Skills Work!® for Women – Anne Giardini, Red Seal General Machinist

In the mid-1990s, many companies were downsizing and employees in a variety of jobs and sectors were panicking over job security.  This economic climate entered into Anne Giardini’s life in 1995, when she was an administrative assistant at Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL).  Instead of waiting to be downsized, Anne entered a tool & die apprenticeship within the organization.  And with a what-have-I-got-to-lose attitude, Anne’s career path took a sharp 90-degree turn.  The rest, as they say, is history.

Once she was certified as a General Machinist, Anne was promoted to Project Leader after only five years on the shop floor.  In addition to her machining duties, that makes Anne also responsible for project assessment, ordering materials and meeting inspection requirements.  One of her current projects at AECL involves manufacturing control rod magnet assembles for the research reactor.   The project involves creating and overseeing work from her own shop, as well as work contracted out to four other shops. 

Anne was fortunate to enter the trades when she did.  For one thing, she found that even once she was certified in her trade, having a clerical background with computer experience was extremely helpful.  For another, she found that having some career experience enabled her to have a more positive attitude.  “I knew that I would get resistance from some of the guys, but since I started my career later in life, my maturity and life experiences were a definite asset.”  Still today, Anne loves her work for its variety and hands-on nature.

It’s difficult to find someone with more enthusiasm about women in skilled trades than Anne.  She has been a dedicated mentor at the “Skills Work!^® for Women” Networking Dinners and Young Women’s Conferences for several years.  She is also an active member of Women in Nuclear, a global organization that connects women working within the nuclear power field.  Her role as Deputy Mayor for the Town of Laurentian Hills probably doesn’t hurt her efforts either!

Anne’s basic message to young women boils down to this:  “It is definitely a good career option.  The money is good and many times you get to be your own boss.  There is a great network of women who will give support, so take advantage of it.”

Anne was a mentor at the November 16th “Skills Work!^® for Women” Networking Dinner in Pembroke.

Skills Work!® for Women – Amanda Young, Electrician

Electrical work is hard.  There’s a lot of math and physics involved, the work can be quite physically demanding, and travel for work can be extensive.  But if you talk to Amanda Young, you’ll find that what can be the most challenging is working with so many different people.  Whether in a classroom or on a job site, the group dynamics are something that must be managed.  However, especially that she’s now teaching her trade, Amanda finds that the people are also the most enjoyable part of her job.

After trying floristry and early childhood education, Amanda’s desire for a higher income turned her attention to becoming an electrician.  After starting as a labourer, and then going through her electrical apprenticeship, she’s now had her ticket for about 10 years.  She’s worked on a variety of jobs over the years, even taking her to the oil sands in Alberta.

“It was amazing.  We were in an isolated area, but there were 2000 people working in the camp.  Hundreds of buses were transporting people back and forth all the time, all different shifts and all different trades.  And there were 6 camps like this.”  She also enjoyed getting to use tools and machinery that she never would otherwise have seen, and to travel to places she may not have visited.  For free, no less!

In recent years, Amanda has turned more toward teaching.  Over the past six years, she has taught intermittently at Georgian College, and now she is the Lead Teacher for the Electrical Techniques program at Georgian.  Not only is she responsible for her own classes, but three other teachers report to her, plus she has the responsibility of looking after program needs such as tools, materials, textbooks and curricula.  Amanda’s passion for teaching has provided her with a number of other opportunities to speak to youth about her career, including through the YMCA, WIST (Women in Skilled Trades) and Women on Words.

The most important thing to remember going into an apprenticeship is that it can be demanding.  You don’t always get to do what you want, but you need to learn what you can, and stick it out until you get to the point where you can pick and choose your jobs.  Math skills are important, and you need to be versatile.

Particularly for young women, Amanda's advice is this:  “be prepared for obstacles, and bring a positive attitude.  It’s easy to get dragged down by others’ attitudes and behaviours.  Try to look at your workmates as people, not just a bunch of guys.  If you have confidence in yourself, the people you work with will reflect that.”

Amanda was a mentor at this year’s “Skills Work!^® for Women” Networking Dinner in Barrie on November 15, 2011.

