More than 200 young women from across Greater Sudbury were at Cambrian College on Oct. 24 to hear stories of how more and more women are finding success in the industrial trades.
But for all the successes, there was also a story of overcoming a challenge.
One of the speakers was Cambrian graduate (2017), Lauren Schandlen, who is now a Red Seal powerline technician for Ontario Hydro. She has worked on hydro line repair jobs across Ontario, which included dangling from a helicopter to install hydro poles in remote locations.
Schandlen went to high school in Bracebridge and now lives in Orillia.
Most recently, Schandlen returned from working in Georgia and Florida, helping to repair hydro lines damaged by hurricanes there.
She also told a harrowing story of working on a frozen, icy hydro tower near Toronto a few years back.
Schandlen said she had climbed about a third of the way up, five storeys high, when she realized she could not reach up to the next spar. Schandlen said it was a terrible moment for her at the time.
"It was February, icy and cold. I made so many excuses in my head of why I couldn't do it. I'm not strong enough, I'm too short, I'm tired, I can't do it. As I sat there, 50 feet in the air, everyone else on my climbing crew was already at the tower. I looked down at the guys on the ground and started to tear up behind my tinted safety glasses," she said.
Self-doubt crept in.
"Why did I think I could do this? I hate this," Schandlen told herself.
"After a couple minutes of feeling sorry for myself, I had to make the decision, either I climb down, not sure if I'd ever make it up the tower again and listen to the stories in my head, or figure out a way to get to the top."
She took a moment and realized she could use her backup safety lanyard, wrapped it around a steel spar, and used it as a step up.
"I did it. I climbed all the way up to the top," said Schandlen.
"The decision I made to keep going was the best thing I could have done for my self-confidence. Going forward, as the year went on, I got stronger. I didn't need to use my rope as a step anymore. I learned how to do the job that men had been doing for years before, but did it in a way that worked best for me," she told the students.
"I even became so good at climbing that I was, more often than not, the first person to the top while carrying a 50-pound, 200-foot rope hanging behind me."
Schandlen's inspiring story prompted applause from the students, most of whom were setting out Thursday to get some hands-on technical experience in a host of technology disciplines that included civil engineering, electrical technician, chemical engineering, mining, millwright, welding, electromechanical and mechanical engineering, automotive, carpentry, HVAC and powerline technician.
Schandlen also recalled her own high school days 10 years ago when she was uncertain of a career choice. She said teachers had encouraged her to follow the path to university, something most of her friends were doing.
Schandlen said when she chose Cambrian College's powerline program one of her high-school teachers actually said he was disappointed in her.
Schandlen said all technical occupations are likely to present challenges to the students. Her advice was brief.
"Embrace these challenges," she told the students.
"I encourage each of you to embrace whatever journey you choose with passion and resilience. Don't be afraid to take risks, to challenge the status quo, and to reach out for support when you need it."
Students also heard from Alison De Luisa, vice-president of human resources and student services at Cambrian.
She said roughly five per cent of women have chosen the skilled trades as a career.
"And guess what? That's not enough. We need you. We need you to make decisions about your careers that fit you. So we really want to encourage you to go into skilled trades. That decision is entirely up to you," De Luisa told the students.
She added that students will need mentorship and support. She encouraged the young women to apply for bursaries and scholarships as they move forward in their education. She added that there will be a payoff in the sense that the skilled trades offer so many good paying jobs and financial stability early on in people's careers.
In her closing comments, De Luisa urged the students to support one another as women in the trades. She told them that in going back to their schools, they should lift each other up and show support for young women who choose to be in the industrial workforce.
Len Gillis is a reporter at Sudbury.com.
