How has this experience influenced your future career choice?

This experience has influenced my career choice tremendously. Before this opportunity I had no idea what I wanted to do with my life but after getting this placement everything changed. Getting a hands-on experience at an actual job site taught me so much more than a classroom ever could. I got to see what plumbers do and instantly fell in love with it. Once I learned their were different kinds of plumbers (industrial and residential) It made me realize there was so much more to it then meets the eye. The work plumbers do is pretty repetitive, once you pick something up you have it for life. My future aspirations are to get an apprenticeship in the union and start my career as an industrial plumber. Without this experience I would have no clue what my future would be like, but Im proud to say I figured it out and I can’t wait to see myself plumbing in the years to come.

What did you learn about the trade?

I’ve learned so many things at this placement, from little things like measuring to larger things like putting pipe structures together. Everyday I learned new things, I learned how to properly cut rods and pipes, how much dope needed to be applied to fittings, how much of a slant the pipes needed to be at and even learned a little bit about reading blueprints. I also learned in other ways as well, I got to see what happens when a company goes on strike and was taught that in the union things are way different. The people at this placement never failed to teach me new things, and I’m confident enough that if a plumbing problem ever happened in my house, I could fix it.

What advice can you tell other women who are considering  a career in plumbing?

The advice I would give other women who are considering a career in plumbing would be don’t let anybody tell you that you can’t do it. There will be people who believe the trades is a mans job, but you can’t let those people tell you your limits. If you truly love this career and can picture yourself happy with your life choices in a few years, then don’t let anybody stop you. If you work hard enough and earn a spot as a plumber, that proves to you and everyone around you that you are capable and you deserve it.

How was participating in OYAP beneficial to you?

Participating in OYAP was beneficial to me because it gave me a learning experience that no classroom ever could. I got to experience the life that plumbers live on a day to day basis and In a way I became one of them. It really pushed me to see what the trades had to offer and I realized that school isn’t always what’s right for some people.

 Sometimes you have to go against what everyone tells you to find your place in this world. I was always taught to finish high school and go to university to have a happy life with money and a good career. But I never liked school, so when I got this opportunity I found apart of myself and I found my future. Without OYAP I wouldn’t have found this career and I wouldn’t be as happy as I am today.

Would you suggest OYAP to other students. Why with an example?

I would strongly recommend OYAP to other students because not everyone knows what they want to do in life, and even those who think they do might change their mind after seeing what its really like. In my opinion, this experience is something everybody should do because it gives you a real life experience with any career you have in mind. Its smarter to test drive a career to see if its actually something you enjoy then to pay money for the schooling and find out it wasn’t what you’d thought it’d be. OYAP puts students in the real world and gives them a taste of what life really is, and I would strongly recommend students to participate.

Alyssa Jesso, Student Testimonial