Girls In The Trades

It is A Man’s World No Extra

By Gary McCreadie

Once I suppose again to my years in pre-apprenticeship coaching till now, I can truthfully admit that I can depend the quantity of females I’ve come throughout within the area on one hand.  Over time although, I’ve observed a small improve in feminine presence behind the counter on the half provide homes. Nowadays, I hop on line and discover ladies’s HVAC Fb teams comparable to Windy Metropolis Girls in HVAC and Girls In HVACR, the latter of these teams simply elected in Mary Jo Gentry, Advertising Communications Supervisor at Ritchie Engineering (Yellow Jacket) to function their new Prez…So, the surge of females in HVAC and Refrigeration is on, one individual accountable for this rise of the feminine empire is none apart from my subsequent inductee to the hvacknowitall.com Wall Of Fame.  

Introducing Julia Ballantyne, Julia is a member of the Instagram Household of elite technicians and rocks the deal with @techjules.  Scroll via the images and pictures of her job website shenanigans on IG and also you get an on the spot vibe of positivity and love for the commerce.  The 28 12 months outdated (quickly to be 29 she tells me, it is okay Julia, you’re nonetheless method youthful than me) works on the Canadian west coast within the lovely metropolis of Vancouver, British Columbia.  She is a member of UA516 and has been within the commerce for 5 years and is employed by Show Fixtures Refrigeration.  However wait there’s extra….In a brief 5 years, Julia has constructed up her bio fairly properly.  She has obtained her pink seal refrigeration ticket, fuel b ticket, RE electrical endorsement and accomplished an array of programs at her native union corridor.  Julia is on the social committee of her union, Co-Chair of Constructing Collectively BC (Girls of the Constructing Trades), and the Director of BC Trades Girls Society.  I simply have one factor to say,  damnnnn, you go lady!  

“Being a ladies in a profession dominated by males may be fascinating typically. I’ve had an important expertise in my profession and work with some superior guys!”

Julia loves her Klein 11 in 1 and Klein adjustable wrench.  She additionally adores her Cooper thermometer when it is not lacking in motion. 

“A profession in trades has countless enlargement and depth to it. I really feel like in different careers, you probably have one thing like a masters diploma you might be pigeon holed right into a small sector of what you are able to do. The trades are completely reverse of that. The extra expertise and data you purchase the extra choices confide in you and extra doorways you’ll be able to undergo. For the ladies fascinated by trades, simply strive it! You don’t have anything to lose and a lot to achieve.”

Julia’s ardour to carry individuals collectively and to develop the feminine presence within the trades is what units her aside.  She is setting an instance and making a tradition of clear lower positivity, whether or not you’re a man or a ladies, Julia’s instance of human sort is one we should always all attempt to comply with….Like the top line states, It’s A Man’s World No Extra!!!

It is solely store speak…

“I’ve a extremely joke from my second 12 months being an apprentice ….. me and one other apprentice have been getting a lesson from our journeyman on the best way to change the oil in a compressor. This one was an outdated lady, about 25 Years. So we remoted the valves and have been checking to see if the valves have been holding so we might open up the compressor to vary the oil. The strain raised barely (in all probability attributable to a little bit of refrigerant within the oil) I requested if it’s regular for valves to leak by. My journeyman stated, “nicely, would you count on it to be that tight after 25 years?”, his face blushed so pink and the opposite apprentice and I burst out laughing. He couldn’t cease apologizing and laughing on the similar time.”

Stick with it Julia…And it’s possible you’ll simply go down in historical past!!!

Completely satisfied HVACing

Gary McCreadie