I’ve spent the last 30 years in trades. My first trade was as a Boilermaker—now called Heavy Metal Fabrication—starting at the age of 18. I’ve built custom cars and hot rods from scratch.

 I’ve been part of teams that refurbished and relocated the Cape Bowling Green Lighthouse, originally built in 1917, which still stands tall at the Australian National Maritime Museum in Darling Harbour. I was also heavily involved in the restoration of the 19th-century James Craig tall ship.

I’ve been part of teams building massive metal structure all over my hometown Sydney and I followed my passion for gardening by completing a Certificate II in Horticulture and running a gardening business in Sydney’s exclusive Eastern Suburbs. At 35, I returned to night school to complete my Carpentry Trade, which led me to start a decking company where I built hundreds of custom-designed decks.

But I was still hungry for more, so I thought I’d go all the way and complete my Builder’s and Construction Certificate IV.

For the last 15 years, I’ve been running Female Tradie, a business I’m immensely proud of. But the journey wasn’t easy. Back when I started, there were no female-owned or run tradie businesses - it was uncommon.

I was often met with surprise, even doubt when I arrived at clients' doorsteps. They would question my ability and qualifications, and it was disheartening. That’s when I decided to change the name of my business and Female Tradie was born . This simple shift eliminated those doubts and allowed me to get on with my job without having to prove myself repeatedly.

Female Tradie has since become more than just a skills-based trade service; it’s a stepping stone for hundreds of women and a go-to for training, whether through apprenticeships, workshops, or simply creating avenues for DIYers to be supported in their dreams. And the exciting part? This is just the beginning.