Meet The... TF Community, Emily @bee_carpentry

As part of our Blog Series for Meet The... TF Community we are focusing this month on Women in Construction.

We had a chat with Emily @bee_carpentry who has been one of our customer's for a little while now.

Did you always want to work in construction?

ALWAYS….. My dad is a multi trade so we always ended up helping him, carrying materials, passing tools whatever he needed. 

As I got older I realised I wasn’t the “academic type” and I suited to manual tasks and enjoyed them more, so it seemed the logical step

How did you start in the trade?

I didn’t get into the trade in the traditional way.  I initially went to college to study plumbing but didn’t finish my course as my apprenticeship fell through because of the recession. 

Fast forward to me working in the local pub in the evenings and labouring for the regulars in the daytime. I dug footings, mixed plaster anything just to be on site. After a few years of doing this I went traveling and decided that when I got back I’d get my carpentry qualifications. 

I went back labouring to pay for my course, then once I qualified I went subbie-ing and really learnt the trade.

What do you enjoy the most?

Everyday is different, every job is a learning curve, I never get bored.  

And the community is great… everyone wants to share knowledge which is a huge help.

What's the one tool you can't live without?

Ohhh impact driver, I have an emotional attachment to it.
I’m still using the first one I ever bought.

How do you find it being a woman in construction - does it make any difference to you on site?

I haven’t had a bad experience, the sites I have been on the guys have been great. Everyone is super friendly and chatty, even if most of the time it’s out of curiosity. I think I have been lucky too with female only facilities :)

What do you enjoy doing in your downtime?

I am pretty active in my time off, I play rugby, do CrossFit and try to spend as much time in the sea as possible.

What would be your advise to girls considering carpentry as a profession?

If you are thinking of getting into any trade DO IT!! 

Do not be scared, you are more than capable of being a great tradesperson. 

And if you are just getting into a trade, ask questions, be enthusiastic make sure you are passing the right tool to the right person at the right time.