Describe your day-to-day responsibilities.
My team consists of eight team members, including other tradespeople and maintenance mechanics. Together we are responsible for over 20 buildings, so I begin each day at the computer and update any plans I had from the prior day, adjusting as needed and adding in any new issues that came up and need to be addressed. I organize my work orders and PMs by priority and location, working to fulfill them while also tracking new and emergent work orders throughout the day.
Describe the path you took to arrive in your current role.
After twenty plus years in sales, I decided to go back to school and do what I probably should have done at age eighteen, become an electrician. My first job got me through to my journeyman’s license at age 46, so I was older when I started in this career. I worked in the construction field for some time focusing on electrical work, then I decided to move into the maintenance end of electricity, that’s what brought me to Medxcel in 2020. Age and experience taught me that working in electrical maintenance was the right career choice for me.
How did you become interested in a career as an electrician?
My father was an electrician, and I was interested in it from a young age. The only qualms I had about going into maintenance work were about my small size; my hands are very small, and I wasn’t sure I’d have the strength necessary but I do. Honestly, I had no qualms about being female. People are sometimes surprised when I tell them what I do and I’m the only female on my team, but customers react positively to me and my teammates treat me well. Medxcel has been a very positive place for me to work which hasn’t always been the case at my previous employers. People here are always willing to help one another.
What advice do you have for other women who might be considering a career in the trades?
To me it’s very simple, women need to be taught that it’s okay to get their hands dirty. Growing up with my father, who was an electrician, I learned that it was okay to do mechanical work and get your hands dirty. He didn’t care that I was a girl. I did learn that because I’m smaller, there may be some tasks it’s crazy for me to attempt, simply because it is going to take me longer to accomplish than someone bigger or stronger. But that’s okay. Men and women and every individual approach jobs differently. It’s important to know your strengths and limitations and then be a part of a team that can together accomplish everything that needs to be done.
Which of Medxcel’s Core Values are most important to you?
I particularly value Integrity and Dedication in my work; they’re equally important to me. Without integrity there really are no values. Without dedication you can’t operate within your value system. If you keep those two values in the forefront of your work, the others will fall right into place.
What’s the best thing about working for Medxcel?
I’ve had a long career and I’ve worked at a lot of places and with a lot of different people. The best thing about Medxcel is the people and how much they care about you. Here there is always someone to help you, it’s truly a family atmosphere and we really work together and support each other as a team.