Skills Work!® for Women – Kayne Shaw, Landscaper

To borrow a phrase, Kayne Shaw is a classic “Jackie of all trades.”  Some of the jobs contained within her job as a Landscaper are Density Technician, Field Testing Technician, Heavy Equipment Operator and Truck Driver.  Not to mention she’s a Health and Safety representative at Darryl’s Custom Landscapes.  Oh, and she’s a part-time Firefighter for the Town of Fort Frances.  No big deal.

Having worked in the field for nine years, Kayne has asserted herself time and again on the job.  She cites the most important skill for her work as integrity.  Much of what she does involves materials testing, which requires a high degree of work ethic and an unbiased view of the work itself.  What also helps?  Curiosity, and a willingness to develop new skills.  With so many bases to cover, it’s not a surprise that she thinks so!  Her own educational background encompassed some university, but is mainly comprised of “short-course” training in various aspects of her job, such as Concrete Field Testing.

Kayne’s favourite part of the job is the variety involved.  No two days are the same.  She encountered big attitudes from others who didn’t know her and didn’t know her work ethic, but she has proven her skill over and over, and leaves no doubt in others’ minds about her abilities right alongside men’s abilities. Her proudest accomplishment is earning the respect of her peers in industry.

Although Kayne did not actively pursue a career in the skilled trades, she seems to have landed in the right place.  “I believe I have ended up where I am due to varied circumstances.  I love what I do and have no intention of changing careers.”  Her advice to any young women exploring careers?

“Get a degree or certificate in a field that you find interesting. Try new things as often as you can. Listen to those with experience and ask questions.”

Kayne was a mentor at the recent "Skills Work!^® for Women" Networking Dinner in Fort Frances, Ontario.

Skills Work!® for Women – Sheila Brown, Computer Tamer

Sheila Brown’s career path looks something like a patchwork quilt.  She worked in nursing for many years, then in volunteer management within Ontario hospitals, then onto retail management with a large department store chain.  After becoming disabled in 1986, Sheila adjusted her work so that she could work sitting down.  And that’s where she got her first introduction to computers.

The company she worked for at the time was Canada’s first company to connect the public to the Internet.  Immediately, she saw a need for skills development with computers, particularly among women.   

Around the same time, her son was becoming interested in computers through school.  As a widowed single mother, Sheila felt that it was important to gain a good understanding of what he was getting into, so she went out and purchased her first computer in 1984 and took to it immediately. 

In 1994, before most of us even knew the Internet was a thing, Sheila had already designed her first web page.  She created a business out of her passion for computers, which started part time in 1999, and flourished into a full-time gig in 2004.

“I train many women and seniors, as well as helping younger people, to learn how to use their computers, and how to be safe online. I also train people in how to create or maintain their own websites, and am pleased when they can do so on their own, or with little guidance and help.”

One of the biggest skills Sheila uses on a daily basis is patience.  Sometimes she has to explain a process or task several times before a client understands.  She also has to stay ahead of the curve on new technologies.

A significant barrier to Sheila starting her career was “male attitudes to females in technology.”  She remembers that she wasn't given good service when buying her first computers, and was not always taken seriously in discussions with male tech support personnel.  She is happy to see these attitudes changing, but can still be a challenge for women, even today, despite the prevalence of computers in our society.

“Women are capable, women are strong, and women can do whatever they want to, despite the problems and challenges we encounter,” is her advice to young women seeking work in technologies.  With such a positive attitude, she is sure to see her business expand in the coming years!

Sheila is a returning mentor to our Networking Dinner program.  She mentored at the Ottawa “Skills Work!® for Women” Networking Dinner on April 12, 2011.

Skills Work!® for Women – Maria St. Jean, Water Treatment Maintenance/Operator

Many mothers have a difficult time readjusting to the workforce after one year of maternity leave. But what if you spent years – decades even – caring for your family and then decided to go back to the workforce?

Maria St. Jean was in that very position.  After 20 years of being a homemaker, Maria decided to return to work, out of a desire to both provide for her family in a more stable way, and to find a career that was challenging, rewarding and allowed for continuing education.  It wasn’t an easy find.

“When I entered the work force I worked at three other jobs that were not related to the water industry and I also joined my local Volunteer Fire Department.” 

After trying a few things, Maria found her niche in Water Treatment Maintenance and Operations in Timmins.  Her role is to maintain and monitor the equipment for water treatment at the facility and the satellite stations, monitor the chlorine levels, pressure readings and water flows throughout the city.  She also takes water samples, and manages continuous documentation and record keeping.

