March 8th is a special day as we celebrate all over the world the International Women’s Day. To us, this is a great opportunity to celebrate women and their contribution and success in the electrical field. On this particular occasion we talked with Sandra from Germany, @electricsandy, about her career and we are excited to share her story with you.

How did you decide to pursue a career in trades? How long ago?

When I finished high school I didn't really know what I wanted to do, so I went to a social college for six months. Then, I dropped out and took an FSJ (Voluntary Social Year). After the FSJ, I still didn't know exactly what to do with myself, so I just did what I imagined the least: an apprenticeship in business management.

I never thought that what you can least imagine may be exactly the right thing for you.

In September 2015 I landed in the office at Elektro Saegmüller, but I quickly realized that the office was not for me. At the beginning of the apprenticeship, there were practical instructions for the electrical apprentices in which I was also allowed to participate. My trainer asked me if I would prefer to be trained as an electrician because I was doing quite well. But he could not yet inspire me in electrical engineering. After a few months, I was allowed to help a fitter at a customer's site because there was no electrical apprentice available. When I was asked I immediately said: "Sure, I'll do it. Anything is better than sitting in the office" 😀

I liked it so much that I asked the next week if I could change apprenticeships. My trainer was, of course, totally thrilled, agreed and immediately initiated everything.

What’s the best part of your job?

It's incredibly diverse, there are hardly any limits to your career. Plus, you combine physical work and craftsmanship with your cognitive skills.

What is people’s reaction when you mention you work in field?

Most of the time they are rather surprised and say that they can't imagine that I really work on a construction site with everything that goes with it.

What is your message to the young ladies out there wo think about starting a job in trades?

Have the courage and come into the trades! We are capable of much more than we give ourselves credit for.

How do you plan to celebrate international women’s day? Work and then cocktails? 😊

I don't think I will really celebrate it. I will simply represent every single woman in the trade, as I do every other day, and once again draw attention to the fact that we exist, that this is a good thing, and that we do our work just as well as any other craftsman.

You can find Sandra on Instagram, where she posts pictures and videos from her daily jobs. Make sure to follow her!

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