Level Up with Duayne Pearce
I take on the role of an authoritative voice that fearlessly communicates truths drawn directly from my lived experiences. With a genuine sense of ownership, my insights are free from any hidden agendas – they truly belong to the audience. My stories and journey add remarkable value, the key now lies in harnessing its power effectively to help others.
My purpose is to create a new residential building industry. My mission is to inspire unshakable self-confidence in my colleagues in the industry, empowering them to orchestrate prosperous, enduring, and lucrative businesses that bring exceptional projects to fruition for our clients.
My goal is to foster a deeper comprehension among clients about the identity and functions of builders, redefining their perceptions.
Level Up with Duayne Pearce
A Young Female Builder Leading the Way...
#125 Felicity Pettiford shares her compelling journey from a young girl with dyslexia to a thriving carpenter and advocate for women in construction. Her story highlights resilience in overcoming challenges, the importance of breaking barriers, and the need to support aspiring builders in a traditionally male-dominated industry.
Check out Felicities Insta page here...
@sydneybuilderchick
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What was your driver? To get out and get an apprenticeship.
Speaker 2:I absolutely love construction and timber.
Speaker 1:I actually want my daughters to listen to this podcast.
Speaker 2:And it makes me wake up excited to go to work and be like all right. What does today hold for us?
Speaker 1:Your passion is absolutely just jumping through the screen. It's insane. G'day guys. Welcome back to another episode of Level Up. We're back in the office today for another Zoom podcast and I am really pumped for this one. I love supporting females in the building industry. I think there are so many positions that they can fill, but you would hear me banging on all the time like this building industry would fall over if it wasn't for females, especially behind the scenes. They tend to do a lot of the admin and the bookkeeping and stuff and no one really hears about what the roles they play. But they also play a big role on site and the guest we've got on today is going to fill us in on her story. I think she's going to inspire a lot of people. I actually want my daughters to listen to this podcast. So, um, look, big warm welcome to felicity pettiford. Sydney builder chick. How are you?
Speaker 2:I'm good, thanks, how are you? Yeah?
Speaker 1:I'm really well thanks. Thanks so much for um taking some time out to come on and tell us your story today I'm more than happy to thank you for having me so let's go back to where it all started, because, um, you got into the industry what? When you were 16.
Speaker 2:yeah, 16.
Speaker 1:so that's a like. I feel like that's a pretty big leap for anyone. But I don't know, I don't want to put it, put you in a basket or something, but like, especially for a female not to finish school, um, like, what was it? What was your driver to get out and get an apprenticeship?
Speaker 2:What was your driver to get out and get an apprenticeship? Well, I was diagnosed with dyslexia when I was a very young girl and having that learning difficulty was really hard for me to excel in high school, get good grades and possibly potentially go to uni. So I had to then think outside the box to help myself. What am I capable to do? Because my grades weren't the best for me to actually take the next step, to go into university. So I absolutely loved construction and Tim Barr chose that as an elective. When I was in year nine and my grades were all A's, my parents like wow, like this is something you could potentially do. So I then chose construction as an elective and A's again, I was really good at it. My teachers then began to say you need to look outside the box and see if you want to potentially do this as a future thing. So I then chose to do work placement.
Speaker 2:I tried work placement for all different companies, all different building industries as well, whether it's bricklaying, electrician gave it all a go, and carpentry and construction definitely shined out of all of them. I loved the way everyone was just so supportive about it. Obviously there were a lot of people that were oh, do you really want to be in a building industry? It's not really a girl's world, you know. Or why don't you go to university to try hairdressing? And all those industries did not really take a shine in.
Speaker 2:That's what I wanted to do. Do I really want to be cutting hair? Do I really want to be I don't know doing all these different jobs, I definitely thought construction was the one for me, and it still is today and I love it. It's one of the best decisions I've made in life, by stepping outside that comfort zone, breaking the the barrier and being like yes, I am a female in a male-dominant industry, but let's break that. Like, you see a lot of males doing hairdressing and everyone's okay with it. Why do we have to manipulate that subject of women being in the construction industry? It should be 50-50 whether it's in construction or outside construction.
