Women In Trades Wednesday- Hannah Smits

Hannah Smits, Is a 26 year-old General Engineer, Fitter Turner Maintenance from Christchurch.

 No two days are the same for Hannah. Mostly she will be machining on the lathe or mill, but often she can be out on-site doing maintenance and service work, or operating the CNC mills and lathes.

 Hannah was drawn to engineering through her previous job at a gunsmithing store. She started working in the store and logging in rifles for work. As she showed an interest in what was happening in the workshop, they showed her a few basic techniques. The government was then offering a Women in Trades scholarship and Hannah decided to do her pre-trade in General Engineering, where she studied for 6months and worked part time during her studies.

 On what she loves most about her trade, Hannah says “I love the variety I have at work as no day is the same, I also love seeing the finished product and handing it over to the customer.” 

She explains her most proud career achievement: “Finishing my apprenticeship and achieving the certificate was a huge moment for me and proving to myself that I could do it, despite being the only female in my course. I am most proud when I finish off a project and I can hand it over to the customer and they are amazed and happy with the finished product.”

Hannah also loves “the look on most guys faces when they see my long, painted nails- they always ask "how do you do your job with those?!" in which I always reply with "Quite easily thanks, how do you do your job?"

 Hannah’s short-term career goals are to keep gaining skills every day and become the absolute best she can be. Long term, she would love to take on leadership role in her field.

 Advice she would give someone looking to get into engineering /fitter turning would be: “Don’t look back. It's scary going into the pre trade course or starting fresh at a new job. But it is worth it, to prove it to yourself and everyone that you can do it and be amazing at what you do.”