Keely Shay Tekawisahá:wi Paul was raised by her mother and grew up in the Kahnawake territory, surrounded by a large family in a caring community. At 24, the young  Mohawk decided to tackle the challenge of returning to vocational school in a field that has always piqued her interest: construction.

Nathalie Boujard, along with her spouse and daughter, left France to come and live an adventure in Québec. It was an opportunity for her to find a new challenging and essential trade: water treatment operator, a trade that happens to be a male-dominated profession.

Today a carpenter but once a Blue Helmet serving in Bosnia, Heather Lidberg, who trained in the fine arts and then carpentry, traveled throughout the Americas before settling in Rigaud, near Montreal. She has many tales to tell, but they all share a common thread: that of a woman driven by her convictions and her commitment to fighting against prejudice daily.

As a child, she would tag along to job sites with her father. That spark of interest grew, and after several years on the job market, Jenifer now teaches electricity at the École Professionnelle des Métiers. Is this trade exclusive to men? No way!

Amy Ovans is no stranger to hard work and willpower. She enrolled in the DVS for Welding while waiting for her chance to become a heavy equipment operator. In the end, she never left the field and is working her way up the ladder.

She made her own way. Although her path was strewn with pitfalls, victories and sometimes questioning, Karine Boucher has finally fulfilled her wish: to work in a construction trade. Winner of the Olympiades québécoises des métiers et des technologies and the Hats Off to You! contest, she is an example of perseverance.

When she was about ten years old, Laurie Breton received a small-scale model helicopter for building. This Christmas gift would be a catalyst for her.

Kimberley Pellerin, apprentie de 26 ans, originaire de Sorel-Tracy, a représenté le Québec en compagnie d’une autre compétitrice — une première dans un métier traditionnellement masculin —. Elle a répondu à nos questions sur son métier méconnu.

Jade Niles, 25 ans, élève en briquetage et maçonnerie au Adult Education and Career Training Centre (ACCESS) de Longueuil et apprentie en taille de pierre nous a fait le récit de son choix de carrière et de formation.

Anna Vinson, 29 ans, est venue à Montréal pour compléter un diplôme d’études professionnelles (DEP) en décoration intérieure et présentation visuelle. Elle a travaillé deux ans dans sa ville d’adoption avant de retourner en France. Nous avons discuté avec elle de son parcours.

Sophie Boudreau, 19 ans, de Gatineau, vient de terminer son DEC-BAC en Techniques de génie aérospatial à l'École nationale d'aérotechnique (ÉNA), un établissement d’enseignement rattaché au cégep Édouard-Montpetit. Elle nous a parlé de son expérience aux Olympiades des métiers et des technologies et son parcours académique dans un secteur où les filles sont en situation de minorité.

Joanie Boutin est née à Chandler et a grandi à Grande-Rivière, communauté Mi'kmaq en Gaspésie. À 26 ans, elle vient de terminer son cours en soudage au Centre de formation professionnelle et d’éducation des adultes Sorel-Tracy.