Speaker 1:Yeah, and I love your passion. It's jumping through the screen.
Speaker 2:Thank you.
Speaker 1:Like is anyone else in your family in the industry?
Speaker 2:No, no one is. So when I told my parents they were like, wow, really Well, you're good at it, you've got A's, you're really handy, really clever and you're very creative. So we wouldn't say why you wouldn't do it and we're always going to support you. Funny now, my brother's actually a second year electrician, so definitely brought the tradies into the household. So it's pretty cool.
Speaker 1:That's awesome. So how did you go about finding?
Speaker 2:an apprenticeship Really hard and that's what I want to make a change in society and in the future. It took me I decided. When I chose timber as an elective in year nine I was like I really like this done the workplace and I'm like this is something I want to do. So I put my fillers out there. I'm not going to stay in high school. So I started applying through seek. All the job agency is out there and it, I think, I called over. I still have the book today and it actually gets pretty um overwhelming.
Speaker 2:Reading through all the phone calls and emails and constantly being consistent with harassing them like, hey, do you want a first year? This that over 150 people, not only just in Sydney, a Sydney wide, queensland, melbourne. I was willing to take anything on just to get the experience that I need of getting past the first year, because I feel like a lot of people don't really want first years. It's just like it's too much effort, too much time. So breaking that first year through and being like I've completed my first year, my second year was my priority.
Speaker 2:So it took, I think, two, two and a bit years to try and lock in an apprenticeship, which was really devastating when you know you've got a drive for a job. It's devastating when someone says to you, oh sorry, no. And when you know you've got a drive for a job, it's devastating when someone says to you, oh sorry, no. And when you consult consistently, getting the knockback you get overwhelmed by is it something to do with me? Is it so? It is really overwhelming and I think, um, breaking that, that barrier of females, first year construction. It needs, it needs to go.
Speaker 1:Yeah.
Speaker 2:All of that needs to disappear.
Speaker 1:Yeah, well, look, there's room for everybody. And look, obviously everyone's got different strengths and weaknesses. It doesn't matter whether you're female or male. Look, everybody's different. So I think we've got to really encourage young females to well, not so much the young females, because I believe there's a lot of them, we've got to encourage people that have businesses to take the opportunity to employ them. I know myself as an employer in the building industry like we've got multiple females in our office. We've had a few females reach out over the years for apprenticeships for one reason or another. It hasn't worked out, but I can see how it is a challenge to bring a young female especially into it, into a team, especially with some of the chat and there's a carry-on that goes on on job site. So like, how have you found that since starting your apprenticeship and working your way through it?
Speaker 2:I definitely feel like there's been a massive change from when I've started to now. Um, like the little chats, the little conversations when I first started oh, boys, make sure you watch your p's and q's. Be polite, don't be grotty, you know. Present yourselves well. Um, don't talk to her like little things like that, which I mean. It's polite for an employer to do that to their crew before me walking on site. However, I don't want it to be different.
Speaker 2:Regardless whether I'm female or male, you're in a tough job. It is a hard job, but if you love it so much and you're willing to put the hours in, the effort, the commitment, it's such an amazing industry to be a part of, so you really got it. You have to be thick skinned, that's with anything you know. If someone gives you a bit of a banter, you laugh at them, give it back to them. It's just, it's all about friendly banter.
Speaker 2:But starting from then to now, I definitely did feel that I was treated so differently to the way I do now. I'm equal. Where I am now. Uh, they don't look at me. Oh, she's just a girl like oh, you gotta say this or be careful what you do or whatnot. They treat me like one of the boys in a good way, like you know, have a banter, have a laugh, um, have a conversation with not just exclude me because I'm a female but when I had, when I was in my first year, it was like, oh, don't talk to her or be careful, or be a smart ass, and just took it the wrong way. And you have to sometimes be careful what you say. You can't be saying this and that it's like whoa, okay, chill out. But I feel like if you're with the right people, they make you feel equal and that's what it should be. It's about equability in the world.
