Hannah Leslie loves working with her hands.
A semester removed from the Carpentry Foundations Program at Camosun College, where she was the youngest in the class, the Belmont student secured enough credits to graduate high school before the last semester started.
Already having raised eyebrows by securing a $500 Vancouver Island Construction Association scholarship, her construction teacher at Belmont said none of HannahB次元官网网址檚 accomplishments come as any surprise to him.
B次元官网网址淚n a trade that is male-dominated, some people hide, they lack that confidence. Hannah didnB次元官网网址檛 lack the determination to jump in,B次元官网网址� Jason said.
B次元官网网址淭hat is what I noticed, that Hannah was different...she just jumped in and did it.B次元官网网址�
Jason, who shares the same last name but is no relation, said he had never met a female who just wanted to be a carpenter like Hannah did at the time B次元官网网址� and saw her grow from someone who was little bit reserved to start, to someone who was taking control of her own learning.
B次元官网网址淔lipping through the still pictures from the beginning of the semester to the end, (you see) she was off to the side in February watching while males did it. But you see later on in March and April she now had tools in her hand and the guys are off to the side,B次元官网网址� Jason said.
B次元官网网址淣ot that she pushed them aside, you could (just) see her comfort and confidence grow.B次元官网网址�
He remembers Hannah was also often the first to finish the national certifications and competencies exams, where he realized right away she had the B次元官网网址渢extbook smarts,B次元官网网址� before he had the opportunity to see her work with her hands.
Having taught her for a semester, he said B次元官网网址渟urprised,B次元官网网址� but B次元官网网址減roud,B次元官网网址� when Hannah became the first female to win the VIMA scholarship.
B次元官网网址淚tB次元官网网址檚 pretty exciting and itB次元官网网址檚 cool for me to see. Usually only guys win them so it is cool as a woman to achieve that. I know that when I was looking to get into carpentry it was kind of weird,B次元官网网址� Hannah said.
B次元官网网址淭here was no girls, you never hear about girls going really far in carpentry, but hopefully other (females) will.B次元官网网址�
She said she is very much an outdoor person who enjoys working with her hands, following the footsteps of her father who has been a carpenter as long as she remembers.
Hannah will have already had two construction jobs as an apprentice before sheB次元官网网址檒l have attended her prom.
B次元官网网址淲hen I was working in carpentry it was the happiest I have ever been, it doesnB次元官网网址檛 seem like work to me. Even though there is so much (labour), there is so much to be learned and so much to explore,B次元官网网址� Hannah said.
B次元官网网址淲hen you are a carpenter, that is really exciting...I just found something I really love doing.B次元官网网址�
Jason said the possibilities for Hannah are endless, especially with the construction industry changing from a B次元官网网址渂lue collar plan B, to an option over white collar jobs.B次元官网网址�
B次元官网网址淧eople like Hannah are going to be the leaders in the construction industry in the West Shore. Once she has her Red Seal in carpentry she can go to way more higher levels and that is where I see her going,B次元官网网址� Jason said.
B次元官网网址淚 see her working through every person male or female, working through all the facets of carpentry and becoming a journeyman or journeywoman, and once she has that certification she can look at project management.B次元官网网址�
