I’m a young 25-year-old carpenter in a ‘man’s world’ – this is how I handle my gruelling job and any jealous men who think I’m ‘coming for their jobs’

Bardie Somerville is used to being the ‘only girl’ in a workplace – and has worked her way up from worker and apprentice to manager in just seven years.

But that doesn’t mean it’s been easy for the idealistic 25-year-old, who admits that being a woman in a trade comes with its own complications.

Speaking to FEMAIL, the young tradie said being a carpenter, electrician or plumber should be like pursuing any other career, but as a woman that is not the case.

“I think as a woman, I’m generally super aware when I go onto a (construction) site for the first time,” she said.

‘People give an opinion about me and my work at a glance, so I really have to show up every time.’

“They’ll be dismissive or make me feel uncomfortable when I’m there. Then, two hours later, they come along and say ‘I’m going for a girl.’

She explained that she feels like she has to work harder than her colleagues to show them that she deserves to be there and that she is more than capable in the role.

“When I come on the site, I don’t just show up for myself, I show up for all feminine traditions. I’ve had bosses who hired other women after working with me,” she said.

“So it feels like if you have a bad day or don’t show up in the best way, it might stop them from ever hiring another woman.”

Bardie says she is fortunate to work for a great company where negative behavior towards women is not tolerated, but says this “100 percent still exists.”

“Many of the people who hold these views are leaving the industry, or will do so in the coming years,” she added.

She also alluded to the fact that men are “threatened” by women entering the workforce, which is why some sites make sites uncomfortable.

“They look at you like you’re there for work,” she said.

When she succeeds, she feels the need to downplay it, especially at work.

‘There have been times when I have achieved great achievements, such as student of the year or various promotions, and I feel like this is not celebrated. Or they – the men on the ground – look at it or wipe it away,” she said.

“Some have even said things like, ‘Of course you understand – you’re a girl – and I think it’s great to see men getting the same opportunities.’

She explained that she wouldn’t choose another job: it’s fun, she gets to spend a lot of time outside and she loves her team.

The sexualization of women in workplaces is also a problem.

“Some guys take you away from the rest of the team and then make comments that are really uncomfortable,” she said.

“And it’s hard because you know it’s wrong, but you feel like if you complain you could be seen as a problem.”

‘At the end of the day, you don’t want to be the person who creates a problem. In every other career, men and women work together; trade is so much further behind.”

She added that when other tradies make sexualized comments, it makes her feel strange, like she doesn’t quite belong in a workplace.

This can lead to women in professions trying too hard to fit in – at the expense of their own health and well-being.

“I think when people think of tradies, they think of people who drink a lot, talk a lot of nonsense and eat badly,” she said.

“So I did all that. And I got really depressed.”

Once she decided to appear on the scene as herself – without apologizing or adopting a ‘tradie persona’ – things went much better.

“It took me about three years, but after that everything got better, including my work,” she said.

Instead of going to the pub at 3pm and eating sausage rolls for lunch, Bardie returned to her love of health and fitness and took control of her mental health.

Now she can embrace her strengths.

‘Everyone at a location works as a team; “I may not be as strong as someone else, but they may not be as good at something else as I am,” she said.

When Bardie first found herself in a workplace, she hoped to make some money working while studying fine arts at university.

She eventually dropped out of college to accept an internship.

‘I wish I knew more about transactions earlier. “I probably wouldn’t have gone to college,” she said.

Bardie is excited to combine her love of art with her career in construction.

“Sometimes clients pull up their Pinterest and show us ideas, but art can be expensive,” she said. “I love being able to reverse engineer their ideas and turn them into reality.”

As site boss, there are still tough days ahead for Bardie.

Sometimes builders fire her; other times, site visitors walk right past her and talk to a student.

‘It’s definitely frustrating and quite rude. But I have to be the bigger person and assume that this person hasn’t worked with a woman before,” she said.

Bardie has many friends who are traditional, but admits that this makes her think women are more common in workplaces than they actually are.

“One of my old bosses took on a female apprentice, and I worked with a female landscaper and an electrician,” she said.

Bardie is excited to prove that women are valuable to the industry – and says it’s a ‘tiresome’ job, but one she’s proud of.

The young woman is excited to share her knowledge with young tradies as they navigate their way through her workplaces.

She is also proud that she has learned so many valuable skills with the tools.

She recently bought her own house and is renovating it herself.

Not only was the house affordable – because it needed so much work – but she also saved money by doing it herself.

“Every time I have to pay for a trade, like an electrician or a plumber, I’m reminded of the savings,” she laughed.

Bardie lives ‘at her workplace’ and renovates half of the house at the same time.

“I ripped out my bathroom, and some of the walls and ceiling in the bedrooms,” she said.

Once that’s done, she’ll redo the kitchen and living areas.

“I want women to know that being a tradie is an option,” she said.

About three percent of all tradies in Australia are women.

Hacia Atherton, the founder of Empowered Women in Trades (EWIT), wants workplaces to use the female workforce more efficiently.

She says this could be the solution to the vocational training shortage, which continues to worsen as Australia records its lowest number of apprenticeships since the early 1990s.

“It is incredibly encouraging to see the rise of women in commerce, challenging the status quo and reshaping the industry landscape,” she said.

“The presence of women and non-binary people not only brings diverse perspectives and skills, but also breaks long-standing stereotypes. Having a dedicated community for women in the professions is paramount. It provides a safe space for sharing experiences, mentorship and collective growth.

“This community serves as a beacon of support, ensuring every woman knows she is not alone in this journey. The future of commerce is inclusive, and it’s a future I’m excited about,” she ended.

With a vision to inspire a million women to pursue internships in skilled trades, EWIT aims to increase women’s participation from just 3 percent to an impactful 30 percent by 2030.