Speaker 1:Yeah, exactly, and just making people feel comfortable. There's a time and place for everything, so you've got to pick and choose what you talk about and how you carry on. So how many people in the team that you work in there, the team that you work in?
Speaker 2:There's 10 of us, 8 of us, 10 or 8 of us at the moment. Everyone's just. We've got some people off for holidays because they've got kids and they want to be off, so I think there's 8 of us at the moment. But it's great. Every day is different. I'm working with different crews every day. It's not the same people, same job. It's always different and that's why I feel like we have such a great work relationship like that's. I see these guys more than my family, so I want to be able to get on with them and have a good work relationship with them, because if time's hard, you want to be able to go back to your work mates and reflect on what happened and talk to them. So having a healthy work environment does make your mental health a lot better as well oh, for sure, sure.
Speaker 1:So you're now finished your apprenticeship.
Speaker 2:Yes, I am.
Speaker 1:And you obviously did a good job. You won a couple of awards.
Speaker 2:Yes, I did.
Speaker 1:So do you want to tell us a little bit about them?
Speaker 2:Yes. So I was very fortunate enough to win the Burt Evans Scholarship Award. So, behind all that, it's the Apprentice of the Year. I applied for it because the company I was with at the time, in the office they're like, hey, just apply for it, you know no harm. And I was like, okay, cool. Got a phone call a couple of weeks later after applying hey, you've made it into the top 10. We want to do a little interview and a review on you and do a little case study on how your journey has been in the industry. They've done a little case study. I got a call a month later Felicity, you've won the scholarship. I was like, oh sweet, you know me thinking in my head yay, I've won an award. How great, with the scholarship you actually win twenty thousand dollars.
Speaker 2:I was like all right sorry, and they're like, yes, so completing your apprenticeship, four years in your apprenticeship your first, second, third and fourth every year throughout your apprenticeship for you to stay in it. Well, obviously you have to stay in it. You're not going to leave your apprenticeship and still get money every year. I got five grand to complete my apprenticeship, which helped me complete it, which helped me buy my tools, buy the resources that I need to get the job done, like you can be a carpenter, but without your tools it that's not going to happen. So it helped me pay off my ute, buy the tools that I needed and just, yeah, having that one.
Speaker 2:That scholarship really helped me, as an individual, get through my apprenticeship with all the resources and material that I managed to get. So I've been qualified now for three years. Three years now. We're coming up to third year at the end of this year, which is such a blessing. We're still going. We're not giving up yet. We're coming up to third year at the end of this year, which is such a blessing we're still going. We're like we're not giving up yet. We're going to keep going.
Speaker 1:Are you still working for the same company?
Speaker 2:No, we've gone for a lot of companies. I think this is my fourth now. The last company was a bit of an unfortunate. I had such a good relationship with the boss but he didn't want to run the company anymore and then he goes would you like to run it for me while I become a paramedic? And I was like shit, okay, all right, done it for a bit and I was like I can't do this. It's really stressful just having to manage a big crew as well. I was like this is a lot. So I said to him unfortunately, I just I can't do this right now. I am only 19. It's a lot to take on my plate.
Speaker 2:So, in saying that, I'm grateful for being put in that position. I know how to run a business. I know how to manage and supervise people and manage multitasking, being like, all right, can you do this, let's do this. All right, you know just having a schedule, having a timeline when jobs need to get finished, to have that smooth sailing throughout the job obviously, nothing ever smooth sailing on site. Something happens and you're like, oh shit, change of plans, let's do this. So I have a lot of experience being able to run jobs, which I'm thankful for, which helped me open my own business.
