SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 2021 FIRST IN 30: A keen hunter, Caelyn Pere is the first woman to take up an apprenticeship in 30 years at The Village Butchery. Pictures by Ben Cowper Wahine working the change Covid-19 shook the weak foundations for many working women, disproportionately represented in the service industries. Yet jobs traditionally occupied by men are calling out for staff. Videographer Ben Cowper and Jack Marshall report on three women who are breaking the mould. hree Gisborne women are bucking kitchens, cut cabinets to order, attach New Zealand’s woeful statistics handles, bench tops and the rest. around women in the trades and She says an entire kitchen takes about Tapprenticeships. a week to construct for a single joiner by Women make up half the population, themselves. yet in construction women make up only Key skills for an apprentice are listening, 13.5 percent of the workforce, including following instructions and having a good eye administrative roles, says Stats NZ. for detail, she says. Helping to break the mould is Regan But the main attribute is just a want to do Tuapawa who is seven months into an the job. apprenticeship at Kitchen Zone to become a “I missed lots of opportunities because I qualified joiner. was female. I’m really lucky that when I came The qualification takes three years to here there were other girls working here, complete. which is so cool.” Regan says she has learned to love the While women remain a rarity at many work and is growing to truly love it. workplaces, they rule the roost at Kitchen Which is a process since she said she did Zone on Stanley Road, making up five of the not know exactly what being a joiner entailed nine employees. seven months ago. Kitchen Zone owner-operator Tony Sharp Her first goal in the future is to finish her says he has employed women on the floor for apprenticeship. the last 15 years. “Then I’ll stay here for a few years and keep “To me it’s nothing unusual, but it is still upskilling.” hard for them to get into the trades,” said After that, she may start her own business Tony. employing the skills she is picking up today. “There are still a lot of older guys out there “I tried getting apprenticeships at building saying they’re not right for it. companies, but that didn’t work out, and I “It’s not until they finally get a woman in tried my luck here and I cracked it.” the workplace that they realise they should “I’ve always loved building and creating have done it sooner.” things and I never knew anything about With technology making heavier work less joinery before I came here.” demanding, work in the trades is becoming IN THE KITcHEN ZoNE: After missing out on other work in the trades Regan Tuapawa is now seven months into a joinery apprenticeship and is loving it. Now she knows plenty, able to build easier for everyone. SAturdAy, June 12, 2021 2 LEAD A TASTE FOR THE OUTDOORS: With a love for the sun on her skin, Laurel Kohere took up an apprenticeship Millton Winery with James (left) and Annie Millton. From page 1 Once they get into the trades they can pretty well do anything, said Tony. “They listen, can be softer on the tools, and they have a high level of finesse with their work.” Tony said the next step for many women is to realise they can work in the industry and build their self-confidence. If job numbers are anything to go by, women may be finding that confidence, at least in construction. A household labour force survey showed an annual increase of 21,000 people in the construction industry; 5800 of those new workers were women, or 28 percent. Across town Caelyn Pere is breaking new ground of her own. The butcher in training has picked up a blade to apprentice at The Village Butchery, the first female to do so in over 30 years. “Hunting is a really big part of my life,” says Caelyn. “I’ve been brought up hunting. We’re always taught to hunt for the pot.” “A typical day in the butchery I’m usually in the front working with my customers helping in the shop, and sometimes I’m out the back prepping and helping the boys cut up meat, break down stuff.” TENDING THE VINE: James Milton explains some of the finer points of vine management to Laurel Kohere. She says a successful butcher not only needs to be skilled with a knife but needs to “Working here I actually got to get a really a lot of apprentices and Caelyn is the first “I absolutely love working outdoors. It’s be able to socialise with people and engage good feel and insight on how the butchery female apprentice in this shop in over 30 the reason why I first came out here. I with customers. works. After Covid last year, I thought, why years. like the outdoors, I like the feeling of the “I’m actually quite grateful that I work not give it a crack and do an apprenticeship, “It brings a lot of joy to the shop and great sun on your skin and it’s just really good with wonderful men. We all tautoko/respect so that’s where I am now.” value and customers love having a female practical knowledge, something I think that each other.” A big bonus of an apprenticeship is that serve them in a male-dominated trade.” everybody should have.” “I want to thank my dad. He’s my number you earn while you learn, meaning no Alongside butchering animals and making On a normal day, it’s plant care, weed one supporter. He’s always encouraging and student loans or tuition fees. kitchens are the great outdoors and making control, crop protection and vineyard helping me with my apprenticeship. He is She says it is totally possible to be a female good wine. maintenance, says Laurel. always trying to make it easier for me to in a male-dominated trade. Laurel Kohere is in an apprentice at Because Millton’s is an organic biodynamic cope in a male-dominated industry. “Our apprenticeship goes for three-and-a- Millton’s Vineyards and Winery, specialising vineyard winery, a lot of the weeding is done “Secondly, the women in my whanau are half years, but the faster you go through in viticulture. by hand and mechanically, whether pruning hard workers, and they’ve influenced me your modules in the books, the faster you “I was offered an apprenticeship from or weed-eating. that hard work and dedicated perseverance can finish your apprenticeship.” James and Annie and I accepted happily, For her future career she wants to be is one step to success.” “In the future, I’m hoping to own my own because it’s the industry that I want to be involved in the wine industry, whether that A highlight of being a butcher for Caelyn butcher shop or open up a home kill service involved in.” be viticulture or winemaking. will be the ability to process meat for her on the East Coast.” “The course is 29 months and it can “I would definitely recommend an whanau and friends down the track. The Village Butchery’s Michael Taylor says be shorter depending how fast your apprenticeship to other people for sure. It’s “Taking a gap year from high school was it is great having Caelyn in the shop. assessments are handed in.” a good way to learn and work at the same probably one of the best decisions for me. “I’ve worked here for 17 years. We’ve had “Just like a normal job: I get paid. time to get the best of both worlds.” SATURDAY, JUNE 12, 2021 3 PROFILE FASHION FAMOUS: Fabric artist and designer Susan Holmes took two and a half weeks to make this piece “Montana Duck” for a special 25th Flamboyance in jubilee celebration of a wine Montana Wines brought back. Susan used the colours on the bottle to design a duck-like creature. “But I wanted it to be very elegant, not a wacky duck-like dress, but an art piece that was elegant and beautiful.” The silk was hand-dyed, hand-printed, with applique, and a the basement wicker basket cut in half for the shoulders. Picture by Liam Clayton Tucked away in boxes in the basement of Susan Holmes’ home are award-winning designs that once took centre stage. Susan spoke with Sophie Rishworth about her days designing for World of Wearable Art (WOW). old it like a baby with two hands.” competition director Heather Palmer won international acclaim, and she had to for the hit television show Zena Warrior e careful instructions on describes Susan as an ambassador for the make a second one so the costume could Princess. how to handle Susan Holmes’ annual event. travel as well. Her art is very physical, with innovative Hfashion pieces are a clue to their e book is called Susan Holmes Fabric But before fashion, Susan was a teacher. ways underpinning her whole career. auspicious past. Artist and was written by Cerys Dallaway- In the ’60s she attended Otago University, Susan was always on the look-out for Susan is a textile designer and fabric Davidson. where she hung out in the Dunedin literary structure for her outfi ts. artist, and one of the most awarded World “Over the last two decades Susan has and art scene of the time.