Our Industry Person of the Week is Shayla Aspden, The Tiny Technician.
Q: How did you get started working in your field?
Shayla: Without any experience in the trades in 2015, my curiosity lead me to a Pipe Trade Foundation Program at Camosun College in Victoria BC. I knew I needed to change my career path, and because I had no experience in the skilled trades, I had nothing to lose and everything to gain! It was definitely difficult in the first couple of months, I did not know what my instructor was talking about when he would say things like; “PSI, KPA, delta T, Ohms”. It was just like learning a new language. My first year in the trade, I spent 7 months completing my foundation program and came out of school with a goal, a job, a sponsorship and an ITA number to start collecting my hours! If you told me in 2015, that this is where my curiosity was going to take me, I would not believe you!
Q: What do you love the most about your job? What are you most proud of?
Shayla: I learn something new, EVERY SINGLE DAY, that is what I love the most about my job! It has taken me 7 years in the industry to really know what I am most proud of. I am proud of thousands of things I have accomplished since I started my apprenticeship. At the top of list is being proud to be a female in the trade. I had been the only female in my classes until Level 4. I am not a big person, I am tiny! I continue to prove to myself that I can do anything, this inevitably tells all the tiny people out there that they can do it too, if they take the leap!
Q: What advice would you give to someone considering this line of work or new to the field?
Shayla: The reward out-weighs the risk by a landslide. It is an impossible expectation to be incredible at something when you first start out, be kind to yourself, if you are not making mistakes, you are not learning. Mistakes = Experience
Q: Can you talk about a project you recently worked on?
Shayla: I was drawn to the Plumbing trade because my family’s house was in dire need of a plumbing renovation. Once I became a certified journeyman, I went to work on my parent’s house. We replaced all the drainage, waterlines and I put in a new shower base, dual flush toilet, (I love you mother nature), added a washer and dryer to the suite and changed my life and my family’s life forever. Since 2019, we have not stopped upgrading our dream house!
Q: Anything else you would like to add?
Shayla: Never rely on asking other people what you should do. Ask yourself first, and listen to what your intuition says, it knows what is best for you. Do not get into a trade for money, there is so many incredible qualities you can obtain from joining the skilled trades, a big paycheque only comes with quality work. Get yourself time to learn, the demand for skilled trades workers is in high demand, but do not rush, enjoy the journey.
You can connect with Shayla on Instagram, Facebook, TikTok: @thetinytechnician, and WA Business: The Tiny Technician.
THANK YOU, SHAYLA! WE LOOK FORWARD TO KEEPING UP WITH YOU THROUGH THE #PUMPTALK COMMUNITY!
KNOW AN AMAZING PERSON WHO IS MAKING VALUABLE CONTRIBUTIONS WITHIN INDUSTRY? NOMINATE THEM TO BE AN “INDUSTRY PERSON OF THE WEEK”!
