Many young people find it difficult to decide what career to pursue – one that will allow them to demonstrate their passion and allow them to come home at the end of the day feeling accomplished. Carpenters’ Union (UBC) Local 2486 member Danica Laurin was no exception.
As a young teen, Danica first showed an interest in the trades when she participated in the Skills Ontario carpentry competition in 10th grade. But even after that experience, in 11th grade, Danica still felt at a loss for what she wanted to do once high school was over. In her uncertainty, Danica turned to her father for advice. Danica’s father, a long-time member of the UBC, talked about his experience working as a carpenter and what he shared resonated with Danica. No longer uncertain; she had her mind set on a career in the skilled trades.
By participating in the provincially funded Programme d'apprentissage pour les jeunes de l' Ontario (PAJO), also known as the Ontario Youth Apprenticeship Program (OYAP), Danica was able to begin her journey as an apprentice at 17 years old, while finishing grade 12. Once she had completed high school, she was ready to become a member of Local 2486 and has now been a member for over three years.
During her time with the Union, she has been described as a “rockstar member” who gets involved and continuously displays dedication. She is currently working as a scaffolder and says she is “pleasantly surprised at how much she like[s] it.” Recently, she has been working on a jobsite that once required her to build a 30 ft high 4x4 scaffold tower by herself. But the task was not as daunting as it seemed, especially with her colleagues supporting her. Those she worked alongside encouraged her the entire time and helped pass gear while she was building, and describe her as a “person with positive energy and a great attitude”. Danica was able to overcome her fear of heights, and learned how valuable it is to trust her teammates. Once she was finished building the tower, she said she felt the most fulfilled and accomplished since beginning her apprenticeship.
While Danica demonstrates positivity on the jobsite, she maintains it while also acting as the recently appointed chairperson for the Local 2486 Sisters in the Brotherhood (SIB) committee, a group that offers support to fellow tradeswomen. The first thing she did in her new role was establish a social media group to improve communication and connect the women of Local 2486. She hopes that this will give all committee members a means to feel supported, encouraged, and heard, given the large area of Northern Ontario that Local 2486 covers. Danica’s involvement with SIB aligns with her goals to help other women in the trade and provides her with a platform to reach out to schools and young women to make a difference in their lives, just as the UBC has done for her.
Being a member of the UBC, Danica feels incredibly proud of the work she gets to do and the impact she can have on the next generation of skilled tradespeople. For other young women interested in a career with the trades, Danica echoes the advice her father bestowed to her during their first conversation about the Carpenters’ Union: “don’t be there to prove a point; let them show you how it’s done and show them how well you can do it.”
Learn more about the Carpenters District Council of Ontario online here.