So id been meaning to do this post last week, but unfortunately, with so much going on still, I haven't had a chance. Moving from one profession to another, the one you left behind never really leaves! So I've been doing a full days working and coming home and doing client design work, with a few websites on the go currently! So it pretty full on.
But I thought id share a few words about my first week on the job as a full-time laborer working in Queenstown. For the first few months, I will be working as a laborer until I have a bit more knowledge about building before undertaking an apprenticeship, which is totally fine with me, as I wouldn't want to be going into study blind on what anything is about. But at the same time, I can't wait to get my hands on the books and have the work I'm doing each day help me work towards a qualification in carpentry.
I think the first week was one of the toughest. We were delayed in starting work, so between leaving my last job and starting a new one, I had about 1 month's holidays (i know who would complain) but after a few weeks and making the move from Auckland to Queenstown, I was itching to get started.
The first day was helping out getting GIB up in a flat within a house, so we were prepping for the 2 layers needed for the firewall. Coming from a job spending 7 hours a day on my butt, I can tell you now, after this day, my body HATED me. My abs were sore, my arms were sore, legs were sore, and I lost grip on a sheet of GIB and it slid down my shin, so that was a wicked bruise!
For the rest of the week, my brother and I (who is kinda my boss, which is pretty cool) were placed on a site, which to my legs hated, it was pretty much vertical. So when I say vertical, I mean you can put your feet sideways and slide down the hill. So forgetting anything from the car which was on the road above... yeah that was never good, not to mention we had some of the HOTTEST weather of the past few years, sitting at 32º - 35º. The site had been lined out ready for works to begin and had two trenches dug ready for the first two lots of footings. I learned how to correctly tie stirrups and how to gain a million cuts on your legs from the ties sticking out, to the point I had to ring Mum to check when my last tetanus injection was. It was a pretty good feeling see the section turn from a few empty holes, to a bunch of posts all braced in and ready for concrete to come. (images above)
So that was pretty much what my first week on a building site was like. Including one rain day, which was also the day the concrete for the footings arrived, so we still worked the morning in the rain. One thing I would like to say is, I'm pretty happy with the team of guys I've been working with down here. Not once have I been given any shit for being a girl, not once has someone said "oh that will be too heavy for you, I'll get it" they have always let me give it a go and then if its a bit beyond my current strength then id let them give me a hand. Being treated no different than anyone else is exactly what I was looking for! So it's been a great start.
Sorry, this blog post was probably terrible, I'm not the best writer, but if I can give a little insight into what It's like being a female in the building industry in New Zealand, hopefully, more women will take up the challenge of completing a trade qualification. It's definitely not just a mans industry
Chelsea.