Speaker 2:So I was still I'm running the business, but I was working for myself for five months and, and I just think, with the carpentry industry you go through inflation periods. The next minute you're absolutely pumped for work and you've got to work back late, got to work Saturdays and Sundays, and then inflation drops and then there's no work and you're hustling for work. So going through that period was really hard, especially when it was a hustle period where everyone was trying to get work to keep their head above water. I was like I can't do this so said I'm going to keep my business open for weekends. If someone wants a job done that I can manage to do in a weekend or after work, I'll do it. So I managed to get onto the company that I'm with now all about carpentry and I love it.
Speaker 2:It is different. We are in project homes. However, we are getting a lot of client jobs coming into decks, extensions for goalers, which is great, because when you get one of those, it's like, oh, it's a treat getting a deck here and there. So, yeah, we've started getting into more of that, which is really great. But the flexibility, the way I get treated how everyone is on site. I think it's nice and it makes me wake up excited to go to work and be like all right, what does today hold for us? So it is really lovely. So I think definitely finding that that spot of being happy within yourself making sure you're happy with what you're doing and who you're with, but then making sure that you're equal as well is so important.
Speaker 1:So where to from here? Like you've finished your apprenticeship now, you've been working outside of that for a couple of years. What's your goals?
Speaker 2:So next year I've just become public with it, with Carpentry Australia, so next year I am doing four days a week as a carpenter and then the other day I'll be doing ambassador, because I definitely want to be a female advocate.
Speaker 2:I could see I can never pronounce that word for the life of me yeah, I want to be a female representative of an ambassador in the trade, so staying that. Yep, I'm a carpenter, this is what I do as a daily job, but then be able to step off the tools and speak about my experiences but not only that help guide females and males into the right direction so they can succeed through their apprenticeship. We've got such a skill shortage at the moment and it's that fine line of not having the support in the industry. And that's what we need, whether it's females, males more support so we can get more skills through yeah, yeah, no, it's awesome, but you're um, you're also um hoping to become a builder, aren't you?
Speaker 2:yes, I am. So we have gone through master builders association system to say at the moment I am the youngest qualified female builder in australia. At the moment I am the youngest qualified female builder in Australia at the moment. However, you never know. Generation could wake up tomorrow and be like I want to become a builder, which is great. We need more of that and quickly sign themselves off, quicker than what I could, but completing my apprenticeship, because I was young and then by the time I got rolled over being a fully qualified carpenter.
Speaker 2:Then I started my builders. So, being able to go through, I have completed the um certificate side of it. So I've done my theory, done my practical. I've been signed off for the theory side, completing the paperwork for two years. So I've done that. It's the on-site experience that you need. You need to be supervised for a builder for two years. In new south wales that's the standard. So I'm coming up to my getting signed off for my builders, which is really exciting. So if all goes well, I'll be a fully qualified builder at the edge of 22.
Speaker 1:Yeah, that's freaking awesome. You're like, honestly, your passion is absolutely just jumping through the screen.
Speaker 1:It's insane and I think that's going to be awesome, like you're going to help a lot of young not just females you're going to help a lot of young people figure out what they want to do, because I I feel like there's a lot of females out there that would really love to get into this industry and for one reason or another, they hear it's too difficult or they hear maybe what they or they have this perception of, maybe what goes on on site and they they hold back. So someone like I can see, someone like yourself, with the passion you have, just breaking down those barriers and giving those people the confidence to have a crack yeah, definitely, and that's exactly what we need to do.
Speaker 2:We've got so many and I'm sure of it, so many females and males out there that want to give it a go but are scared, and that's what we need to break. We need to break the what are you scared about? And the what if, like you could be like. Oh, and it's also, I feel like, in no disrespect to some parents or guardians, it is a big stigma in why don't you go to university. It is the pressure of just go to uni, and sometimes it isn't always an advantage going to university, especially if you don't want to do it. You're paying for this massive, heck debt that you're not enjoying, where I feel. When I left school, I left school at the appropriate time, so when everyone was about to start university, I was already two years in my apprenticeship, so I was ahead by everyone by two years and you're earning money.
Speaker 1:Definitely you haven't got debt.
