How I Became - a Plumber.
How I Became - a Plumber w/ Billie McDonnell.
Welcome to the ‘How I Became’ series where Billie talks to girls across New Zealand who are killing it in their chosen career and see how they got there!
Trying to decide what you ‘want to be when you grow up’ is hard enough as it is and your careers counsellor probably won’t have all the answers you need.
HIB aims to give you a bit of insight into different career paths and what it takes to get there.
Name: Billie McDonnell
Age: 24
Current job: Tradesman Plumber, Gasfitter & Drainlayer
Firstly, what drew you to plumbing?
For as long as I can remember I always wanted to be some kind of farmer. My father is a plumber and I never took an interest into the trade until after I left high school and was doing some contract for the company my father worked for. I liked what I saw and made a career out of it.
What subjects did you take in high school that you think helped?
Most subjects I took in high school were aimed for a farming career. There’s not necessarily any subjects you need to take but I found that doing calculus has been beneficial for calculations required for certain aspects of the trade.
What did your pathway towards starting your career look like?
After a month of contracting for the company my father worked for I signed up for my apprenticeship a few weeks later after thinking that plumbing looked easy enough. The boss was happy to take me on and I became the company’s first ever female apprentice in the 100 years they’d been running.
What did you study/where/how long did it take?
I completed my plumbing, gas fitting, and drain laying apprenticeship through Unitec. I went on block courses every 3-4 months for a week or two at a time across the space of 5 years. At the end of the 5 years I was a registered plumber, gas fitter and drain layer.
What’s the best thing about your job?
I love the variety of work that my job entails. Having 3 different trades within the same position means there’s so many different aspects you’re involved in whether its a new build, renovation or maintenance job.
What’s the hardest part?
For me the hardest part has been recovering from a serious workplace injury and dealing with harassment from other tradies on site. The harassment on sites varies from job to job so it’s not always a constant issue and one I can usually manage very well.
What surprised you most about your job once you started working?
The relationships you make with the boys you work with and with the other tradies on site. I always feel so supported and welcomed whatever sites I go to which really makes a big impact on my general wellbeing.
What does an average day look like for you?
Most days aren’t the same on site but I start at 7am so grab all my tools and head up to where I’ll be working for the day (or part of the day). For the past 7 months I’ve been running copper water mains so that can be anything from cutting, braising, hanging copper pipe and fixing them into the ducts/ along the corridors. Then we finish the day at anywhere from 3.30-5pm sometimes later depending on deadlines etc and I’ll order the gear that’s required for the jobs coming up before I leave site. I finish off the day by coming home, cooking dinner and winding down for the evening.
What advice would you give to those looking to follow a similar career path?
Give it a go! You won’t know you don’t like it until you’ve given it a shot. Go out and actively look for companies that will allow you to get some work experience so you can see what the job is really like first-hand. This gives you an idea about what the job entails but also if you could see yourself doing it for a career. This can be applied for anyone looking to get into a trade.
What are the biggest challenges in your opinion to getting into plumbing?
Something a lot of girls struggle with is getting a job. A lot of people don’t want to hire a female but that’s ok because in reality they probably wouldn’t be a good boss to work for. Be persistent in looking for apprenticeships, as companies are always looking its just about finding the one for you.
What kind of skills does your job require?
There’s not really any skills you require to get into the trade except a good attitude and punctuality. Having these two traits will mean you’re already doing yourself a big favour. Strength comes with the job and so you don’t need to worry if you struggle with it as it will get easier as time goes on.
What part of your job gives you the most satisfaction?
Seeing the end product. Along with your work and the other trades work, you end up with a beautifully completed project that is so satisfying to see come to life.
What has been an absolute highlight of your career?
For me the biggest most amazing thing is being recognised for all my hard work and getting nominated for tradeswoman of the year and being a finalist in both 2022 and 2023. I managed to take home the win this year and being the 2023 tradeswoman of the year means so much and is an incredible feeling. All the blood, sweat and tears really have been worth it to be recognised in such an amazing way.
What’s an unexpected element to your job that people don’t realise you have to do?
I think it’s more an unexpected thing you don’t have to do. People think plumbers and they think dealing with people’s waste water issues. That is in many ways not the case. Depending on what kind of plumbing you get into, you could be only installing brand new fixtures/ pipes in houses or commercial buildings and not have to even near waste water. It’s definitely not the dirty job most people think it is.
Describe your job in three words
Satisfying, fun and challenging!
You can follow Billie on Instagram here.
