Tuesday, March 8, 2022

The Sky Is the Limit

These modern day Rosie the Riveters are breaking through barriers—and proving that no job is off-limits.

OVER THE PAST YEAR, CLAC has been featuring outstanding members in our Women Wednesday social media series. These workers are paving the way for future generations of young women to succeed in nontraditional roles.

We talked with six women who are breaking through barriers from Ontario to the west coast. We hope their stories will inspire more women to look at the high-paying, rewarding career alternatives that are available to them—jobs that are currently predominantly performed by men. For these women and others considering a career move, the sky is the limit.

SASKIA RING
Rock truck operator
Spiecapag
Eastend, Saskatchewan

Local 68 member Saskia Ring has spent three years driving across British Columbia as a rock truck operator, with just over a year at Spiecapag, a pipeline company, under her belt. But it was decades ago as a small child that her interest in life on the road was first sparked.

“I used to love to sit on my dad’s lap as he drove around our 10-acre homestead,” she recalls. “To this day, he teases me about how I used to fall asleep as soon as he fired up his dozer.”

Her early comfort behind the wheel helped in her transition to truck operation, an occupation that is seeing a surge in female representation, according to Saskia. The support she has experienced, both from her father, who has worked more than 40 years in the field, and from other women at her company, has kept her going, even when she has hit roadblocks (pardon the pun).

“It has taken a village of women to get me to where I am today, to have fellow women who understand my struggles, to have confidence to ask questions,” says Saskia. “I have had the chance to be that person for other women, and it has been a great honour.”

While Saskia has seen an increase in the number of women who are entering her sector, she thinks that there is more that could be done to improve their experience.

“It would be great if CLAC could facilitate an online mentorship program for fellow female newbies in this field,” she says. “My male counterparts are great, but their experience is different from ours. Having someone to share that with would be great.”

BRIANNE SANDERSON
Carpentry apprentice
Penn-Co Construction Canada Ltd.
Blumenort, Manitoba

Local 152 member Brianne Sanderson thrives in the fast-paced and varied environment of Penn-Co Construction, where she works as a carpentry apprentice.

“I’m constantly learning and growing in my trade,” says Brianne, who is originally from the Pinaymootang First Nation. “My favourite part is that I am never doing the same thing every day.

Though she now loves what she does, working with her hands wasn’t an option on her radar until she was an adult.

“When I was a child, I had a very different idea of what I wanted to do—and it wasn’t carpentry,” she recalls. “I was 22 years old when I took my first intro framing course with the Manitoba Construction Sector Council. The course opened so many doors for me, and I’m happy that I joined when I did.”

According to Brianne, communication and a sense of individual responsibility are two important factors that make a great team environment. She’s also had supervisors tell her that having a woman on site keeps the workplace “poised and respectful”—a bonus in her male-dominated industry.

Brianne cautions that women looking to enter the trades shouldn’t be discouraged by unfamiliar territory.

“Be resilient,” she advises. “It’s okay to ask questions and be upfront about where you stand, whether it’s your first time in the field or if you have some experience. It’s okay to make mistakes—they will only make you better in the end.”

KENNEDY VANDERHOEK
Welding apprentice
CLAC Welding Training Facility
Edmonton

Kennedy Vanderhoek, a second-year apprentice at the CLAC welding training facility in the Edmonton Member Centre, found that her entry into the trades boosted her confidence immeasurably.

“When I first started my apprenticeship, I was anxious about everything,” she recalls. “I was always thinking that someone else could do it better.” But with time, practice, and the help of her team, she came to recognize her capabilities and talents. Soon she was thriving.

It was a class trip to the Skills Canada competition that proved pivotal and pushed Kennedy toward the trades.

“When I was younger, I had no idea what I wanted to do for my career,” says Kennedy. “I just knew I wanted to do something hands-on.

“During this trip, a variety of booths were set up to introduce young kids to the trades within Canada. My friends and I went into every booth—from hairstyling to carpentry— but it was the final try-a-trade booth that caught my attention the most.”

Nervous but determined, she walked into the welding booth, not knowing what to expect. To her surprise, the instructor was impressed with her first-ever weld and encouraged her to take it in high school.

“It was in this moment that I fell in love with everything about welding and when I knew that’s what I wanted to do,” she says.

Though she loves welding, she does have one wish for the trade: more female mentors.

“It would be great to not just have another female around but to be able to benefit from the guidance of one in this already male-dominated trade.”

For those pursuing a career in welding, Kennedy has a piece of advice: “Always believe in yourself, especially on days when it’s hard to. Do your best and be proud of what you do, even if it’s something small.”

SHAE JANSSEN
Labourer
Ledcor Construction Limited
Mississauga, Ontario

Almost any day of the week, you can find Shae Janssen working for Ledcor at Bombardier’s future manufacturing centre in Mississauga, Ontario, doing a safety walk, monitoring edge perimeter protection, and coordinating the site’s COVID security system.

But this wasn’t always where you’d find her. After 22 years of owning her own business, she took a leap and embarked on a career in construction. Through CLAC Training, she has managed to obtain tickets to operate Bobcats, telehandlers, and elevated platforms, as well as her certificate for working at heights. Up next: joint health and safety training.

“Not long after beginning with Ledcor, I discovered that work on a construction site is in the top five most dangerous jobs,” she says. “I feel very strongly that all who enter and work on the site leave in the same way they arrived.”

Shae credits her mother, who raised her alone, as a guiding force in her success.

“She is by far the strongest, most resourceful, and most courageous lady I know,” says Shae. “As a single mom, she was and is still the rock to our family. A retired school teacher, she continues to teach me, even now at 77-years young.”

On site and in her personal life, Shae names several other champions who have pushed her to greatness.

