Meet three women who have
embarked on careers in the heavy
equipment operation industry. This
program profiles Chelsea Orvis, a
haul truck operator who transports
excavated oil-rich material;
Stephanie Jacques, a professionally
trained crane operator; and
Nathalie Desrosier, a tarmac heavy
equipment operator who clears
snow and ice from landing areas. Remarks from
co-workers and supervisors provide additional layers to the descriptions of each
job. View a preview video clip and read below for descriptions of each segment,
or scroll to the bottom to order!
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Chelsea works at the tar sands of Fort
McMurray in northern Alberta, hauling
excavated oil rich material to the mill for
processing. Once the oil is removed, the
remaining material is hauled back.
Chelsea likes her work, but cuts to the
chase when it comes to salary. Payday's
the best part of the job and why wouldn't it be. With overtime, an experienced
operator can make upwards of a hundred grand a year! “I enjoy what I am
doing. I see lots of room for improvement and advancement.
And I can see myself doing this until retirement.”
Heavy equipment operation offers quite a range of job
opportunities, none of which were on Chelsea's resume when
she wheeled in to apply. Chelsea's background was office work
and a university education. Being a desk jockey was not her
driving ambition however. After coming across an ad for heavy
equipment training at a local college, Chelsea chose a different
route to success.
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Size doesn't matter when it comes to
operating a crane. Just ask Stephanie
Jacques, the first woman in Quebec to be
professionally trained as a crane operator.
She's tiny!
Still an apprentice, Stephanie admits to
being a bit awestruck when following crane
operators on-site. You have to know your stuff and there's very little room for
mistakes. Once she's put in enough hours, Stephanie will be granted her Class
A permit and be ready to scale the heights of her profession.
Stephanie had to go through a rigorous selection process once
she applied to be a crane operator. There were math tests,
manual dexterity tests and 3-dimensional eye exams. In the end,
she was one of 15 applicants selected by the committee.
Stephanie enjoys good working conditions and there can be big
money in operating a crane. The more experience she gets, the
more money she will make.
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For Tarmac Heavy Equipment Operator
Nathalie Desrosier, the more nontraditional
the job, the better. She's
cleared a path for other women, working
first as a railway conductor before landing
a job at Dorval International airport as an
equipment operator. She helps keep the
runways in perfect condition in rain or
shine - or in several tons of snow!
Nathalie can operate all types of heavy equipment at the airport. This involves
clearing snow, de-icing the landing area and
performing basic maintenance duties on the
machinery.
Nathalie enjoys the solitude of her job. Even in a
team, she works alone, because the only contact
when in action is over the radio. Her easy-going
personality is an asset in this male-dominated
environment. She takes things with a grain of
salt, just as they do.
Click the image to the left
for a preview video clip!
Click to Return to Full DVD List
Developed in 2006 in Canada, the Career Options for Women series is an
outstanding resource for schools wanting to attract women and girls to Science,
Technology and Trades!
Please Note: These videos are an excellent depiction of women in these jobs
and are interspersed with Canadian salary and labor statistics, which are
similar to the numbers in the United States. As there is a no-return policy on
these publications, please make sure to look at the preview video clip for the
DVD(s) you are ordering.
Pricing - Career Options for Women: Emerging Technologies DVDs
