Female plumbing apprentice hopes for more women to take up the trades

'Plumbing for women is an excellent career, it’s a shame there is not more women doing it'

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This International Women’s Day is dedicated to accelerating action, and supporting women in diverse careers is an important step forward for all industries, particularly the trades.

A Buncrana woman who has found a new trade as an apprentice plumber says it’s never too late to change your career.

Deirdre Nic Lochlainn, 51, was a former engineer and a housewife before picking up the wrench two years ago. 

Tired of waiting for plumbers to address minor fixes in her home, Deirdre signed up for a women’s DIY plumbing course. 

“It’s hard to get a plumber sometimes,” she said. “You know, it’s a simple job like a radiator not working or a tap dripping, but you are not sure how to go about it yourself.”

The course was taught by Gary McLaughlin of Rapid Plumbing Inishowen. One day Deirdre noticed Gary had an apprentice working alongside him. When he mentioned that he was struggling to find another apprentice, Deirdre offered to try her hand at the trade. 

“I wasn’t working at the time. I told Gary that I wasn’t promising to be any good, but I could hold a torch!” said Deirdre.

From day one, Deirdre’s learning journey began. She accompanied Gary on call-outs and soon got to grips with the skills of repairing heating systems, taps and toilets.

“You learn that every single hot press in this country is different. Figuring out pipework is like trying to undo a puzzle,” she said.

“I was so happy doing it. I loved being a housewife, but sometimes you need something to keep the brain working. I love being out and about and learning every day.”

Deirdre in the workshop

Deirdre already had those analytical skills from her first career. She worked at Seagate in Derry for 16 years, progressing from process technician to engineer over the years. 

Apprenticeship administration in Donegal is facilitated by Donegal ETB’s Further Education and Training (FET) Service through its Apprenticeship Services team.

Deirdre is now on Phase 2 of her apprenticeship and has been learning all aspects of plumbing at Donegal ETB’s Training Centre in Letterkenny. There are seven phases to complete in a craft apprenticeship which combines on-the-job and off-the-job blocks of training over four years. Apprentices who successfully complete all 7 phases are awarded a Level 6 Advanced Certificate Craft. This has national and international recognition and is a compulsory requirement for craftsperson status.

Apprenticeships are based on a mix of learning in an education and training setting with at least 50% of learning in the workplace. Apprentices also ‘earn while they learn’, as they are paid for the duration of the apprenticeship.

Deirdre is the only woman on her course, and she has yet to meet a qualified female plumber.

Despite her initial anxieties, she had immediate support from Donegal ETB instructors and staff.

She said: “I really feel fully supported there and welcome, considering how nervous and sick I felt in the first few days, I nearly didn’t get out of the car! 

“It was so daunting knowing that I was walking into a situation where I was going to be the smallest and oldest person there, never mind the only female. But the instructors are amazing and I soon felt more comfortable in the environment they created.”

Deirdre with her plumbing apprenticeship classmates and Instructor Seamus Wilkinson

On the job, she is met with mostly positive responses.

“It’s a source of conversation a lot of the time,” she said.

Deirdre has also found there are unexpected benefits for both herself and the clients.

“A lot of people we have call outs to are the woman of the house, there’s no one who knows her house better than the woman that lives in it,” Deirdre said.

“And sometimes people living alone, particularly in isolated areas, can be relieved to see a woman arriving at their door too. As a woman alone, it can be hard to let a strange man into the house.”

Gary McLaughlin, Deirdre’s employer, agrees. “Elderly customers prefer a female plumber by far.”

Gary also highlights the practical aspects of plumbing for women. “The kind of plumbing that Deirdre does with me is perfectly suited for women. Like it or not, gender roles are still very prevalent in Ireland. Small job plumbing like taps, toilets and fixing heating systems, allows a woman, if she is working for herself, to start at 10am in the morning if children are at school and finish at 2 or 3 to collect them again and go home. Plumbing for women is an excellent career, it’s a shame there is not more women doing it.” 

Deirdre enjoys the variety of the work and meeting new people every day.