After four years with the Timmins water treatment facility, she cites observational skills, consistency and ingenuity as the top skills to be successful at her job.  One of the best parts of the job?  “Almost every day there is a new aspect of the job to learn. There is basically never a dull moment.” 

It’s definitely a career that fits the bill for continuous learning and challenge.  Maria points out that one of the biggest challenges is the continuous learning.  She is required to keep up with Ministry of Environment regulations as they change, as well as ensure she takes all the right courses to maintain her license.

Very often, when we meet women in skilled trade or technology careers, they talk about having to work extra hard to prove themselves among the men.  Maria was a different case entirely – the major obstacle she encountered was herself.  “The biggest barrier I had to overcome was my own insecurities that I might not be able to learn all of the aspects of my job at my age. But the more I studied, the more courses I took, I realized that was not the case.”

Maria finds her work rewarding, and has succeeded in the endeavour to pursue something allowing for continuing education.  Her favourite part of the job is that it opens travel opportunities to her.  Her skills can take her across Canada, or into the U.S.

“Keep an open mind. There are unlimited possibilities for young women who want to get into a trade. With a trade you have the ability to cross borders, carry your skills to different countries or simply provide a better life for yourself and your family. The little bit of time it takes to train in a trade (most of it is on the job training), pays itself back almost immediately. I started in the water industry at 44, the doors this career has opened for me are countless to date; just imagine where you could be starting at [a young] age!"

Maria mentored students at this year's Networking Dinner for Women in Timmins on March 29, 2011.

Skills Work!® for Women – Jessica Steffler, Civil Engineering Technologist

One of the best hidden secrets about skilled trade and technology careers is that they often open doors to a variety of other career experiences.  From business management and ownership, engineering or architecture to law and teaching, many journeypersons, technicians and technologists can find themselves in any number of different fields.

Jessica Steffler is just one of those people.  A graduate of the Civil Engineering Technologist program at Conestoga College, Jessica always exhibited strong skills in math, and was introduced to the civil construction industry through her father.  Civil Engineering Technologists have a wide range of duties, including design and preparation of construction drawings, planning and scheduling projects and conducting field and laboratory tests on soils, asphalt and concrete.

Despite enjoying the work, it didn’t take Jessica very long to recognize that there was a shortage of good, skilled workers, and one major barrier to filling those spaces:  “the misconceptions that educators and parents have about working in careers in construction and skilled trades.” 

After four years in the industry, Jessica started a new organization – the Ontario Civil Construction Careers Institute.  As Director of the organization, her days are spent in extensive travel around Ontario, speaking to high school students about careers in civil construction, engineering and skilled trades.  She also created the website, posters, literature and resources for guidance departments, allowing her to draw on her creativity and people skills.

In this position Jessica gets to travel and meet new people all the time.  Every day is different, and she continually inspires students to try something new, and helps them get into apprenticeships.  She would like to see the OCCCI expand significantly over the next five years.

Jessica has been involved with Skills Canada – Ontario for the last two years, promoting civil construction careers at our Summer Camp and Young Women’s programs.  The similar aims between the two organizations created a natural partnership between the two organizations.

This fall, Jessica has mentored at a number of “Skills Work!® for Women” Networking Dinners this year, the most recent being the Toronto Networking Dinner, held on November 23.

Skills Work!® for Women – Brenda Swystun, Project Manager

Some people are lucky enough to pursue a career that fascinates and impassions them.  Brenda Swystun is an even more fortunate person: the trades pursued her.  “Sometimes I guess your path is laid out before you but it’s up to you to make the most out of the opportunity.” 

As the former Plant Manager for Lafarge Concrete, Brenda secured the Sault Hospital foundations project, an undertaking that included a substantial amount of concrete with very specific requirements.  She has been a part of the building materials industry since leaving high school.

These days, Brenda can be found at Huckson Plumbing and Renovations, working as a Project Manager.  The organization focuses on residential renovation, which can be as simple as a tub replacement or as complex as a full kitchen renovation.

Her role involves her in all parts of a project, starting from estimates and sales, through material and labour scheduling to ensuring customer satisfaction at the end.  As a woman in a male-dominated industry, Brenda admits that she turned a few heads when she first started in the material building trades. 