Speaker 2:Exactly, exactly, 100%. You're outdoors, you're staying fit, you're getting physical, you're getting your hands in. You're just it. Just it clears. I feel like having an outdoor job. That's motivating, inspiring, physical. It just cleanses you. You feel so good about yourself. You walk away and look at the job and be like, damn, I did that. It's such a good feeling. I can't words, can't explain it. So it's we need a break, that part of what are you waiting for? What are you scared about? Give it a go. So it's that part that we need a break. And it's also the other part of supporting our apprentices. How can we do it? How can we ensure that we're checking up on our apprentices throughout their apprenticeship first, second and third, even their fourth year when they've left TAPE, supporting them in the industry? What can we do to make them stay in and the skills we can give them so they can progress throughout their apprenticeship?
Speaker 1:Yeah, it's definitely an area that needs attention. I speak a bit at industry trade colleges up here in Brisbane and I just tell them that just I just tell them how it is Like if you want to get in this industry, this is what you're going to have to do and it's look, it's a bit of a wake-up call for a lot of them and I think you've probably seen it Like you're a lot younger than I am, but like you can't get an apprenticeship and think that you're going to be able to scroll on your phone all day or just be constantly posting stuff on social media about the tasks that you're doing and those types of things. Obviously, you're working for businesses that rely on getting things done in a certain timeframe so that the actual company can make money. And obviously there's a lot of like.
Speaker 1:If you've seen what I'm all about, it's like I want every builder and tradie in Australia to have a successful, sustainable and profitable building business and ultimately that's like a lot of tradies lose their passion because the business side of things takes over. So then that pressure gets put on the apprentices because the boss is under so much pressure to to get shit done and to do it properly and to try and make some money. And then they take their frustration out on the apprentice by pushing them hard and all that type of thing like did you see that sort of stuff during your time?
Speaker 2:yeah, definitely it, especially when I was in my first year doing project homes. Project homes not the best turnover. You could be doing insurance work or um million dollar renovations. It's about getting in that industry as well, because, yeah, you're in the industry but there's so many different pathways that lead on to it. But I found for programs, yes, someone has to do the job. At the end of the day, no one can avoid it.
Speaker 2:Um, so, doing that, I did notice that if you don't get this done in three days, we're not, I'm not getting paid, which means you don't get paid, you don't have a job. And it was a lot of pressure, especially on three people, to have to hang all these doors in the day, have to do all these handles in half a day to go to the next job, to get two done in one day. It is a lot of pressure to have just for turnover. But, um, I think life is about negotiating. If you want this, if they want you, well, okay, you've got to pay for what I'm worth. That's how it is that you've got to pay for me and my crew. Um, this is how many days it's going to take and this is what the labour cost is. That's a lot of reasons why I feel like, from my perspective, companies are putting pressure on their workers purely because project homes. They've got a fixed rate. It's that this is how many days it should take, this is the cost. Well, they get told the cost.
Speaker 1:There's no Exactly, they're just told well, you're getting 17 dollars a linear meter for the soffits or whatever. It is 18 dollars a square meter for fit outs, or whatever. The case may be. So there's. It's literally just head down, bum up flat out trying to make a dollar?
Speaker 2:yeah, yeah, it definitely is. So I'm obviously doing. I wanted to also change with different companies because I wanted to learn everything. There are companies that just do renovations, decks, begolas or fix outs so I definitely thought to get a bigger knowledge and skill set personally for myself. I had to make changes in my life and throughout my career to be able to get the skill sets that I have today. I'm pretty confident in doing begolas, decks, renovations, extensions, project homes, fix outs, fit offs you name it. I can do it because I had to make that shift throughout my career, my apprenticeship, to get that skill set. But I'm very grateful that I did that, as much as sometimes it was hard. I look back and I think, wow, because I've got such a big knowledge in the industry. But yeah, I personally the thing I would be going for and I'll be telling builders is go for cost plus. It saves you and it covers you.
Speaker 1:No, no, no, no, can't do cost plus.
