Madalyn Cattell knew she wouldn’t be able to sit in front of a computer all day, and decided to take on a more hands-on approach to interior design. Photos: Erin Hee.
Madalyn Cattell realised there was no way she could sit in front of a computer all day, but still wanted to be part of the interior design industry.
The 20-year-old decided to look into the more hands-on side of interior design and found her passion in carpentry and cabinetmaking. She is now a second-year student at TAFE NSW Wagga.
Once she finishes her apprenticeship, she will be joining a small but growing band of women in the male-dominated trade industry. Women make up a mere 1 per cent of the carpentry workforce in Australia.
Madalyn found it daunting to enter a male-dominated field, but “got lucky with a pretty good group of guys” in her TAFE class.
“It’s not as daunting if you’re around people like that,” she said. “But yeah, it’s definitely a bit nerve-wrecking in the start.
“As you move through it a bit more, it just becomes the norm and what you get used to as well.”
Like other tradeswomen, Madalyn has heard or seen the odd comment, especially on social media, but doesn’t take it to heart and keeps powering on.
“I guess some people are stuck in their ways thinking it’s a male job and not for the girls, but you just gotta keep on going,” she said.
“I suppose it’s a way to give yourself more motivation to prove them wrong, but it’s not that bad, I don’t notice it that much in Wagga.
“It’s more on social media, you see it on there that women shouldn’t do the trade and whatever.”
While Madalyn still misses some details that are “a bit obvious” as a second-year apprentice, the general feedback she’s received is that she has an eye for detail, like most tradeswomen.
Madalyn warns that you can’t be “silly” with the tools, or you risk cutting your finger off.
She found the trade to be straightforward overall.
“It was a bit of what I was expecting, they’re not hard to get the hang of,” she said. “Some of the tools are a bit daunting, so I haven’t used them much.
“If you follow the rules, they’re pretty easy to use and you won’t cut a finger off.
“A few people have gotten injured; it happens with the job. You’ve just got to not be silly with the tools.”
As more girls and women take on a trade, Madalyn has heard from other tradeswomen that this “feminine touch” helps break the “macho” culture prevalent among tradies.
“There probably is a bit of a stereotype. I noticed a few of them are very, very secretive,” she said. “They’re guys, they don’t talk about that.
“I haven’t really noticed [them opening up] with any of the guys I’ve been around, but I’ve heard other female tradies mention that.”
There was another female in Madalyn’s cabinetmaking class, with whom she got along “pretty well”, but she ended up leaving her job and the trade altogether.
“I was pretty sad when she left, but it happens,” Madalyn said. “I guess it’s part of the trade.”
Madalyn wants to see more female tradies, and encourages anyone still on the fence to just seize the day.
“The main thing is to not worry about what the guys are saying, and just focus on improving your work,” she said.
“Don’t listen to what other people are saying about whether you can do the job or not.
“It’s a fun industry and quite a fun job to do.
“If you’re interested in it, just do it. Don’t worry about what other people are saying about your life.”