“Having a woman show up on a major commercial project seemed to create a bit of a work slow-down.  I kept myself focused on my job responsibilities and eventually my customers came to respect my contributions to their projects.”  Brenda was even recently elected President of the construction association in the Sault Ste. Marie area.

Despite all the knowledge she has gained about plumbing, drywall and interior finishing, and concrete manufacturing, Brenda’s most valuable skill is a surprising one.

“The most important skill I find I use on a regular basis is communication.  Between the demands of supervising employees and dealing with the private sector I find that my verbal skills for either sales or managing the staff are my most powerful tool.”  Over the next five years, Brenda hopes to increase the renovation projects that are taken on by Huckson, and strongly encourages other young women to pursue similar careers.

“Building things is not gender specific, it’s a natural talent.   There’s an artistic component to any trade, you need to be able to visualize what you want and then don’t be afraid to try and make it.  It may take a while but eventually you will possess the skills and knowledge to get the job done well.”

Brenda mentored students at the Sault Ste. Marie “Skills Work!® for Women” Networking Dinner on November 25th.

“Skills Work!® for Women” – Kristi Montovani, Landscape Designer

Creativity is the name of the game for Kristi Montovani.  She uses it to create beautiful living spaces for her clients, to learn the newest trends and technologies of her trade, and even to deal with everyday challenges as they arise.

A graduate of both the Landscape Technician and Arts and Design Fundamentals programs at Niagara College, Kristi is the General Manager of Snips Landscape & Nursery.  Her work has multiple faces:  designing landscapes, installation and field work, staff management, marketing and client relations.  “The project I am probably most proud of was designing and installing the outer and interior landscape for the Niagara Catholic District Board Office in Welland.”  Kristi gets to approach this ongoing project with some fresh ideas every year, and it opened the door to other projects with the school board.

Now that she is the General Manager at Snips Landscape & Nursery, Kristi has a big vision.  Green roofs are becoming a significant trend in many Ontario cities, and Kristi is hoping to capitalize on that.  “I would like to expand on our green roofing department and to broaden our use of other ‘green’ technologies. I want to be known as a pioneer in the ‘green’ landscaping industry!”

Kristi’s success didn’t come easily.  There were barriers to overcome along the way, and many of them are ongoing obstacles.  Being a woman in the industry was tricky to navigate, and her youth adds another element of challenge.  “I have a lot of experience and training under my belt but it’s sometimes harder to be taken seriously.  I have to stay confident and constantly prove myself.”  Kristi also had to adjust to the fast pace, using that to develop excellent multi-tasking skills. 

But it’s not like Kristi’s work is lacking fun.  She thrives on that challenge to prove herself, she enjoys working with people, and her work offers a great deal of flexibility and variety.  And at the end of the day, it all comes back to creativity, which Kristi ultimately gets to use so that her clients are surrounded by their dream living spaces.  “Seeing the joy on a client’s face as their project comes to fruition is so rewarding.”

Kristi mentored students at the Niagara Networking Dinner on Thursday, November 18^th.

“Skills Work!® for Women” – Vanessa Hawkins, Tool & Tooling Maker/Machinist

Plenty of girls look up to their big brothers, but Vanessa Hawkins can credit hers with introducing her to a career that she is now passionate about.  “I knew I didn’t want to sit behind a desk all day and I knew I wanted to make good money.”  Having tried one high school machining class, Vanessa accompanied her brother to Centennial College to check out the campus.  Once she heard the instructors talking about machining and tool and die making, she was hooked.

Currently working for Atomic Energy of Canada Limited (AECL), Vanessa recently completed her four-year apprenticeship after completing the two-year Tool & Die program at Centennial, as well as a semester of CNC (Computer Numerical Control) machining.  On a daily basis, Vanessa makes a variety of parts from a variety of materials – including plastics (Teflon, acrylic, peek, delrin) and metals (zirc, aluminum, stainless steel, brass, copper, uranium).  She sets up and operates a vast array of machinery and equipment such as CNC/Wire/design programs, lathes, mills, drill presses and band saws.

Vanessa considers finishing her apprenticeship and passing all the exams to be her biggest accomplishment, and it’s no surprise.  Aside from the time and effort dedicated to the training, tooling is a skilled trade that demands patience and perfection.  “Some parts take hundreds of hours and have to be perfect to within 0.0003 inches.”  Anything less can result in thousands of dollars lost to the company.

