The women training to be electricians and joiners
Nicole Catney (20), from Magheralin, Co Armagh, is in her second year of an electrical and electronic engineering course at Belfast Met. She has followed in her family’s footsteps, as her dad Damien and uncle John are both electricians. She says:
My family was building a new house and I watched my dad and uncle do the work every day — and it made me want to be able to do what they did.
At school I was good at the electrical side of physics, so when I was studying for my A-levels, I decided to find out more about how I could do it as a career.
I’m the first female in my family to want to do it — and my dad was over the moon.
Mum just wanted me to do whatever made me happy and is very supportive.
I studied physics, technology and maths at A-level, but when I didn’t get the results I needed to get into university I spoke to a tutor at Belfast Met and then signed up for the course.
On my first day I was the only girl in the classroom and I remember thinking ‘oh no’ — but then two other girls came in and I was so relieved. The guys in the class are okay with the fact that there are three girls working alongside them.
I remember during careers lessons at school there was always a shout out for more girls to enter these non-traditional professions.
I plan to go to the Ulster University in September to study for a degree in electrical and electronic engineering.
I’d love to get a job overseas, as I think it’s a skill that will take you anywhere.
My girlfriends always knew that I was interested in this career, so they aren’t surprised, but the guys I know were a bit old-fashioned — they thought that I would choose to study something like beauty. Having said that, they have all wished me well.
Gender shouldn’t come into a career choice.
Men can do what women do and women can do what men do — it’s as simple as that.
I enjoy the course and it was a great opportunity last year to take part in the World Skills competition.
I got third place and was awarded a bronze medal.
My fellow student, Christine McDowell, won gold and of the hundreds who entered there were only eight girls in the electronics category.
It was nice to see two girls come away with top prizes.”