“It’s not always easy, but it’s very rewarding work. You get a real sense of satisfaction when you can help someone that’s been annoyed by a niggly thing in their house for so long.”

There’s no denying the physical demands that Deirdre also faced when going from DIY plumber to a full-time apprentice. 

“It’s hard physical work, I am small but after time you find your body starts to condition itself.

“You find a strength in yourself you never knew you had, especially in your hands. In the first few weeks, I was coming home exhausted and stiff and sore. You just try and get on with it and you find ways to carefully lift and carry tools. 

“Over time, your body does change and you build up resilience and strength.”

The latest Labour Force Survey shows that just 9% of the construction workforce is female.  

Meanwhile, the industry is suffering a skills shortage.  

Gary addresses the misconception about women and physical strength in the trade. “There is this idea that a girl is not strong enough to lift heavy radiators, but nor is a young fella. Manual handling dictates that no one should be lifting things over a certain weight without help anyway. That excuse is null and void.” 

Deirdre and Gary’s main wish is that more opportunities are given to women who want to enter the trade.

“I got lucky and fell into this apprenticeship, but I feel bad for the girls who would like to go into the trade and are having difficulty with finding an employer that will take them on,” she said.

“If you can’t find an employer to take you on, you can’t progress in your apprenticeship.

“Maybe schools can encourage more employers to come in and show the apprenticeships available. You should be able to see it as a gateway into the career that you want.”

A gender-based bursary is available to employers who employ apprentices on any national apprenticeship programme with greater than 80% representation of a single gender and apprentice employers are eligible to receive a €2,666 bursary for each registered apprentice from the minority gender.

“It’s a nice wee lift,” said Gary of the bursary.

“There is still an awful lot of reluctance for larger companies to take on young women.”

“There’s a growing network of female plumbers in the UK. We have a long way to go here but we are going in the right direction.

“Any women I have worked with have been fantastic at it, they pick up the trade quickly. There is a hunger with women to learn the trade.”

“I’m happy that I am able to do this,” Deirdre adds. “Also to show that, no matter how old you are, it’s never too late to change your career.

“It’s never too late to go out there and see what’s for you, no matter what you did before.

“I’ve always wanted to be out working, I loved being a housewife but when an opportunity comes, I give it a go.”

Senior Apprenticeship Training Advisor Claire Lernihan, Deirdre Nic Lochlainn and Instructor Seamus Ward

Wishing Deirdre good luck in the rest of her training, Gary says, “It’s great to see someone of her years coming into the trade.”

Donegal ETB prides itself on creating a supportive atmosphere for women in all apprenticeship programmes. The number of apprenticeship programmes has expanded greatly in recent years with 77 different types of apprenticeship now available across a range of sectors including Construction, Electrical, Sales and Marketing, Finance, ICT, BioPharma, Hospitality and Food, Logistics, Recruitment and Property Services.

You can find a full list of apprenticeship training programmes in Ireland on www.apprenticeship.ie.

If you are interested in pursuing an apprenticeship or are an employer wishing to find out more, simply contact Donegal ETB’s Apprenticeship Team on 074 9120500 or email apprenticeship@donegaletb.ie.

Further information is also available on Donegal ETB’s website here: www.donegaletb.ie/further-education-training/apprenticeships and their social media accounts (X, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, YouTube and LinkedIn).

Súil ag printíseach ó Bhun Cranncha go rachaidh níos mó ban i mbun na gceirdeanna

Tá Lá Idirnáisiúnta na mBan seo tiomanta do ghníomhaíocht a bhrostú, agus is céim thábhachtach chun cinn é do gach tionscal tacaíocht a thabhairt do mhná i ngairmeacha éagsúla, go háirithe na ceirdeanna.

Deir bean as Bun Cranncha, a bhfuil ceird nua aici mar phrintíseach pluiméara, nach bhfuil sé ró-mhall riamh do ghairm bheatha a athrú.

B’innealtóir agus bean tí í Deirdre Nic Lochlainn, 51, sular ghlac sí chuici an rinse dhá bhliain ó shin. 