Speaker 2:In Sydney you have to do cost plus. The prices in inflation go up all the time. It's just on my jobs I do here. I definitely do cost plus. But the things that I've seen on building companies that have blown out is they've blown out well and truly over their budget. They send in their invoices at the end of the week and the client's going. I have so many invoices, what's going on and they're not keeping on track with it.
Speaker 1:I've definitely noticed. Yeah, I'll have a chat to you off air about that sort of stuff it's gonna cost the void cost plus, okay, okay I can talk, I can talk to you more about that, but, um, like, what? Like? I can think of a lot of challenges, um, that females would have coming into this industry. One of them, what's the? They chick.
Speaker 2:Sydney Sparky. What's it? Jazzy Smith.
Speaker 1:Yeah, Jazzy Smith. So she was on the podcast back April, May or something from Tassie and she come up with. Is it called the Go Company, Go Company. Have you seen that?
Speaker 2:No, I haven't.
Speaker 1:So I felt really bad because I've got like I'm a wife, have females in the office and I have two young daughters that, like one of them, definitely thinks that she's gonna be an industry, and I have never thought about periods on a job site oh yes and we did this podcast with Jazzy from Tassie and she, her and a business partner of hers, I'm sure it's called the Go Company and it's basically sanitary packs for being on job sites to make females more comfortable and I was like, holy shit, I've got painters that are female, a lot of our contractors are females and I'd never thought of it.
Speaker 1:Yeah, I'm like shivers shit. I've got painters that have female, like a lot of our contracts that females and I never thought of it yeah. I'm like yeah shivers like I don't like down to the portal is what's the female gonna feel like going to a poorly yeah so that's definitely made me rethink the way we, like we my building business definitely needs to put some steps in place to make females feel more comfortable in our job sites. But like, have you gone with dealing with that sort of stuff?
Speaker 2:Well Project Homes, portaloop, a lot of contractors, a lot of people on site, especially when there's six houses, duplexes and there's one toilet everyone has to share. However, we've definitely opened up in getting those little century. Um, those little. What are those bins?
Speaker 2:yeah, getting one of those bins for the portaloos for females when we do have, because we've got a lot of painters, shiprockers, carpenters, we've got all, all females in all different industries. So having that. There is also a company out there called future tradie ladies and they help provide a safe space for women on construction sites. So their mission is to go around, talk to females on site, talk to the managers and the owners or project managers of the site. So how can we make this friendly for males and also females? Um, getting those bins put in place, making sure the toilet's a little bit cleaner, regardless whether it's females and males going in there. As you said before, if you hate going in there, how are we gonna feel? So definitely, um, yeah, making it more I wouldn't say cleaner, because building sites, sometimes the bin's gone and you just got to put a pile there but making that more approachable for females to want to go to the toilet and not be like I'm going down the road.
Speaker 1:So, yeah, definitely things that we've all got to be a bit more aware of and and think about like it's just, it's common sense really. But I'd like to go back a little bit, because you said just at the start there that um with about dyslexic being dyslexic yes and yeah look, I look, I'll put my hand up.
Speaker 1:I've actually I've never been tested, but I'm positive. I'm dyslexic, I'm positive. I got adhd, like I believe, like I use them as superpowers, like I. I don't want to, um, I guess for me personally, like I don't want to get diagnosed because you might, I might, think of it as something different. If I did that, maybe, but I would be. I'm keen to know more about how you found out about that, because I do believe that that affects a lot of people in our industry and if people were more aware of it and actually what it is and how it affects you and those sorts of things, it would help people.
Speaker 2:Yeah, definitely. I actually got diagnosed when I was very, very little, like I think I was in preschool or about to start primary school. Um, and just little things sitting down with your children, as my parents said, you just have cards with numbers, colors and everything on it. I was always getting my colors and numbers mixed up and they're like that's strange, go to primary school same thing. So they actually took me to a doctor and I got tested and it did come up that yes, I do have it.
