Kelsey Spencer’s story starts like many others: with a handy dad who worked on projects around the house and encouraged her to tag along. She credits those early experiences with inspiring her to pursue a hands-on career and showing her from a young age that girls can do the work, too.
Luckily, Kelsey attended a high school that offered classes in several different trades, and she quickly realized carpentry was the right path for her. After high school, she moved to Grand Manan Island. She applied to work at Big Dog Construction primarily because it is owned by a woman, Gena Hoyt.
“I figured since there was already a woman there, the company and its crew would be open to a woman working in construction,” says Kelsey. Still, working on a jobsite meant having to adapt physically. “I had to learn how to use my body and leverage to get the strength I needed for lifting,” she explains. “It wasn’t a matter of ‘I can’t do it,’ but rather figuring out how I could.” She learned through trial and error, along with tips from her crew.
While working full-time at Big Dog, Kelsey also enrolled in the formal apprenticeship program required to become a certified carpenter. In Canada, apprentices continue working on the job while completing required classroom instruction. Although her team at Big Dog was welcoming and supportive, Kelsey found the apprenticeship program more challenging.
“I had to learn how to use my body and leverage to get the strength I needed for lifting. It wasn’t a matter of ‘I can’t do it,’ but rather figuring out how I could.”
– Kelsey Spencer, Big Dog Construction
She was the only woman in the class, and many of her classmates were not accepting of a woman entering the trades. At first, no one wanted to partner with her on projects. By the end of the program, some had changed their minds, recognizing that if she was still there, she clearly knew what she was doing.
Today, Kelsey is a lead carpenter at Big Dog. With a team of only three to four people on a given day, Kelsey builds alongside the crew while overseeing the workflow and keeping each project on track. “The more people see women doing this job,” she says, “the more women will feel like they too can do it.”
— Jennifer Morris, editorial assistant. Photo by Julie LeBlanc Photography.
Keep Craft Alive is our campaign celebrating those who have chosen to passionately pursue a career in design, building, and remodeling. Find out more and show your support by visiting KeepCraftAlive.org, and use #KeepCraftAlive to share your passion for the cause.
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