What do you love most about your profession? Why did you choose this career?
I really enjoyed the spontaneity and sense of keeping people safe with preventative maintenance.
When did you realize you wanted to work in STEM or Skilled Trades?
I moved to Alberta during a break in my education and ended up getting a job on-site. I worked with an integrity group and became interested in the inspections that the reports I was logging were based on. I also had a friend who was involved in the inspection field and she was a great mentor at that time.
Why do we need more women in STEM and Skilled Trades?
We need women to see themselves represented in these fields, so they know it's an option for them and it's achievable. We need more women in these fields also, so employers and industry learn how to retain and treat women in their workforce.
What does your typical workday involve? Can you work remotely? (indoors/outdoors, office/plant, travel time, teamwork/solo work)?
In my most recent employment, I was in an office planning work for individuals onboard an oil platform as an Inspection Planner/Scheduler. Before that, I was a field technician completing inspections in the oil and gas industry.
Who is your role model? What is it about this person that inspires you?
My mother is my role model. She raised three children while working a full-time job where she worked her way up through the ranks to become a manager. My father worked away so she frequently was on her own to manage work and home. She did both without ever sacrificing one or the other. She made it clear her career was important to her and that she sometimes would need to spend time away to complete work assignments or conferences. However, she always made our time together special and she was present and in the moment. Being a good mother and also having a career she could be proud of was an inspiration to me.
What do you do for fun? What are some of your hobbies/activities?
I enjoy hiking and exploring with my daughter. I also enjoy playing soccer and hockey and attending my nieces and nephews sporting events.
What advice would you give students who might be considering a career like yours? What advice would you have given your younger self?
I would recommend talking to some other women in the field they are interested in to get first-hand information about the job and the experience of being a woman in that field.
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