Speaker 2:Also, as I started progressing more with reading and language comprehension, everything I would say would make no sense, like sorry, what? Or I'd have a moment and I'd be like oh, and they're like whoa, whoa, whoa. Take 10 steps back. What did you just say? I just wouldn't make sense. So in primary school and high school I did get taken out of a couple of classes or I'd, after school, go to reading and speech therapy.
Speaker 2:So to this day I stumble across my words. I'll be like oh, what's that word? Like I, just you got to embrace it at this point. You know, you've got it. You've been diagnosed. You, just as I say in entry, in every, every single intro, I have dyslexia. So I'm just going to embrace it. If I stumble across my words here or there, just go with it, just go with it. So, going to that quite a lot to help me read, speak a little bit better and more fluent has definitely helped me. It's also been, as I said before, in, I've embraced it. Now that I'm an ambassador and I do a lot of talks, a lot of meets, um, I've just been like, yep, this is who I am, this is what I have. Embrace it if you're. If you're not here for it, I'm sorry, just be patient with me. Um, I also do think, as you said before, I do think that I have, actually, but I don't want to get tested because it's like it's like, yeah, you know that you have it. It's like I don't need the clarification for it.
Speaker 2:The best way to solve it is just me being busy and being at work. Really, you're so busy at work. It's that's what focuses me. Yep, focus, do this, you know. So, yeah, I just float my way through it at work. But, yeah, definitely diagnosed with dyslexia, but the ADHD. I'm just like you know what work fixes everything. I go to work clear my head if I'm having a crappy day or something's happened. Rather than staying at home being mopey, I get up, go to work and it really does just. You're so focused on getting this job done, you really forget about everything else as well. Like the white noise just goes yeah, for sure.
Speaker 1:So do you have a goal now, like, do you want to be building your own projects? Like, is that something that's on the cards?
Speaker 2:well, little me was like I really want to be a fully qualified carpenter and builder. Me now being here, it's like, holy crap, what is the next step? My step would have been like creating a bigger business and having females working underneath not, you know, not working underneath me because I think we're all level-headed, we're all one working with me. I want to have females working with me, um, progressing in jobs, progressing in themselves, growth in the industry but I still obviously would love to do that. But the ambassador inside has really opened up and people want me to work with them, against with their brands like, hey, do you want to do a collab? Let's do this brand. And getting my name out there, because I really do want to be, and I know there's a lot of amazing female representatives out there and ambassadors and that's what we want. We need to see more that. But I definitely want to get my name out there more to be like yes, I'm one of the youngest ones, I've got my builders, I've done this. If I can do, I'm a prime setting example that you can do it too. What's stopping you? So it's about name and image getting getting yourself out there, going to do talks at schools, going around to tapes, get going on sites and talking to the females and the bosses and everyone the crew, um, and just breaking it.
Speaker 2:We're in 2024, going to 25. We need to see more differences. We need to see more females in industry and more support, but being okay with it a big building company of all females that can do anything and everything. We need more of that. You can't name and it's still sad, but you can't name a big building company that's just all females and males like a big building company building houses. So it's about yeah, I would love to do that, but baby steps will eventually get there. One day. Dream big. Don't make it just a dream. Make it a passion and a vision.
Speaker 1:So I look, with your passion, you're definitely going to go places, that's for sure. Thank you, I want to uh, this might be a little bit controversial, but like one thing that, like it really frustrates me across the board with social media, it attracted me to your page like you are, just, you're really genuine. And one thing that really frustrates me and you do see it a lot in our industry is boobs and bums, and yeah, you're like I hate it.
Speaker 1:Like if just be genuine at who you are, like don't think that you need to use that to get followers and to get ahead, and I just love that. You're the real deal. You can see your passion. You know what you're talking about, like in the videos that you do. You're speaking common sense and you're telling the truth and you're giving good advice and I think that speaks volumes of you and I think you will become a really big ambassador for young females, because you're not using being a female to promote what you're trying to do. Does that make sense?
