by Lindsey Norris
What’s your name and age?
j'Amey Holroyd, 30
What's your title?
I’m a boilermaker by trade, but right now I’m working with an apprenticeship agency as the boilermaker apprentice administrator. We oversee apprenticeship contracts and the process of apprenticeships through their system. We help apprentices, make sure they get to school at the right time, help them if they’re struggling.
What does a boilermaker do?
We work in industrial locations. We fabricate, erect, maintain and repair industrial components (such as power plants, chemical and gas plants, refineries).
Why did you go into trades?
I went to college and realized that everything I thought it would be, it wasn’t. A couple of my friends were getting apprenticeships, and I thought it was such an excellent way to learn. I actually took horsemanship program for two years, so I have a diploma in that. This has worked very well to fund my hobby. I have my own farm and my own horses.
What do you love about your job?
Definitely there is something new and challenging to do almost every day. The tasks that we’d do, you could step back and see some accomplishment in what you’d done. I liked that there was always opportunities to learn – you aren’t always doing the same thing. It keeps things interesting. You can travel all over Alberta and Canada with this ticket.
What are the biggest obstacles you’ve faced as a woman in a predominantly male profession?
I think it would have to be staying positive, and not taking to hear opinions of people who might have been unsure of my abilities. My mom would say it’s no one’s businesses what they think of you. But I think that’s a universal thing, no matter what gender you are. Overall, I’ve had an excellent experience with the boilermakers. Had a lot of support, a lot of mentors. There is always some sense of hesitation, but once I’m there for awhile, everyone has been very helpful.
What’s the best way to encourage more women to enter the trades?
Just to let them know that it’s a viable option. There are so many trade options out there. There is probably one that is a good fit for you, because they’re so diverse. Just need some investigation and some research.
What's your name and age?
Jill Flathmann, 29
What’s your title?
I’m an apprentice heavy duty mechanic with Finning in Calgary. I go to school at SAIT for two months of every year, and the other 10 months, I’m working. After four years you’re considered a journeyman.
What exactly do you do?
Right now I’m working on construction equipment for Finning. When new equipment comes in, we’ll customize it for the customer, like installing a thumb (on an excavator’s bucket, the thumb is an attachment on top that would clamp onto of the bucket). Then they moved me into the swamp, which is just general repair on dozers, excavators. Third-year schooling is a lot of power trains, so they put me in the transmission bay.
Why did you go into the trades?
I graduated as a chemical technologist, and I was making between $9 to $12 an hour. A few of my friends were heavy duty mechanics, and they were having so much fun on their jobs. So I stumbled into it and stayed there ever since.
What do you love about your job?
I really like the challenges of it. I like the physical tasks of taking things apart and learning how they work.
What’s the biggest obstacle you’ve faced?
The guys have been really good to me; I haven’t experienced any outright chauvinism. I do hear the odd comment here and there, but nothing major. No one has been rude or made fun of me. The hardest part is someone not telling me everything that I need to know to do my job really well – in which case I’ll ask someone else. There is something I’ve been learning about; a lot of mechanics who are really good – or even not really good – they withhold information, so they’ll make you struggle a little more, and I’ve heard rumours that it’s a job security thing. If the other mechanic knows more, their job may be at risk. So I have noticed it can be tough to get questions answered, and there’s so much to learn. A lot of what they take for granted is so new to me.
What’s the best way to encourage more women to enter the trades?
It’s a personal choice. If a woman is really questioning it, I would say don’t let your doubt stop you, or fear what men will think. If they doubt they can do it, they can do it. According to Workers Comp, the maximum load you can lift is 50 pounds. So if a woman can do that, go for it.
Category: Career Track, Profiles, Work
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