Women In Trades Wednesday - Moya Keighley
Moya started her profession with a year-long carpentry pre-trade certificate and has now been employed as a builder for two years, working through her carpentry apprenticeship with ITAB. She had previously worked in retail and, initially, didn’t have anyone who inspired her to start building. None of her family or friends is in the trades so she was going in completely blind. After developing an interest in tiny homes on wheels (THOWs) she thought “why not build my own?” and so decided to make the change to carpentry. Three days after having that idea, she was accepted into a carpentry pre-trade course at ARA so she could learn the basics of building.
Moya found that it took her about five months to find permanent work, even though the job market was good at the time, and she had been put in touch with companies looking for hammer hands or first-year apprentices by her pre-trade carpentry tutor. In her current position, Moya’s days can vary a lot, and that’s how she likes it. From standing frames and trusses to installing finishing work like skirting and door hardware, “having such a variety means that I’m always learning something new, and never getting tired of repetition.” Moya loves the expansive amount of work that she does, along with how useful it is now in her day-to-day life. She adds that her mental health has improved so much since working in trades. “Spending time outside, and working with a team I love, has been life changing.”
Initially finding it very challenging working in such a male-dominated industry, Moya had to learn to really advocate for herself and her boundaries. But, as time went on, she met some really wonderful men who would offer a lot of support and encouragement during the more challenging times. She’s very proud that she is still in the trades and has stuck it out, proving to herself that she is capable of anything she puts her mind to. Her future goals are to get qualified and start focusing on ‘finishing work’ (finish carpentry includes interior trim and millwork, such as baseboards, stair railings, crown moulding and casing around doors and windows, as well as cabinetry, built-in furniture and other wood details) or possibly even make the move into joinery further down the line.
Something Moya wished she’d known when she started, was to invest in good tools and comfortable workwear from the beginning. It’s definitely worth spending the extra bit of money on high-quality gear. She also found that doing a pre-trade was very valuable, as you are able to enter the workplace with a bit of confidence and knowledge, which goes a long way. Moya would also like to advocate for unions. “I know this isn’t a fun topic … .” From her experience, unions for tradespeople are very poor, despite it being something that people REALLY need in this industry. It’s so important to read up on your rights as an employee and to hold your employer accountable. “Advocate for yourself if needed, and don’t be shy to do so.”