Maeve Witchell
Maeve Witchell comes from a family of nurses, so her nearest and dearest were a little surprised when she decided to become an electrician.
“I knew I didn’t want to go to university – I was drawn to careers that were more hands-on and practical,” she says. “I’ve always been interested in fixing things, too.”
Now, Maeve has become the first female to graduate from Otago Polytechnic’s New Zealand Certificate in Electrical Engineering Theory and Practice (Level 4), a four-year apprenticeship-based study programme which was launched in 2018.
“I’m happy and surprised to be the first woman graduate,” she says. “I’m looking forward to the graduation ceremony and celebrating with my family and friends.”
Electrical engineering appealed to Maeve because of the broad range of opportunities available to qualified tradies.
“Having a trade is a ticket to the world – it can take you anywhere, because electricians are sought-after everywhere.”
Another drawcard was the apprenticeship model, which offered the chance to earn and learn at the same time. Students gain on-the-job training in the workplace alongside a supervisor, and attend weekly night classes and block courses.
Maeve says balancing work and study wasn’t always easy, but Otago Polytechnic’s friendly lecturers were on hand to provide individualised support and advice – and even the odd dad joke.
“All our lecturers were great – they’d always make time to give us extra help when we needed it, and scheduled extra class study sessions in the lead up to exams which were really useful.”
Maeve Witchell
Her classmates were also a source of support and encouragement – and with a class of 15 apprentices, it was a tight knit group.
“All my friends are sparkies now,” Maeve laughs. “There were two other women in my class, and they’re my best friends. They started the programme a bit later than me, so they’ll both be graduating soon as well.”
Maeve is now enjoying her permanent role with the local company that employed her as an apprentice, Sam I Am Electrical.
“I do a range of electrical work in residential and small commercial properties, including rewires, new builds and renovations,” she explains. “I have a work van, and when I’m not required on-site, I’m able to work from home. It’s a great job.”
Looking to the future, Maeve plans to one day take her electrical ‘ticket’ and work in Australia.
“It’s exciting – there are heaps of job opportunities over there for sparkies.”
Maeve Witchell
David Bettis, Otago Polytechnic’s Head of Programmes – Allied Trades, describes Maeve as “a hardworking, resilient and quietly determined student”.
“Maeve has been a valued member of her class, an asset to her employer and an inspiration to young women who aspire to work in the electrical trade,” he says.
Across Otago Polytechnic’s Electrical programmes, 15% of current learners are female.
“This figure is continuing to grow, but needs to be much higher,” David says.
“Across our Allied Trades team, which covers Electrical, Plumbing and Painting/Decorating, we’d like to see women make up 50% of our learners. Women have so much to offer the trades – including adding a diverse range of skills and capabilities to local trades businesses.”
Allied Trades has a Women in Trades Training support group which normally meets once per quarter. The students who attend enjoy support and insights from guest speakers who work in trades and engineering, sparking discussions over a shared lunch.
“The group helps to support our female learners on trades programmes and provides a safe space for them to discuss workplace issues that come with being in the minority,” David says.
Published on 13 Sep 2024
