FEMALE APPRENTICES CARRY ON A FINE TRADITION

Traditionally, the world of the trades has been a decidedly masculine world, although women have not been entirely absent. By the end of World War II, a remarkable cohort of women in North America had proved beyond any doubt that a feminine presence in the trades could “get the job done”.  During the war unprecedented numbers of women had entered the trades, encouraged by their governments to take up factory work left behind by men who were now fighting as soldiers.  Connie Field’s 1980 documentary film The Life and Times of Rosie the Riveter highlights several of these women who flocked to war production work, learning such skills as welding and sheet metal work to take their place in munitions factories.  Today, three women in the Ottawa area are carrying on the tradition of the female tradesperson proving that the construction industry can still benefit from their work.  Their entry into the sheet metal industry has been successful, largely because forces of management and union have combined to create a dynamic environment to develop skilled workers, promoting excellence in the trade.  The fact that emphasis is placed on quality workers rather than gender is welcome news for women electing to enter the sheet metal industry. 
While each of the three women in Ottawa earning apprentice credentials embraced the trade for a range of personal reasons, they all report that their entry into a “man’s world’ has been met with courtesy and respect. Tamara Hyland is a second-year apprentice with Dilfo Mechanical, fifth-year Sheila McVey works with NC Sheet Metal and Charlene Flatt who just completed her probation period, is a first-year apprentice with Gorlan Mechanical.  All three are members of Local 47.
Tamara Hyland
Asked what brought her to the sheet metal industry, Tamara Hyland explained that she did not have a lot of time to think about it, “It was a career choice that more or less found me.  I had taken a course in precision welding at Algonquin College in 1997-1998 because I wanted to learn to do that kind of work.  It was there I met my husband, a sheet metal journeyman.  I completed the course and got a job in the precision field right away.  Later I decided to take welding classes to add to my skills.  By 2004, I was a young widow with three children (Hyland has a 13 year old daughter and two sons, four and six years old).  The union gave me sage advice – ‘Join up.  Start your apprenticeship.’  I’d always liked welding and I needed to put food on the table so I did.  The first three months I ate a lot of Advil but I’ve never looked back.
Reflecting on the differences between women and men in the trade, Hyland points out, “We’re at a disadvantage to a certain extend because we don’t carry a long legacy of experience.  However, that doesn’t stop us.  We’re not afraid to ask questions; we’re not afraid to admit we don’t know.  Certainly, in this industry you have to know what you’re doing to get the job done – like when you’re cutting into a large sheet of metal.”      
Another area of difference between men and women working in the trade lies in the area of physical prowess.  “We may not have the brute strength that men possess,” Hyland admits, “but we have other strengths and we welcome the opportunities to use the best of what we bring to the trade.  And - as far as strength goes, I pull my weight.  When I look at my biceps I think ‘I don’t have to join any gym.  I have a job that keeps me in shape.’  In addition, I really like setting an example for my daughter that women can do anything they set their minds to.”
While her career choice falls outside women’s traditional realms, Hyland is happy with her decision, “I think I work for one of the best possible companies.  I’m very happy there and, of course, the great thing about being in Ottawa is that there’s a lot of copper work to admire.”  For the time being, Hyland is content to learn the skills an apprentice needs to become a full-fledged journeyman.  Her future may well lead her far from Ottawa, “Ultimately, I’d like to retire to a third-world nation and share my skills.  If I have something to offer, I’d like to share my knowledge.”
Sheila McVey
Sheila McVey credits Frank Murtagh a personal friend and teacher at Algonquin College with her decision to join the sheet metal trade.  One day some years ago McVey and her husband paid Murtagh a call, “I’d known Frank for 20 years; he’s a long-standing advocate for women getting to the trade.”  Murtagh knew that the union was looking for welders.  “He said I’d be good and called Terry Belleville at Local 47.  The result?  I studied welding for a year.”  McVey’s decision led to a 20-year career as a welder, working mainly with CAW until the Free Trade Accord altered the spirit and practice of the workplace.  McVey laments the fact that issues of quality and pride of production take a back seat in the face of economics, “Now it’s the best price that wins.”
At this point McVey decided to write the apprentice test, a wise move, given that she has only been out of work for two weeks at a time in nearly five years.  “One of the first places I worked was at Gorlan Mechanical as a welder,” McVey remembers.  “When I walked in I was already an established welder.  That kind of surprised some of the men but once they realize that you can do the work, you’re okay.  I’ve found that if you’ve got the skills a job needs, you’re going to be valued.”
The nature of the tasks depends largely on whether the apprentice works in the shop or on site.  “As an apprentice, I’m the designated ‘gofer’,” McVey says.  The job entails a lot of physical work.  In the shop you work on one piece at a time; on site I find I’m often working overhead dealing with a variety of materials.”  Currently, McVey is working in the cancer wing of the Ottawa General Hospital.  “We’re tearing everything down so that we can put up new duct work – hard work because we’re operating in an existing installation.  That means I have to contend with drywall, piping and electrical conduits as well as the ductwork.”
“Ironically, the heavier jobs put you on a level playing field with the men,” McVey notes.  “When I was building dump trucks for mines I used a crane.  What counted in that case was my ability to operate the machine.”  McVey has only encountered positive working relations with her colleagues.  “When I was working at the War Museum, the scissor lift operator said to me ‘I’m not using the lift.  You can use it if you need it.’”  Construction, nonetheless, she admits, is still a man’s world.  “If a woman wants to succeed, I’ve found it’s all in the way you present yourself.  As long as you can do the job, you’re okay.”
Charlene Flatt
From the moment she graduated from high school, Charlene Flatt knew that she wanted to enter a trade.  “I got some information about Algonquin College and the Precision Sheet Metal course it offered.  The course takes a year and a half to complete.  Something beckoned me.  It was almost like a calling.  I feel as though the sheet metal trade picked me.” 