Agus í bréan de bheith ag fanacht le pluiméirí teacht chun tí chun miondheisiúcháin a dhéanamh, chláraigh Deirdre do chúrsa pluiméireachta DIY na mban. 

“Bíonn sé doiligh pluiméir a fháil in amanna,” a dúirt sí. “Tá a fhios agat, is rud simplí é cosúil le radaitheoir nach bhfuil ag obair nó sconna ag sileadh, ach níl tú cinnte faoin dóigh lena dheisiú tú féin.”

Deirdre sa cheardlann

Ba é Gary McLaughlin ó Rapid Plumbing Inis Eoghain a bhí i mbun an chúrsa. Lá amháin thug Deirdre faoi deara go raibh printíseach ag obair in éineacht le Gary. Nuair a luaigh sé go raibh sé ag streachailt le printíseach eile a aimsiú, d’ofráil Deirdre triail a bhaint as an cheird. 

“Ní raibh post agam ag an am. Dúirt mé le Gary go raibh seans ann nach mbeinn rómhaith ach thiocfadh liom greim a choinneáil ar thóirse!,” arsa Deirdre.

Cuireadh tús le haistear foghlama Dheirdre ón chéad lá. Bhí sí le Gary ar ghlaonna amach agus níorbh fhada go ndeachaigh sí i ngleic leis na scileanna a bhaineann le córais téimh, sconnaí agus leithris a dheisiú.

“Foghlaimíonn tú go bhfuil gach prios te sa tír seo difriúil. Is geall le tomhas a oibriú amach é tuigbheáil a chothú ar phíbobair,” a dúirt sí.

“Bhí mé iontach sásta agus mé i mbun na hoibre. Bhain mé sult millteanach as a bheith i mo bhean an tí, ach in amanna bíonn rud inteacht de dhíth chun an inchinn a choinneáil ag obair. Is breá liom a bheith amuigh faoin aer agus ag foghlaim achan lá.”

Bhí na scileanna anailíse sin ag Deirdre cheana féin óna céad ghairm bheatha. D’oibrigh sí ag Seagate i nDoire ar feadh 16 bliana, ag dul chun cinn thar na blianta ó theicneoir próisis go hinnealtóir. 

Déanann Seirbhís Breisoideachais agus Oiliúna (FET) ETB Dhún na nGall riarachán na bprintíseachaí i nDún na nGall a éascú tríd a foireann Seirbhísí Printíseachtaí.

Tá Deirdre ar Chéim 2 dá printíseacht anois agus tá sí ag foghlaim achan ghné den phluiméireacht ag Ionad ETB Dhún na nGall i Leitir Ceanainn. Tá seacht gcéim le cur i gcrích i bprintíseacht cheardaíochta a nascann bloic oiliúna ar an láthair oibre agus lasmuigh den láthair oibre thar cheithre bliana. Bronntar Ardteastas Ceardaíochta Leibhéal 6 ar phrintísigh ar éiríonn leo na 7 gcéim ar fad a chur i gcrích. Tá aitheantas náisiúnta agus idirnáisiúnta ag baint leis seo agus is riachtanas éigeantach é do stádas ceardaí.

Bunaítear printíseachtaí ar mheascán d’fhoghlaim i suíomh oideachais agus oiliúna agus 50% ar a laghad den fhoghlaim ag tarlú san ionad oibre. Bíonn printísigh ‘ag saothrú agus iad ag foghlaim’ fosta, sa dóigh is go n-íoctar iad le linn fhad na printíseachta.

Is í Deirdre an t-aon bhean ar a cúrsa, agus níor casadh pluiméir baineann cáilithe uirthi go fóill.

In ainneoin a himní ar dtús, fuair sí tacaíocht láithreach ó theagascóirí agus foireann ETB Dhún na nGall.

Dúirt sí: “Mothaím go bhfuil lántacaíocht agam ann agus go bhfuil fáilte romham, nuair a chuireann san áireamh cé chomh neirbhíseach agus tinn is a mhothaigh mé le linn na chéad cúpla lá, ba dhóbair nár éirigh mé as an charr! 

