Women in Trades Wednesday - Dani Rochford

This Women in Trades Wednesday Dani shares about working as a women in signwriting.

Dani has been working full-time in signwriting for about a year. Before this, she was doing a gateway course at Signlink through her school for two years in a row.

"This is my first job and I'm loving it every day. So far I have done the Signee course and I'm going on to do more training in the near future as well as an apprenticeship."

Every day at work is different, as Dani does a wide range of jobs - from simple flat panel signs, to big shop installs and car wraps. "I first heard about the industry when I did gateway at Signlink, I was going to be learning about design, but decided when I saw what else they do, that signwriting was more my speed."

When asked about challenges she has faced, Dani said "When I first started at Signlink I didn't have anyone to drive me up the hill their workshop is based on, so every morning I would walk 20 minutes up the hill to get to work and 20 minutes back home afterwards. There were, and still are, a lot of challenges with lifting signs and panels, at first I couldn't move the full-sized panels on my own and had to ask for help."

Dani says there is a lot she loves about her trade, but the best is definitely always being able to create something that others will appreciate, "learning how to make the more complicated signs that not everyone wants - but look unique and stand out" is one of her favourites.

One thing Dani is proud of in her career is the first time she manufactured a 3D box out of brushed ACM and black acrylic lettering, "it gave me a whole new boost to my confidence and taught me a lot through the process."

Dani days "My current goals are doing the Yoobee design course and then doing the apprenticeship, I also hope to learn and get better at what I already know so I can to it to the best of my ability."

Danis out-of-work life hasn't changed to much with her job, the only difference is being asked three main things all the time, "If we do tinting, if I can make someone a sticker or if I can wrap someone's car," other than that she says is pretty much the same.

Tips for people aspiring to be a signwriter - be curious, ask plenty of questions, and be ready and willing to learn. "Something I wish I knew when I started is just how under developed the signwriting training is compared to other trades."

So far, 99% of the signwriters she's meet have been great people, curious and creative, always ready to learn something new and always willing to teach you tips and tricks, Dani says "it's a great trade to get into!"