‘Proving people wrong’: Carving her own path as a woman in trades

For Carmen Eby, there’s nothing like seeing the look on a young girl’s face when she pulls up in her work van.

“Sometimes I go to peoples’ homes, and they have a little girl. They always say, ‘Look, mom! It’s a girl.’ Heck yeah, it’s a girl,” Eby smiles.

An electrician with a small company in Lumby, Eby is one of a small group of women in trades in Canada. And, while she now has a comfortable position with supportive management in an equitable working environment, that hasn’t always been the case.

“I’ve dealt with a lot of misogyny in my four years as an electrician,” says Eby. “I’ve gotten comments like, ‘You shouldn’t be here, you should be at home where it’s warm.’ When I come across another woman in the trades and talk to them, I’ve learned it’s unfortunately quite common.”

According to Statistics Canada, women account for only 12.2 per cent of trades certificates granted in 2019. Beyond the underrepresentation of women in trades, wage discrepancy is a barrier Eby has faced herself. A study by Policy Options Politique found less than two per cent of electricians are women and, after eight years, earn $72,500 on average compared to $85,100 for men.

“I left my last company because it ended up being a very toxic environment. It happened really fast. I found out that the people I helped hire and train were making more than me as a woman,” says Eby.

“But my previous employers also taught me how to appreciate a good boss. I’m very happy with my new employer. He’s taken a chance on me, and I’ve learned a lot. And he’s easy to talk to. It makes a huge difference when you have a boss who understands.”

As a residential electrician in Lumby, Eby starts every morning by hopping in the work van and driving from job site to job site.

“With this company, I have my own van and it has been a learning curve. You think you know so much when you finish your four years of schooling, but I think that’s when it really starts,” says Eby. “When you have that mentality as an apprentice, it falls away as soon as you’re handed the blueprints to a renovation. But it’s good. If you think you know everything, you won’t learn anything at all.”

For Eby, that learning opportunity appears in the form of houses built in the 1950s when the building code was only a 10-year-old document.

“But I love my job. I always get to do something different,” says Eby. “Every day brings new jobs, new people and new aspects of the trade. It’s never-ending excitement.”

Originally connected to WorkBC through a previous employer, Eby secured employment with the support of the work subsidy program. Through the program, she was able to enter the workforce and purchase the necessary work tools and gear.

Eby’s WorkBC case manager was alongside Eby throughout her journey with her previous employer and was an outlet for Eby to voice her concerns.

“WorkBC really got me into the position where I was able to work with an employer for a year and a half for my first job after being an apprentice and my second time leaving home,” says Eby. “It was an incredible experience. They helped me out a lot and really got me on my feet.”

Inspired by her success in Lumby, Eby dreams of one day starting her own company and providing an equitable employment opportunity to women in trades.

“Being a female electrician is not an easy path. The stories you hear are true and you have to go into the field knowing that it will be an uphill battle,” says Eby. “But I love proving people wrong.”

Looking for job search assistance or skills training? Contact the WorkBC Centre in Vernon at 250-545-2215 ext. 230 or visit workbccentre-vernon.ca for more information.