“Bhí sé iontach scáfar fios a bheith agam go raibh mé ag siúl isteach in áit ina mbeinn ar an duine is lú agus is sine, gan trácht ar an t-aon bhean amháin ann. Ach tá na teagascóirí ar dóigh agus níorbh fhada gur mhothaigh mé níos compordaí sa timpeallacht a chruthaigh siad.”

Deirdre Nic Lochlainn agus teagascóir Seamus Ward

Faigheann sí freagraí dearfacha den chuid is mó agus í ag obair.

“Is foinse chomhrá é go minic,” a dúirt sí.

Is léir do Dheirdre fosta go bhfuil buntáistí gan choinne ann di féin agus do na cliaint.

“Is mná tí iad an chuid is mó de na daoine óna bhfaigheann muid glaonna amach uathu, níl ann do dhuine ar bith a bhfuil eolas níos fearr acu ar a teach ná an bhean a bhfuil cónaí uirthi ann,” a dúirt Deirdre.

“Agus in amanna is faoiseamh é fosta do dhaoine atá ina gcónaí leo féin, go háirithe i gceantair iargúlta, bean a fheiceáil ag teacht chuig an doras. Mar bhean ina cónaí léi féin, is féidir go mbeadh sé doiligh fear coimhthíoch a ligean isteach sa teach.”

Aontaíonn Gary McLaughlin, fostóir Dheirdre. “Is fearr i bhfad le custaiméirí aosta pluiméir baineann.” 

Leagann Gary béim fosta ar ghnéithe praiticiúla na pluiméireachta do mhná. “Tá an cineál pluiméireachta a dhéanann Deirdre liom iontach fóirsteanach do mhná. Cibé acu is maith leat é nó nach maith leat, tá róil inscne iontach coitianta in Éirinn go fóill. Is féidir le bean, má tá sí ag obair di féin agus páistí aici ar scoil, toiseacht ar 10am ar maidin le jabanna beaga pluiméireachta cosúil le sconnaí, leithris agus córais téimh a dheisiú, agus críochnú ag 2 nó 3 chun na páistí a bhailiú arís agus dul abhaile. Is gairm den scoth í an phluiméireacht do mhná, is mór an trua é nach bhfuil níos mó ban ag dul léi.” 

Baineann Deirdre sult as éagsúlacht na hoibre agus as a bheith ag bualadh le daoine nua achan lá.

“Ní bhíonn sé furasta i dtólamh, ach is obair iontach tairbheach í. Faigheann tú sásamh millteanach nuair is féidir leat cuidiú le duine a bhfuil rud sa teach ag cur isteach orthu le fada an lá.”

Ní féidir na héilimh fhisiciúla a bhí roimh Dheirdre a shéanadh agus í ag aistriú óna bheith ina pluiméir DIY go printíseach lánaimseartha. 

“Is obair chrua fhisiciúil í, is duine beag mé ach i ndiaidh tamaill éiríonn do chorp cleachtaithe léi.

“Aimsíonn tú neart ionat féin nárbh eol duit riamh go raibh sé agat, go háirithe i do lámha. Sa chéad chúpla seachtain, bhí mé ag teacht abhaile traochta agus righin agus nimhneach. Déanann tú iarracht leanstan ar aghaidh leis agus aimsíonn tú bealaí chun uirlisí a thógáil agus a iompar go faichilleach. 

“Le himeacht ama, athraíonn do chorp agus forbraíonn tú athléimneacht agus neart.”

Léiríonn an Suirbhé ar an Lucht Saothair is déanaí nach bhfuil ach 9% den lucht saothair tógála ina mná. 

Idir an dá linn, tá ganntanas scileanna ag an tionscal. 

Tugann Gary aghaidh ar an mhíthuigbheáil faoi mhná sa cheird agus neart coirp. “Is ann don bharúil seo nach bhfuil girseach láidir go leor chun radaitheoirí troma a ardú, ach is amhlaidh an scéal i gcás na stócach. De réir láimhsithe sábháilte, níor cheart go mbeadh duine ar bith ag tógáil rudaí thar meáchan áirithe gan chuidiú cibé. Níl ann don leithscéal sin.” 

