Donna Lindsay, Heavy-Duty Mechanic
Heavy-duty equipment mechanics require a secondary education and four-year apprenticeship program to obtain their Red Seal certification. They are responsible for repairing, troubleshooting and maintaining mobile heavy-duty equipment.
Donna recommends taking industrial arts, computers, mathematics and workplace English credits in high school to prepare for this occupation.
As a woman in a predominantly male field, Donna encountered opposition and challenge from those who thought a woman wasn't capable of doing the work. Donna feels the industry has changed and there are many more women than there used to be. She recommends finding other women mentors in the field and persevering against misconceptions and stereotypes.
Find out more about careers in mining in Canada by going to Explore for More, a website produced by the Mining Industry Human Resources Council.