March Apprentice of the Month

Dunedin apprentice Morgane Torr has been crowned the March Apprentice of the Month for her can-do attitude towards being a first-year female apprentice in a male-dominated industry

Morgane Torr is a first-year apprentice from Dunedin with a lot on her plate. Not only is she learning something new, she’s also got to do it while getting to grips with the challenges of working in a male-dominated industry.

“There can be some full-on days at times,” she says, “especially when I’m physically tired, while still trying to learn and retain new information. I go home pretty mentally exhausted, as well as physically worn out.”

When Morgane started her apprenticeship, she put a lot of pressure on her shoulders to get things spot-on straight away – but now she says she’s a lot more forgiving.

“I used to feel really bad every time I made a mistake, in case it meant we had to reorder supplies but then I realised nobody expects me to get stuff right the first time. 

“As the only female builder on site, I hated asking for help, because I felt I had to work extra hard to prove myself, but I’ve since learned that’s not the case.”

Mistakes create learning opportunities

The liberty to make mistakes creates a more productive learning experience, she continues.

“I’ve learned heaps since I relaxed more about getting things wrong. Being in that mindset helps me stay positive on site and repeating tasks helps me learn how to do them more effectively as well.”

Morgane, who is completing a Carpentry Apprenticeship, says she’s making good progress.

“One area I’ve improved a lot in is cutting out plug and pipe holes. I still sometimes get them wrong, but I’m confident to work on that area by myself. From time to time, I’ll still ask before I cut, just to make sure!”

Strength is overrated

One outdated stereotype that Under Construction has previously written about is that female tradies or apprentices lack the strength to properly navigate the job site, but Morgane says it’s not something she’s experienced.

“At the start of my apprenticeship, I pushed myself to lift as much as I could, but then I realised I don’t need to. It’s far better for the job if I don’t break myself trying to lift something that’s too heavy for me – and that goes for everyone working on site. Everyone is trying to avoid injuries, so they’re happy to help and easy to approach.”

All-in-all, Morgane is finding the industry a welcoming environment.

“People sometimes assume they can’t joke or say the usual stuff around me, but I’ve told them heaps I don’t mind. I’m happy to joke around.”

“I’ve heard other female apprentices say toilets on site can be pretty gross, but the guys I work with seem committed to keeping them in good condition for everyone’s sake. The only thing is that there’s no sanitary bins in most site toilets, which isn’t ideal.”

Happy in the industry

“I don’t let the fact this is a male-dominated industry put me off; women can build just as well as men. I also need to keep remembering that I’m in my first year, so I have plenty of time to learn to be as good a builder as the best – man or woman.”

Morgane is loving her apprenticeship and looking forward to seeing where it takes her.

“I’m getting stronger physically and mentally every day, and I really enjoy the variation I get from learning heaps of different trades. I used to want to be an architect but I don’t think I could ever do a desk job now!”

Each winner of Apprentice of the Month gets the chance to be named The Novice Who Nailed It, receive ultimate bragging rights and a prize valued over $500 (incl. GST).