It's tough to balance work, studies, and family, but one Prince George woman is not letting the busy life stop her from pursuing her dream career.
Marissa McTavish is a single mother of young children and her passion for electrical work is being celebrated by LNG Canada, being named as the 1,000th recipient of the company's Trades Training Fund (TTF).
The milestone comes four years after the program took off, which has since handed out over $1.5 million in funding to cover training costs for apprentices developing their skills in high-demand markets.
“As a single mom, this opportunity to develop my skills in the electrical trade means steady employment, good wages, and self-respect,” said Ms. McTavish in a news release. “I want to thank Ben at Primus Electric and LNG Canada for this support in completing my apprenticeship and launching my career.”
Primus Electric, located on 4th Avenue in Prince George, is the employer of McTavish, which is also the 500th business to sponsor and employee through the TTF.
To add to the list of accomplishments, she will also become the 150th LNG Canada TTF placement at the College of New Caledonia (CNC), when she begins her Level Three program.
McTavish admits there have been struggles to start, but is happy doing what she does every day.
“I see so many people in jobs they’re not happy in," the 36-year-old states in the release. "They feel they can’t do anything worthwhile unless they have a university education. But they’re wrong. There are so many opportunities in the trades. They must be willing to give it a shot and work hard to be in a better financial position in the future. You’ll learn new skills and have fun doing it. I’m doing it and it’s working out pretty well for me.”
“A big reason I chose electrical is because I was told it takes more brains than brawn,” she added. “Since I’m so petite and only about 105 pounds, I thought it might be a good fit. It was a bit daunting to be entering a field that is heavily male-dominated. I was scared, but I knew I could figure out how to do it."
Right now, McTavish is the only female apprentice at Primus Electric.
