While Women’s Month may be drawing to a close, the conversation about women in the workplace continues at African Group Lubricants (AG Lubricants). In an industry where technical and operational roles have traditionally been associated with men, women across the business are increasingly challenging assumptions, building careers and bringing different perspectives to the workplace.

That multigenerational exchange is particularly important. Experienced employees bring knowledge built over years, while younger professionals contribute new ideas and different approaches to technology and flexibility. At AG Lubricants, these are increasingly seen as complementary strengths rather than competing approaches.

Building careers through knowledge and opportunity

Zandi Sigabi, Head of HR and Transformation at AG Lubricants, says a willingness to learn and adapt is essential. “What drew me to this industry was the excitement to learn something new. The lubricants space is very competitive and it keeps us on our toes.”

She also sees value in the confidence of younger professionals. “They take every opportunity to express themselves, which guides us on the best way to lead them,” says Zandi. Their creativity and use of technology are already contributing to presentations and continuous improvement initiatives within the plant.

That exchange extends to career development. Mathapelo Dikgale, a Human Resources Officer, says: “Shared knowledge is one of the strongest tools in the workplace. When people are willing to teach, guide and support one another, it creates an environment where everyone can improve.”

Samke Nkosi, an HR Intern, sees value in working across generations. “Everyone has different strengths and ways of doing things. It has also challenged the assumption that age or experience always determines who has the best ideas.”

Nomsa Gladi, who is now a Creditors Clerk after starting at AG Lubricants as a Finance and Costing Intern, was attracted to work with different departments as well as external suppliers and customers. “I enjoyed that there are growth opportunities, which is why I managed to stay for close to three years.”

That experience has reinforced the importance of compliance, attention to detail and remaining eager to learn. “As much as we bring fresh perspective we also need to learn from people who have been exposed to the industry for years,” says Nomsa.

Opening doors across the industry

AG Lubricants’ internships, learnerships and development opportunities are helping young women gain practical experience and build confidence across different parts of the business. Katlego Mnguni, a Sales Intern, says the lubricants industry offers opportunities well beyond the roles people might traditionally associate with manufacturing.

Her work involves researching potential customers, generating leads and helping to grow the Mobil™ brand footprint across mining, engineering and industrial sectors. It has given her exposure to customer relationship management, technical product knowledge and the commercial side of the business.

“What drew me to this career is the opportunity to learn about how businesses operate and how products like lubricants contribute to keeping equipment running efficiently,” explains Katlego. Her message to young women is not to allow stereotypes or self-doubt to define what is possible.

For Thato Leberegane, a Marketing Intern, the experience has also challenged her assumptions about where a career in marketing and communications can lead. Her role spans social media, content creation, email campaigns, market research and sales materials, giving her an opportunity to apply creative and communication skills in an industrial environment. “There is a real opportunity to bring fresh, creative thinking to an industry that is not always seen as exciting from the outside,” she says.

AG Lubricants’ relationships with tertiary institutions provide interns with practical training and workplace experience, while the company has also introduced initiatives supporting employees and their families, including financial assistance with university tuition and a policy providing financial support to mothers during maternity leave.

Challenging the way things have always been done

Women are also making their mark directly on AG Lubricants’ operational performance. As Continuous Improvement Coordinator, Ammelia Shabangu works across quality, procurement, maintenance, production and the broader supply chain to identify inefficiencies, solve recurring problems and develop sustainable improvements through initiatives such as root-cause analysis, Kaizen and workplace organisation.

Ammelia sees significant potential for women to progress in traditionally male-dominated areas of manufacturing. “Women can also become the best engineers,” she says. With appropriate training and mentorship, she believes women can progress into supervisory, coordination and management roles.

Some of the clearest examples of this changing landscape are in AG Lubricants’ technical departments. Laboratory Technician Murendeni Nethavhani works at the intersection of science, quality and product performance, testing blended oils against customer specifications and working with formulations when products need to be brought back into specification.

Her route into the industry began with an internship that allowed her to apply her scientific knowledge in practice. “Knowing that my expertise is a bridge between someone’s car not working or mine machinery not breaking down shows that what I do matters,” says Murendeni.

Mechanical Engineering Apprentice Thando Kumalo joined AG Lubricants in 2024 as an intern to gain practical experience towards her National Diploma in Mechanical Engineering. Today, she assists with breakdowns, inspections and maintenance planning and serves as the department’s 5S Champion, with the longer-term goal of becoming a qualified fitter and turner artisan.

Initially the only woman in her maintenance environment, Thando challenged the assumption that “maintenance is only for men”. As more women joined the department, she saw first-hand that women could perform technical work just as effectively.

Mardigan Mnisi, an electrician in the maintenance team, reinforces that point. Her work includes electrical maintenance, fault-finding, repairs, panel building and wiring, as well as automation and instrumentation. Her experience has reinforced her belief that women can succeed in technical careers.

Mentorship turns opportunity into possibility

Across these experiences, mentorship emerges as one of the strongest enablers of career development. Thando credits the guidance of her Maintenance Department Supervisor with helping her develop both technical skills and confidence.

Murendeni believes mentorship should expose young people to information, opportunities and possibilities rather than dictate their career choices. Samke sees it as a way to build confidence, while Katlego describes the ideal mentoring relationship as one based on trust, respect, honesty and a genuine desire to learn and grow.

Nomsa takes a similarly practical view. “It is very important to have mentorship as it is essential for growth as it provides guidance, honest feedback and opportunities. Having an effective mentorship helps with building confidence and preparation of the next great leaders.”

The learning, however, does not flow in only one direction. AG Lubricants’ multigenerational approach gives experienced employees an opportunity to share industry knowledge while younger employees contribute fresh ideas, technology and different perspectives.

That cycle of learning is also extending beyond the company. Young professionals are involved in hosting and guiding Grade 7 learners from a nearby school, sharing their own journeys into careers in the lubricants industry and becoming role models for the next generation.

A message of possibility

The message from the women of AG Lubricants is ultimately one of possibility. Mardigan encourages young women not to limit themselves because of their gender, while Thando puts it memorably: “Grease and hard work do not have a gender.”

Katlego encourages young women to stay curious, resilient and committed to their professional growth. Ammelia’s message is one of courage and purpose and to pursue excellence, seek knowledge, find mentors and use your influence to lift others as you progress.

Nomsa adds a broader call to action for South African women. “They should not be afraid to enter traditionally male-dominated spaces, but instead keep learning, build strong networks, and believe in their abilities.” Most importantly, she believes success should include uplifting other women and creating opportunities for the next generation.

For AG Lubricants, creating opportunities for women is about more than filling positions. It is about building a workplace where different generations, disciplines and perspectives can contribute to a stronger organisation, and where the women entering industry today can help create opportunities for those who follow.