Women In Trades Wednesday- Kat Ricketts

Kat Ricketts is a carpentry apprentice. On a typical day, Kat is first on site, opening up, setting out tools and power cables, then last off site after packing down and cleaning up. Everything in between is changeable day to day. 

A desire for a healthier lifestyle, to be her own boss and to increase her capabilities led Kat to choosing a trade. 

On what she enjoys about her carpentry career, Kat says the planning and communication is what she loves most. It's her strength and something she saw as lacking in most construction projects she worked on before becoming an apprentice.

Kat’s most proud career achievement is securing an apprenticeship within a few weeks. “You always have your doubts when quitting a job without securing another, but the carpentry industry in New Zealand is currently open to female workers. There are historically low unemployment rates and hardly any men to hire. She says now is the time to step in and open the doors wider for women in trade.”

Future career goals for Kat are to be self employed, give back to her community through social housing in some way, keep healthy and live longer.

A couple of pieces of advice from Kat for anyone looking to get into trades: “Get your driver's license and a car, and don’t let the old school mentalities scare you off. They are very old and they'll be dead soon. The future is yours and you'll get to shape the industry going forward.”