Acres is celebrating ๐๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ง ๐ข๐ง ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐๐ค by highlighting the contributions of the wonderful women that make up our team!ย
Get to know Melanie Atwater, a Journeyperson Carpenter with Acresโ Industrial Department who enjoys the variety of work that comes with the construction industry.
๐๐๐ฌ๐๐ซ๐ข๐๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ซ๐จ๐ฅ๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐ฃ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ๐ง๐๐ฒ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ฌ๐จ๐ง ๐๐๐ซ๐ฉ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ.
My role mostly entails building forms and pouring and finishing concrete. My job also includes reading prints, calculating layouts and most recently tying rebar.
๐๐ก๐ฒ ๐๐ง๐ ๐ก๐จ๐ฐ ๐๐ข๐ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ ๐๐ญ ๐ข๐ง๐ญ๐จ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง?
I stepped into the construction industry when I was working in home restoration. I had some exposure to carpentry and started my career by working for some renovation and home building companies. Now, Iโve moved into industrial construction and itโs a great change of pace.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ง๐ฃ๐จ๐ฒ ๐ฆ๐จ๐ฌ๐ญ ๐๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ญ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ๐ซ ๐ฃ๐จ๐?
What I enjoy most of my job is being active and working outside, especially on those days when I wish I could be outside! I enjoy the change of tasks as well. Everyone is positive and great to work with, which keeps the quality of work excellent.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐๐ฏ๐ข๐๐ ๐๐จ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐ก๐๐ฏ๐ ๐๐จ๐ซ ๐ฐ๐จ๐ฆ๐๐ง ๐ฐ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ข๐ง๐ ๐ญ๐จ ๐๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฒ?
It gets better. Thatโs the big thing to keep in mind when you enter an industry that is still mostly male dominated. Know that there is a place for you in construction, as much as the person next to you. Don’t tolerate harassment or stereotyping, because there are workers who will support you, treat you as an equal, and see that you succeed.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐ก๐๐ฅ๐ฅ๐๐ง๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎโ๐ฏ๐ ๐๐ง๐๐จ๐ฎ๐ง๐ญ๐๐ซ๐๐ ๐๐ฌ ๐ ๐๐๐ฆ๐๐ฅ๐ ๐ข๐ง ๐ญ๐ก๐ ๐๐จ๐ง๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฎ๐๐ญ๐ข๐จ๐ง ๐ข๐ง๐๐ฎ๐ฌ๐ญ๐ซ๐ฒ?
Still being such a minority in the trades, I think a lot of individuals still have preconceived ideas of what women are capable of. We don’t fit a box โ some of us can lift very heavy things and some cannot. When you first start out, it may feel like you have to prove yourself and that youโre capable of doing your job. Once I developed self-respect, I believed in myself and didnโt shy away from doing or saying the right thing.
๐๐ก๐๐ญ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฌ๐จ๐ฆ๐ ๐๐๐ก๐ข๐๐ฏ๐๐ฆ๐๐ง๐ญ๐ฌ ๐ฒ๐จ๐ฎ ๐๐ซ๐ ๐ฉ๐๐ซ๐ญ๐ข๐๐ฎ๐ฅ๐๐ซ๐ฅ๐ฒ ๐ฉ๐ซ๐จ๐ฎ๐ ๐จ๐?
Something I am particularly proud of is when I was in my first year at Fairview College. I really struggled with crippling anxiety, and I didn’t think I was smart enough. I got through my 8 weeks being awarded with the Instructors Award of Excellence for being top of my year in theory, shop, and final project scores. It was a very validating moment for me.