Speaker 2:Yeah, definitely, and not mentioning any names. But I have seen on social media a lot of people that do that and it does make me upset, and my parents are completely on board. They're like what you see is what you get. You're the real deal fee. Um, yeah, like you know, it's just it the reason why I don't. And the people who do flaunt themselves like that do get a lot of followers, but it's not necessarily the young women who, oh, you're inspiring me, it's the males, and that's what we need to change. Oh yeah, I would love a chick to be working on site with me because of this. That it's like no, you want a chick to be working on site with you because they're hard working and it's a continuous challenge, like you know.
Speaker 2:You're oh yeah, let's see who can get this done like. You know what I mean. It's the friendly banter and that's what you want, and I think, flaunting yourself off like that, you're getting the wrong idea for women. When women the next generation coming onto site, is this what I have to do to get my way up to the top? No, it's your passion, your knowledge and your skill set that's going to make you driven and make you get to the top. You don't need to flaunt that off and that's the one thing that I. It grinds my gears when I see them doing that, but at the end of the day, I'm only me. I can't tell them what they can and can't do. But it is upsetting because I don't want the next generation of females to think they have to do that to get somewhere in life yeah, no, really, it's really.
Speaker 1:Yeah, pisses me off when I say that sort of thing. Yeah, you don't if you're, if you're genuine about what you're doing and you're good at what you're doing, then you don't need to be doing that other stuff, but um so what's what's some advice you would give for like uh, not just females, but any, any young person out there that's thinking about getting in the industry. Like what's some advice you'd give them?
Speaker 2:I always said to myself, because when I was trying, I'd have a long, a lot of long, upsetting nights, crying, waking up in the morning why am I not good enough? Why can't I get a job? I say this to everyone Don't give up on yourself. Don't. If you know that you can do it, go for it, because the only person who's going to tell you no is yourself. So keep following your dreams and keep being enthusiastic and eager to get that position. You will get there. So I always say that, don. So I always say don't give up. Don't give up.
Speaker 2:Yes, it seems hard right now and you're like why isn't I, why aren't I getting a job, or why isn't anything working out, or why can't I be happy with where I am or whatnot. Everything happens for a reason. You have to go through this stage, whether it's getting through your first year, second year, whatever it is. You have to go through that to make you a bigger and better person. When you get out of it and there's light at the end of the tunnel, there always is there always is, yeah, dropping bombs everywhere.
Speaker 1:It's freaking awesome. It's been an absolute pleasure having a chat with you and I really wish you all the best. I think you've got a huge world ahead of you. I think you've got a huge world ahead of you. I think you're going to do very, very well and I'm definitely interested to keep following your journey and see where you end up. The industry needs more young people like yourself. And yeah, don't back off, just keep smashing it out and keep doing what you're doing. It's freaking awesome Thank you so much.
Speaker 2:I really appreciate it.
Speaker 1:Before we wrap it up, anything else you want to get out there for people to hear?
Speaker 2:Don't give up. Just don't give up. Keep smashing it, because every day is something new. I always say that Every day is different being a carpenter, and mentally you're going to feel so good about yourself, getting on the tools, going out there and giving it your best shot. Really.
Speaker 1:Yeah, awesome, all right guys. Well, look, thanks very much for listening today. Thank you so much, felicity, for giving us an insight to where you've come from and what you've got ahead of you. Thank you. Please go and check out Felicity's page. Sydney Builder Chick. Is that right, yeah?
Speaker 2:that's it.
Speaker 1:We'll put some links. She'll put some links and stuff in when he edits it.
Speaker 2:But look guys, hope you've liked today's episode Please like subscribe and uh, yeah, we look forward to seeing you on the next one. Cheers guys, are you ready to build smarter, live better and enjoy life?
Speaker 1:then head over to live like buildcom forward, slash, elevate to get started everything discussed during the level up podcast with me, duane pierce, is based solely on my own personal experiences and those experiences of my guests. The information, opinions and recommendations presented in this podcast are for general information only, and any reliance on the information provided in this podcast is done at your own risk. We recommend that you obtain your own professional advice in respect to the topics discussed during this podcast.