As we celebrate the nearly 100,000 amazing women that work in the transportation industry across Canada, and all the women in our lives, PWT would like to profile the journey of Liz Vomastic, Lead Hand at Southland Edmonton’s 17th Street Shop.
“I’ve been with Southland for five years now, I’m a red seal journeyman automotive service technician and lead hand at our 17th street shop in Edmonton.
I was a school bus driver when my girls were babies, and when they started school I knew I wanted to work full-time and support them. I had a crazy idea that if I could drive a school bus I could probably learn how to fix them as well.
Having zero mechanical background meant that it was hard to get a foot in the door. That’s where Women Building Futures came in. I did a 17-week program with them which was called “journeywoman start” (now renamed journey to trades) and this gave me several safety tickets and hands on experience with basic hand and power tools, as well as a change to try out different trades and get a feel for a trades environment.
I got my first shop job when I finished in 2015 and I guess the rest is history. I’ve been working on school busses for nine years total now and I love it so much.
I’m now working/volunteering as an ambassador for Women Building Futures to promote the skilled trades as a viable career choice for girls and women. I’m also very vocal about promoting the trades as an option for neurodiverse individuals as well as I am autistic/adhd myself and I feel that many of my traits/quirks have contributed to my success – as well as the support from my team in Edmonton.”
Thank you Liz, for sharing your story.
We have gathered a few resources for you to share with your friends, family, and co-workers, to support your efforts in raising awareness about barriers that impact the advancement of women and girls.
For Parents, Teachers, and Caregivers:
Teachers, parents, and caregivers play a key role in educating and challenging stereotypes + biases. Additionally, they inspire future generations by celebrating role models and highlighting the wide range of women’s achievements.
- Children and School Resources
- Gender and Women’s Rights Activity Pack
- IWD Childrens Reading List (5 – 15 years)
- “Little Leaders” Downloadable colouring sheet
For Management & Leaders:
- IWD/Lean In 50 Ways to Fight Bias program (designed to empower people to identify and challenge bias head-on)