in her.

“When I started here as a storeperson, I could not drive. Five years later, I have a driver’s licence and can say that CEO, Julie-May Ellingson really encouraged me when I was struggling with this., and even motivated me to practice in the CTICC marshaling yard. And so, I can say the CTICC really helped me with this personal goal.”

Mandy says some of the benefits of working at the CTICC are the relationships she gets to build with other staff, and the lessons she has learnt from them. She recently achieved a long term personal goal of getting her matric.

“I started my matric four years ago. I had a tough time in my first year, as I had some personal issues. My son had become addicted to drugs, but that made me more determined. I passed three subjects in my first year, and one subject in my second year, but in my third year, I finally managed to pass math literacy, which was my hardest subject. Craig helped me so much with my maths. I don’t think I could have done it without him,” says Mandy.

Mandy is now assisting two other people in her department to get their matric. “When you show that you’re determined, people notice. It’s because I was determined that I got to where I am,” says Mandy, who has now set her sights on becoming assistant facilities manager.

Aside from getting her matric certificate in June, Mandy also completed a SAMTRAC course in health and safety this year.