Most of the shops where Flatt worked were unionized so it seemed like a natural thing to become a member.  The decision to become a sheet metal apprentice followed.  From her first day on probation Flatt knew that she had made a sound decision, “The first couple of months I was doing duct sealing and getting materials.  At the beginning of the day, I’d get my list of duties for my boss and I’d just go-go-go.  I cut angles, put up ductwork, unload trucks – whatever needed to get done got done.  I loved the challenge and still do.”
Flatt is looking forward to starting night school in September 2006.  “I know that balancing my schedule is going to be tough - I have a two year-old daughter at home - but apprenticeship training is a good investment for the future.”  Flat has already taken some courses, “I’ve done drafting, blueprint reading and math and I’ve worked with sheet metal for the past four years.”
“I have no problem working with the guys,” Flatt says.  “I find I fit in and really appreciate how they watch their language when I’m around.  On the job, I get the same kind of work everyone else gets.  I’m only 5 ft. 2 in. but I’m strong.  Sometimes the guys I work with will look at a piece of heavy equipment and say ‘don’t try lifting this’ but I always try to keep up.  Seems to me like I’m being treated all right.”
Flatt’s plans for the future are bright, “I’ve always known that my work would be ‘hands-on’ and that I’d want to learn new things on an on-going basis.  That’s a really satisfying prospect.  Sheet metal is one of those trades where you never stop learning.  For the time being, I just want to do the installing and the physical labour.  Later?  Who knows – maybe I’ll start my own small business.”
MCA Ottawa
Clearly, the sheet metal industry has put careful thought in shaping apprenticeship territory to create such welcoming circumstances for women who want to enter the trade.   MCA Ottawa Manager Bob Martel explained that his organization decided to launch an initiative to improve apprentice training through a Local Apprentice Committee (LAC) jointly run by the ranks of union and management in 2002.  “We consulted the union and invited consultation from the Ministry of Training, Colleges and Universities.  We were aware of equity issues and wanted to incorporate the interests of all potential apprentices, including women in our plans for apprentice development.  Investing our energies into establishing Ottawa’s LAC has allowed us to address the interests of the sheet metal and combined shops and the apprentices at the same time.  As a result, we’ve created an inclusive program to produce the best possible apprentices as well as keeping our contractor members abreast of industry standards as they pertain to equity matters.”  This, clearly a winning proposition for all.
Local 47
Terry Belleville Business Manager of Local 47 is proud of his union’s strong support for women entering the sheet metal trade.  “The most basic function of a union is to take care of people,” he states.  “Tamara Hyland’s husband was a Local 47 member.  We knew she had good qualifications and a feel for the trade.  As a union member she would be covered by benefits to assist her in taking care of her family.  Encouraging her to become a sheet metal apprentice was simply a logical step. 
Belleville points to the union’s long-standing belief in equal opportunity for both men and women. “No gender bias here,” he says.  In fact, the union, well aware that traditionally women have been discouraged against entering the trades, rejects such notions outright.  “Our position is this,” Belleville states, “If women prove they have the stamina, we welcome them.  If a woman has the will and the credentials then God bless her!  The question of women entering the trades should be a no-brainer.  It’s all about being fair.  If women can handle the nature of the work and we need people, we will choose workers on the basis of credentials with a gender-blind eye.”  
The third and vital component of quality apprentice training lies in the hands of the employer.  Len Ireland of Gorlan Mechanical admits that he wondered how women would do in the trade, well aware of the physical demands of the job, “First of all, we wanted to make sure our facilities were appropriate for women.  Charlene has been a pleasant surprise.  I hear nothing but good about her from her foreman, himself, one of our best workers.  According to him, Charlene is out there with the rest of the guys.  She “works the work” and takes her part - fully.”  According to Ireland, Flatt’s work ethic (“she does all the work we expect of any apprentice”) has earned her a rightful place in the trade,  “I have the utmost respect for her ability to handle the entire job.  Her day starts early and ends late – she manages her professional workload and her responsibilities as a mother at the same time.  Hats off to her!  Gorlan has an eye on the future.  We need new resources in the trade, good people who will make a contribution.  Charlene is one of them.  Hiring her has been a great step forward for Gorlan.”
Neil Chartand president of NC Sheet Metal echoes Ireland’s words, “ As far as we are concerned, an employee is an employee.  If they are good and qualified – it doesn’t matter if they are male or female – we welcome them.  We want and need the best there is and we feel that we have it.”
Danny Dillon owner of Dilfo Mechanical is convinced that the sheet metal industry gains when women enter the trade.  He speaks from a position of experience, given that Dilfo has employed at least two women in its shop.  “Tamara is an amazing steel worker.  She totally blends into our team.  With her background in Precision Sheet Metal, she brought some genuine skills to Dilfo.  We’d already employed Sheila who was terrific and known for “getting the job done.”  Tamara is just as effective.  In fact, Tamara was working so well we decided to grant her hours and move her up to second year.”  Dillon claims that the LAC structure makes it easy for management and union to process apprentices more effectively,  “If an apprentice has related prior experience, LAC has a review mechanism in place to allow an employer to make a recommendation to promote an apprentice based on his or her working style and related experience.  Tamara is a natural candidate for promotion.”
With supportive structures in place and a will to succeed in the trade, the sheet metal industry in Ottawa is proving fertile ground for women who chose to make their careers in sheet metal.  Hyland sums up the situation beautifully, “Construction is a cool industry.  Every day I drive to work I pass a building under construction where I’m making the ducts.  I tell my kids, ‘Look - I’m making part of that building.  I’m making part of our future.”

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