“I’ve many good, solid men in my corner who support me,” she says. “Front and centre is my boyfriend of four years, who is forever rallying for my success—and this endeavour is no exception!

“Two other men cheering me on are my son, Lucas, and my brother, Dallas. Without fail, they applaud my efforts and reinforce that I should try to be the best version of who I am, every day.”

Another benefit that Shae found after making the jump from entrepreneur to full-time construction worker is, well, the benefits.

“One aspect of this job that has been a pleasant surprise is the bonus of becoming a CLAC union member,” she says. “I’ve never had this before!

“Coming from my previous career as a small business owner, I’ve got to say that there is no comparison. For the last 25 years, I have worked every Christmas! Now, I have vacation pay I can access, I’m building a pension, and I’ve had tons of opportunities to learn new skills.”

CLAUDIA POLANCO
Inventory and control team member
TCL Supply Chain Inc.
Edmonton

Before landing her position at TCL, Local 56 member Claudia Polanco was a single mother trying her best to find job stability in an unstable world. And though there were plenty of temporary and seasonal jobs available, they weren’t ideal, as there was a greater risk of being laid off and therefore going without pay.

“I was looking for a company that would give me the opportunity to grow at the professional level,” says Claudia, who had studied tourism administration in Colombia before immigrating to Canada. Luckily, with the help of CLAC, Claudia was able to find work at TCL, where she has thrived for more than six years.

Claudia applauds TCL for giving her and others like her the chance to succeed in the workplace.

“TCL offers learning opportunities for both men and women,” she says. “As a woman and an immigrant, I appreciate that TCL treats everyone the same. I feel very fortunate to work for this company.”

In the future, Claudia would like to pursue a career in social work. She has already achieved her medical office assistant certification and is studying community social work and addictions between her shifts at TCL.

But in the meantime, she values the support she receives from her employer, CLAC, and all the coworkers who make her work-life enjoyable and satisfying. When she sees new employees enter the facility, Claudia feels a twinge of hope, knowing firsthand that they will accomplish much during their time with the company.

“I feel proud of every woman who enters TCL,” says Claudia. “They remind me of me when I first arrived at that door, with fear and many expectations, thinking about whether I would be capable. This experience has taught me that there is nothing that a woman who wants to get ahead and possesses a desire to learn can’t do.”

AMANDA DINGMAN
Sheet metal apprentice
G.S. Sheet Metal
Hamilton, Ontario

New to the trades scene, former CLAC member Amanda Dingman believes that women are being increasingly represented in sectors where they formerly weren’t. And as a sheet metal apprentice, she’s happy to be a part of the movement.

“I had been looking into the various trades for a while and just needed to find the right time to make the leap,” she says of her entry into the sector. “I had many different aspirations as a child, but when I joined the military after high school, I knew I wanted to get into some sort of trade.”

Her family, especially her father, helped to foster her gung-ho attitude.

“I grew up in a blue-collar family, the family business being an automotive recycling yard,” she says. “I worked with my dad growing up, and it inspired me to pursue my own line of work in the trades.”

Amanda was surprised to find that the homey feeling she had while working with her family was extended to her new career, both within G.S. Sheet Metal and among different trades and companies on job sites.

She believes there is plenty of room for women in her organization and in apprenticeships far and wide.

“Try it! If it’s not for you, that’s okay,” she says. “It’s an experience, and you wouldn’t know if you like it or not otherwise unless you try it.”

THE BIRTH OF ROSIE THE RIVETER

During World War II, Rosie the Riveter made a big splash as the subject of a campaign to recruit women to fill positions in factories that had been vacated by the men who were fighting on the front lines overseas. And she seemed to have worked, or at least helped the cause. In 1943, women made up a whopping 65 percent of the aircraft industry’s workforce, compared to only 1 percent before the war.

Though the original Rosie was designed in 1942 for Westinghouse Electric Corporation, the 1943 version created by Norman Rockwell for The Saturday Evening Post is the one most recognized. In the years since her debut, Rosie has become an emblem for feminism and a pop culture icon. Celebrities such as Beyonce, Ronda Rousey, Demi Lovato, and P!nk have all dressed up in her likeness to pay tribute to hardworking women everywhere.

Sources: history.com, irishnews.com

JUST THE BEGINNING

Looking at the wide variety of sectors that these members represent, it’s clear that women are gaining ground in the skilled trades and other nontraditional sectors. Unfortunately, despite the positives, reports show that women in apprenticeships have been adversely affected by the COVID-19 pandemic.

Statistics Canada reports that in 2020 new registrations and certifications declined proportionately more in women than in men. This is because nearly 60 percent of women in apprenticeships are not in the skilled trades but in other sectors impacted by pandemic shutdowns, including hairstyling and education.

The good news is that the value female employees add to the workforce is being recognized by employers. Many companies in understaffed sectors like construction are actively recruiting women to help with the worker shortage caused by the rising number of employees reaching retirement age.

But there is still much work to be done. Less than 10 percent of all registered journeypersons in Canada are women, for example. Experts agree that encouraging young women to consider the trades as a career path is an important step for the health and longevity of Canada’s economy.

Sources: statscan.gc.ca, irpp.org

WOMEN WEDNESDAYS

Do you know of a woman thriving in her work-life in a nontraditional role? Someone who’s living proof that the trades are open and welcoming to all? Reach out to socialmedia@clac.ca. We would love to hear their story!

Saskia Ring

Amanda Dingman

Claudia Polanco

Brianne Sanderson

Kennedy Vanderhoek

Shae Janssen

The Sky Is the Limit

THE BIRTH OF ROSIE THE RIVETER

JUST THE BEGINNING

WOMEN WEDNESDAYS

You might be interested in