Meet Hilary Colbert, Limited Energy Technician Apprentice

Ryan Kidd 0

Hilary is a Limited Energy Technician Apprentice. She performs preparation, layout from blueprints, installation and repair of low energy electrical systems such as telecommunications, intercom, alarm systems, electronic equipment and others.

She has worked and gone to school two nights a week for the past 4 years. “It is a challenge every day,” says Hilary, “but I enjoy my work. Especially with the customer contact. I like making our customers happy.”

According to Hilary, “The support is out there for women coming into the industry and the job opportunities are amazing. We need more women who want to get in and do the work. I take a lot of pride in my work – just because someone else before you did a bad job – you can get in and make it look good.”

Photo Credit Martin Theil

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Have you entered the construction trades by way of apprenticeship or pre-apprenticeship in the state of Oregon?

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Tool Box for Success

Do you have the tools you need to succeed in construction?

Attach yourself to a journey-worker on the job site and learn from them
Focus to get ahead if you want to stay in the field
Don’t take anything personally
Be good at your job
Work up your physical strength
Realize that there are no short-cuts
Enjoy the experience
Make friends with everyone
Go with the flow
Have a thick skin
Know who you are
Employ good time-management skills and good listening skills
Have a good learning attitude
Know that you are the competition
Don’t give up
Study hard at school
Be ready for a lot of work
Listen to what the foreman is saying
Learn how to take orders well
Learn how to take initiative
Be detail-oriented but do the job fast at the same time
Maintain good communication and ask questions
Know your stuff!
Be physical, work out
Work harder than everybody else, don’t talk a lot, pay attention, show up on time, be dependable and don't phone in sick unless you absolutely need to!
Have fun!!

Barriers to employment for women in construction

Although this list is not all-inclusive, it was included to give an indication of the kinds of barriers some women will face, and overcome.

Biased or discriminatory hiring practices
Stereotypical perceptions of women's abilities
Isolation of women in male-dominated worksites
Unequal pay for women performing similar jobs as male co-workers
Various forms of harassment (CLMPC, 1990; SPR Associates, 2002A; Grzetic, 1998;)
There is a lack of diversity training among co-workers, including clarity around the issue of employment equity. (WITT-NN, 1999)
Social isolation
Lack of education and fundamental skills
Lack of informal mentors to develop an interest in the trades
Lack of management / supervisor leadership in setting an appropriate tone in terms of acceptance of women in male-dominated workplaces. WITT-Alberta, 2000)
Physical Strength Limitations
Stereotypes / Sexism / Perception of women on job site
Lack of information available about trades as a career option
Lack of daycare/difficulty with work / life balance

Getting around Barriers

Recognize the friendly faces at your jobsite
Dress appropriately for the trade
Identify something your company does a lot of and get good at it
Use common sense
Find a mentor
Become good at job hunting
Network