Jadzia attended Waitakere College in West Auckland. In year nine she chose to try engineering and enjoyed it so much she continued with it, joining the college engineering academy in year 12. Once immersed in the academy, Jadzia knew she was in the right place - even though she was the only girl in her class. “The teachers were hugely supportive of my choice. I remember my engineering teacher saying that women make great engineers because they are meticulous, detail orientated and focussed.” Through the college’s engineering academy programme, Jadzia undertook a welding and fabrication Gateway course at Unitec. The programme then gave her the opportunity to get real life work experience. A placement at the University’s workshop over 12 weeks exposed Jadzia to the variety of projects the workshop undertakes.
Jadzia is halfway through her Fitting and Machining Engineering apprenticeship and thinks she has the best job. "All the jobs are interesting, and I get to use lots of different mediums, not just metal or plastic. We have 3D printers and laser cutters. I enjoy doing everything, but particularly the mill and lathe work." It was the wide range of work that Jadzia found appealing, and it helped make her decision to commit to an apprenticeship and pursue a career in engineering.
Don’t get put off by the fact that you don’t see many women in the trades. You are not disadvantaged as a woman. Just find out what you want to do and go for it. I feel very fortunate, I really like my work here and I’m planning on staying on so I can become a senior technician.