Despite the challenges, Vanessa absolutely loves her work.  It gives her freedom and security, and allows her to use her mind to solve problems, and her hands to design and build.  She can even branch into other related trades fairly easily.  “You’ll always be able to find a job or even start your own business.  Skilled trades pay well and you get to have something to show for it at the end of the day.  You can work anywhere.  What’s not to love?”

Vanessa mentored students from the Renfrew County area at the first-ever Pembroke Networking Dinner on November 16th.

Skills Work!® for Women – Toni Jones, Welder

One day, not long after getting her welding ticket, Toni Jones visited a trailer park on a contract job to make some repairs.  As she got to work, Toni noticed an elderly woman watching her.   By the end of the job, Toni had an audience of four little old ladies, sitting on the first woman’s porch, watching her.  They beckoned her over to tell her how impressive it was to see a woman do the same job as a man; that it made their efforts for women’s rights well worth it.  More than any other moment, that’s when Toni felt the pride of being a welder.

Even though Toni welded all the time on her family’s farm growing up, she did not obtain her Certificate of Qualification until three years ago.  A single mother who received no child support, Toni found job security to be elusive.  “Hobart was the first company to take a chance on me, and I’m so incredibly grateful to them for giving me that opportunity.  I make a good living, and my son and I are comfortable.”

 Toni acknowledges that there are ongoing challenges for a woman in the trades.  “I encountered more than a few men that refused to let a woman weld in their shop.  Women are only 3% of the skilled trade workforce.  I always tell young women that they have to have broad shoulders and be prepared to play with the boys if they want to go into a trade.”  Hobart has given Toni many opportunities to advance and to get more training and experience, of which she has eagerly taken advantage.

For the last year, Toni has been teaching welding at Georgian College.  She started as a volunteer, and when a paid position opened up, the college was thrilled to hire its first female welding instructor.  Toni has since been to a number of courses and seminars to help develop her teaching skills.   Although she’s still waiting for her first female student, Toni loves teaching and would like to continue down that path and expand her abilities as an instructor. “I feel like I’m creating a platform for acceptance.”

For several years, Toni has volunteered her time as a mentor in Skills Canada – Ontario’s Networking Dinner for Women program.  “I was never that girl who got perfect grades or who could write the 2500-word essay.  I’m not a book person.  I can be articulate, but I like to play in the dirt.  I’ve made mistakes and taken some wrong turns, but now I have this skill that has brought me so much.” 

Toni will be mentoring once again this year, at the Port Elgin Networking Dinner on November 4.

Skills Work!® for Women – Devon MacKinnon, Special Event Coordinator

Having a baby at a young age is guaranteed to be a challenging experience.  For Devon MacKinnon, the added challenge was her lack of training beyond high school.  She loved her job at the pharmacy where she worked, but she recognized how limited her options were – the most significant being that she faced seven years of university education if she wanted to become a pharmacist.  Being very young, with a child to support, Devon had to weigh her career options carefully, and look toward a long-term career solution.  She quit her job at the pharmacy and turned to a career area she was interested in: event coordination.

In her current role is as Project Coordinator for the Northwest Training and Adjustment Board, Devon works in partnership with area high schools to help increase co-op opportunities for students, and also promotes the Ministry of Education’s Specialist High Skills Major program.  Her job is multi-faceted, involving advertising and marketing, travelling, networking at career fairs and trade shows, and even some graphic and web design.  She cites the most important skills for her job as organizational ability, good people skills, great budgeting skills and “big picture” thinking combined with attention to detail.

Outside of her regular job, Devon has also been contracted to coordinate events for other organizations, which has come with a veritable laundry list of benefits.  “Work isn’t boring when you have different projects all the time, I meet so many new people, and I get to be creative through designing posters and websites.”  The additional income and the opportunity to work from home on these additional projects allow Devon to achieve a great work-life balance.  She has recently been profiled as a success story both by the Ministry of Mining and Northern Development’s Youth Connect North, and by OpportunityDryden.ca.

What would Devon like to be doing in five years?  “I would eventually like to own my own business or continuing consulting.  I’m still of that age where I am eligible for government grants for young entrepreneurs.  I really do believe in the abilities of youth and would like to work with them directly someday.”

Devon is a returning mentor, and will be attending the Kenora Networking Dinner on November 2, 2010.