Annabelle Thorpe-Hall Electrical Trade Apprentice
“I knew I didn’t want to go to university but I loved doing hands-on work and learning in a practical way.”
The answer to that equation for 19-year-old Annabelle Thorpe-Hall was taking on an electrical trade apprenticeship, with ElectriNET, part of the Horizon Energy Group, in Gisborne.
“The subjects I enjoyed in school were maths and physics. I spoke to my careers advisor at school and she showed me some of the options. I decided to contact some local businesses to see if I could spend some time shadowing them at work.
“I reached out to a range of trades and ElectriNet offered me the opportunity to spend a day a week with them where I spent time with electricians, fire technicians and data technicians. I loved my time there and was lucky enough to be offered an apprenticeship so here I am.”
Now Annabelle is spreading the word about the opportunities that lie in an electrical trade by taking part in Connexis Girls with Hi-Vis® in Whakatane with Horizon Networks. The nationwide event held each year through June, offers female secondary students to meet with local potential employers onsite to learn about infrastructure trade careers, meet the women already working in them and try their hand at some of the technical skills required.
“I am looking forward to meeting other girls who might be interested in getting into trades, just being able to answer any questions they might have or tell them what I do in a day” Annabelle says. “It might help them decide whether it’s something they would like to do or not.”
One of the things Annabelle would like other women to know about her job is just how varied it is.
“The variety of work and opportunities that I have at ElectriNET is huge. I never realised how many different jobs electricians do,” she says. “What I really enjoy about my job is having a wide variety of work. Every day is different. You get to visit so many different sites and meet a whole range of people.
“I get to use lots of different problem solving skills, and be able to help people.
“If it’s something you are interested in and enjoy hands-on work then give it a go. Don’t be put off thinking it’s a male-dominated trade. My attitude has always been that if you’re willing to learn and want to do the job then that’s all that matters. It doesn’t make any difference whether you’re a male or female.”
Annabelle was also a recipient of a Connexis Outward Bound scholarship and recently completed her course. She says the experience was challenging but in a positive way.
“I absolutely loved Outward Bound. It was the perfect environment for me to be pushed out of my comfort zone and I was able to learn so much about myself. I was able to participate in so many activities I wouldn’t have normally done.
“I learnt that I’m capable of much more than I thought, and I learnt many skills around communicating and being around a new group of people. I learned that putting yourself out of your comfort zone can be a huge positive and you can get so much out of an experience if you just give everything a go and don’t always say no just because you’re nervous or don’t think you’re capable.
“I learned to give everything a good go and don’t turn down opportunities even if you’re really nervous and don’t want to go. Speak up if you have ideas and encourage other people around you to do the same, working in a team can be so much more efficient and your ideas can become so much more developed.”