Flushing Away Stereotypes

 

Andrea Durdle is flushing gender stereotypes down the drain.

            The 27 year-old has just become one of Vancouver Island’s first female journeyman plumbers.

            “Andrea’s only the second female plumber I know of, and I know hundreds of plumbers,” said Kevin Clark, manager of the Nanaimo branch of Torry and Sons Plumbing and Heating Ltd., Durdle’s employer. “We’re proud to help a woman break into a male-dominated trade.”

            But Durdle is far from just a token female. She graduated top of her class at Camoson College and has already earned rave reviews from Torry and Sons’ customers.

            “Many customers have commented on her great skills, her attention to detail and her great personality,” noted Clark. “Men and women tend to have different points of view. In the trades, we can benefit from having a different slant on how to do things, how finished projects should look and how to interact with out customers.”

            One such “slant” that Durdle brings to the profession, she says, is a fresh approach to problem solving.

            “Brute strength sometimes isn’t an option for women,” she said. “We tend to think things through more, rather than just trying to strong-arm something.”

            In Durdle, Torry and Sons Plumbing and Heating has found an employee whose skills are nearly unmatched among recent ticketed plumbers. The company also finds itself appealing to a whole new set of customers – those who are uncomfortable welcoming a male stranger into their home.

                        “Some clients simply prefer dealing with a woman,” explained Clark. “For instance, a 90 year old lady living on her own may not feel comfortable with a big burly stranger in her bathroom. But she does feel comfortable with Andrea.”

            The staff and management of Torry and Sons have been “hugely supportive,” added Durdle, and he’s happy to be a role model for other women who want to get into the trades.

            “It’s a real confidence booster going out and doing the job that guys usually do,” she said.

            “At one home I was working in, there was a young girl who was in awe of me being a ‘lady plumber.’ She watched me the whole time, peppering me with questions. It felt really cool to influence and inspire a younger generation.”

            It’s not often you get a toilet replacement and an inspiring lesson in overcoming gender stereotypes all in one package. But thanks to Andrea Durdle and Torry and Sons Plumbing and Heating, this special service is now available on Vancouver Island.

            Torry and Sons can be reached at its Comox Valley office at 250-338-8865 or online at www.torryandsons.com.

                                                                                    ~Torry and Sons