Is í príomh-mhian Dheirdre agus Gary ná go dtabharfaí níos mó deiseanna do mhná atá ag iarraidh dul isteach sa cheird.

“Bhí an t-ádh orm agus thit mé isteach sa phrintíseacht seo, ach tá trua agam do na cailíní ar mhaith leo dul isteach sa cheird agus a bhfuil sé ag dul deacair orthu fostóir a aimsiú lena bhfostú,” a dúirt sí.

“Mura bhfuil tú in ann fostóir a aimsiú do d’fhostú ní thig leat dul ar aghaidh le do phrintíseacht.

“B’fhéidir go dtiocfadh le scoileanna níos mó fostóirí a spreagadh le teacht isteach chun na printíseachtaí atá ar fáil a chur in iúl. Ba cheart go mbeifeá in ann amharc air mar bhealach chuig an ghairm bheatha ar mian leat.”

Tá sparánacht inscnebhunaithe ar fáil d’fhostóirí a fhostaíonn printísigh ar aon chlár printíseachta náisiúnta ar a bhfuil ionadaíocht os cionn 80% d’aon inscne ar leith agus tá fostóirí printíseachta incháilithe chun sparánacht de €2,666 a fháil ar achan phrintíseach cláraithe a bhaineann leis an inscne mionlaigh.

“Is ardú meanman beag deas é,” a dúirt Gary faoin sparánacht.

“Tá drogall mór go fóill ar chomhlachtaí móra mná óga a fhostú.”

“Tá líon na bpluiméirí baineanna sa RA ag méadú. Tá bealach fada le dul anseo ach tá muid ag dul sa treo ceart.

“Bhí achan bhean ar oibrigh mé leo ar dóigh ag an obair, cothaíonn siad fios a gceird go gasta. Baineann cíocras leis na mná maidir leis an cheird a fhoghlaim.”

“Tá mé sásta go bhfuil mé in ann é seo a dhéanamh,” a deir Deirdre. “Chun cuir in iúl fosta, is cuma cén aois thú, nach bhfuil sé ró-mhall riamh do ghairm bheatha a athrú.

“Ní bhíonn sé ró-mhall in am ar bith dul amach agus féachaint cad é atá amuigh ansin duit, is cuma cad é a rinne tú roimhe seo.

“Bhí mé i gcónaí ag iarraidh a bheith amuigh ag obair, bhí dúil agam a bheith i mo bhean an tí ach nuair a thagann deis, tapaím í.”

Agus gach rath a ghuí aige ar Dheirdre sa chuid eile dá cuid oiliúna, deir Gary, “Tá sé ar dóigh duine dá haois a fheiceáil ag teacht isteach sa cheird.”

Is cúis bróid í d’ETB Dhún na nGall atmaisféar tacúil a chruthú fá choinne mná in achan chlár printíseachta. Tá méadú mór tagtha ar líon na gclár printíseachta le blianta beaga anuas agus 77 cineál printíseachtaí ar fáil anois thar réimse earnálacha lena n-áirítear Foirgníocht, Leictreachas, Díolachán agus Margaíocht, Airgeadas, TFC, Bithchógaisíocht, Fáilteachas agus Bia, Lóistíocht, Earcaíocht agus Seirbhísí Réadmhaoine.

Is féidir leat liosta iomlán na gclár printíseachta oiliúna in Éirinn a aimsiú ar www.apprenticeship.ie.

Más spéis leat tabhairt faoi phrintíseacht, nó más fostóir thú ar mian leat tuilleadh eolais a fháil, déan teagmháil le Foireann na bPrintíseachtaí de chuid ETB Dhún na nGall ar 074 9120500 nó seol ríomhphost chuig apprentinceship@donegaletb.ie.

Tá tuilleadh eolais ar fáil fosta ar shuíomh Gréasáin ETB Dhún na nGall anseo: www.donegaletb.ie/further-education-training/apprenticeships agus a gcuntais meán sóisialta (X, Facebook, Instagram, Threads, YouTube agus LinkedIn).