EMC Celebrates International Women's Day

In anticipation of the upcoming ‘International Women’s Day’, to be held March 8, 2022, EMC has interviewed several women from across our organization to further understand and explore their experiences as women in the construction and nuclear industry.

Today, we connect with Andrea Vandewalle, Senior Manager EHS, Safety Programs and Processes.

How did you first enter the construction / nuclear industry?

I worked for Bruce Power as a Radiation Safety Technician or “green man.” Having recently graduated from Uni, deciding last minute to not apply to Teacher’s college and instead pursue passion for health promotion. When post-grad plans fell through, I knew I had student debt to pay off and I decided to apply for job. This is where I discovered my interest in industrial and conventional safety. The path I was fast tracked through in order to obtain green badge, CANDU, station systems etc. and having the opportunity to work in audiovisual teledosimtery system (AVTS), support work on reactor face, boiler programs etc. I recognized health and safety was common theme and first priority throughout all we did every day.

What do you think is the most significant barrier to female leadership or participation within the workplace?

The perception that you need to go above and beyond male counterparts to sit in the same seat, that you have to prove that despite being female, you are capable and deserve to be there. While this is something I don’t believe many of us recognize or would admit about ourselves, when immersed in a male dominated workplace, it can become very difficult to let go of something that has been engrained in many of us from a very young age. For example, in consideration for post-secondary planning in high school, it wasn’t as though young women in my class were being pulled into information sessions on the Trades. We were being pulled into recruitment for Nursing and other stereotypical female occupations. That is not to say there is anything wrong with stereotypical occupations for men and for women, but I think we can all agree that some of our best Nurses in today’s age are in fact men and we are now seeing more and more women having successful, fulfilling careers in the Trades, construction and other traditionally male dominated fields.

How have you been able to overcome this barrier?

Many of the men I have had the privilege of working with throughout the years (both in my previous life in rad safety as well as my current career) whether they know it or not, have shown me that I belong here. Of course there have been instances along the way and co-workers that have made it clear they don’t feel I or other women should be here, but for every 1 person that feels this way there has always been a thousand others who have made it clear they value my work, my opinions, my passion for the same career path they have chosen.

What are the best examples of positive change in the workplace that you have noticed in the past five years?

Specifically within EMC, we have women in the field and in addition, our management Team is made up of many women.

How have you built confidence or resiliency over the course of your career?

By surrounding myself with and searching out those that align with my values and by building trusting working relationships with them. When I first started out in rad safety, I would find myself almost competing with the men on my crew. I was determined to drag more lead blankets in the vault than anyone up to the top elevation faster than any of them! I recognize there will always be people who don’t feel women are as valuable within the Industry, but I am certain they are not the norm. I no longer feel the need to “prove myself” to these people the same way most men don’t feel the need to prove themselves to their counterparts. I have also found myself in situations where my male co-workers have felt the need to “shelter” or “protect” me from certain people, words or situations and would escalate situations without speaking with me or getting my feelings on the matter. While in the beginning of my career I may have sat and stewed on it, finding myself upset that someone felt I couldn’t protect myself or I couldn’t handle hearing what someone had to say about me, but I have since found it much more helpful to sit down and talk about it with my co-workers, ensuring they understand how that can make a woman feel less than competent at taking care of things themselves even though their intent is pure. Having open, honest conversations has helped me build confidence in speaking up for myself.

What strategies do you use to promote inclusion in the workplace?

Seek first to understand and do more listening than speaking. When someone is doing a great job, I tell them. This ensures people know that what they are doing or what they are saying is valued and I want to hear from them. When you are the minority, whether it be in a meeting or in your workgroup etc, this is especially important.

What, or who inspires you?

The women in apprenticeships and in the Trades currently! I love that EMC is seeing more and more women entering into the Trades.

What advice would you give to young women entering this profession or industry?

I would tell them not to put so much pressure on themselves by subscribing to the “women can have it all mentality.” Of course we can have it all (career, children, hobbies/interests, successful relationships etc). But to subscribe to the notion that you have to have it all at the same time while maintaining the same trajectory on all fronts puts unnecessary pressure on yourself. When I walked away from my career at 27 to have kids and spend time at home with them, a day didn’t go by that I didn’t feel as though I had given up my opportunity to have a successful fulfilling “career” and had settled for the idea that just getting back into the workplace in some capacity would have to be good enough for me when the time came. What I would give to go back and tell myself that I could in fact “have it all” and that to enjoy the time that I had with my kids at home because with hard work and some drive, the career would be there for me to pick up again when I was ready. Having it all doesn’t have to be “all at the same time”.

EMC thanks Andrea, and all of our participants, for their contributions to EMC’s IWD celebration.