A spur of the moment decision to become a concreter has resulted in Lizzy Eaton finding her dream profession.
It hasn’t always been easy for the 38-year-old former cop, but Lizzy has paved a path that has her being one of Australia’s most promising concreters. After calling time on her 11-year career policing in Perth, Lizzy decided it was time for a change of scene.
“I got to the point where I wasn’t in love with the job anymore,” Lizzy said. “I had a year off to decide because policing was all I knew.”
Lizzy’s partner Brett put her touch with ABN Training, which presented her with apprenticeships in either bricklaying or concreting. A natural pioneer: Lizzy went where no other women were. “There was already a girl doing bricklaying, but there were none in concreting,” she said. “The reason why I chose it was because I’d be the only girl, I like to pick things that are outside the norm.”
Since joining up with her supervisor Brad, Lizzy’s journey in concreting has been a rollercoaster to say the least. “I thought how hard could it be? Not realising it’s really hard,” she said. “Brad has taught me everything on the job. When I first started it was at the end of the boom but still ridiculously busy day -to-day. “You’d be doing the house slab and the footing in one day in the summer.
“I said to Brad in the second week ‘are they all this hard?!’ He said if you can do these jobs you can do any jobs.” Today, Lizzy is undertaking a two-year online apprenticeship in concreting via North Metro TAFE in WA. Starting out with the “crappy jobs” of washing boards and bits of concrete off things, Lizzy has been put through her paces as she learns more about the trade. One adjustment has been the 6.30am starts, which is easier for Lizzy as she’s already up at 3.30am to go to the gym! “Some trades have smoko, but we don’t, we just keep going,” she said.
SEE ALSO: Tradie Tough Test: Bosch GLM 100-25 C digital laser measurer
“I went in knowing absolutely nothing and have learnt from the start. “I decided to do something random, but I’ll never look back. It’s so rewarding being in the construction industry.” Her work in the industry has seen Lizzy bag two awards from HIA WA, winning both the Apprentice and Concreter of the Year accolades. But some hurdles have been harder to overcome than others, as Lizzy continues to navigate a male-dominated industry with aplomb.
“A lot of people expected this six-foot blonde girl wouldn’t last,” she said. “I’ve actually had a guy suggest I do hairdressing and not be a concreter … I had another guy who told me I didn’t deserve the awards I had gotten. “As a female in the industry, you’ve got to work 10 times as hard to prove to the blokes you can actually do it. “I think I surprised everyone when I said I would do it … I thought what could go wrong? If I fail, I fail.”
“I’ll just keep doing what I’m doing … they want you to bite, that’s why they do it, to upset you,” she says. “It’s more a motivation than anything to be better.” Lizzy has even endured through a broken foot she suffered on the way to work, taking up what desk duties she can to ensure she’s still learning about her profession. Much like when she landed on concreter as her next great adventure, Lizzy isn’t sure what the future holds.
SEE ALSO: Tradie Tough Test: Bosch GLM 100-25 C digital laser measurer
One thing she says is for certain is that once she decides her path: there’ll be no stopping Lizzy. “The opportunities are endless, I’m pretty keen on furthering my career like in the building industry,” she says. “I might get my builder’s ticket as well so I can build houses from the ground up myself which would be great. “It’s super rewarding, I want to see how high I can go, how much I can learn, then hopefully one day have my own company or be the CEO of a company.
“I’m not sure yet, I just want to log as much as I can and see what happens.” Lizzy is also a part of the National Association on Women in Construction committee in WA, having been convinced to join by its president Eileen Wong. Since joining up, she hasn’t missed a monthly meeting. “Eileen suggested I apply for the Bronze scholarship award, and I didn’t think I had much of a chance but thought I would give it a go,” Lizzy said.
“Much to my amazement I won! It’s been such a great decision being part of NAWIC and I’m so excited to really be an inspiration to women and young girls in taking up a career in the building and construction industry. “I am so passionate about girls getting into male dominated roles and not being afraid to do it and being a part of NAWIC gives me so much more opportunities to promote women in the industry, so I love it.”