Celebrating NPEI's Female Powerline Technician

Allison Wood knows she works in a male dominated field, but she doesn’t mind it one bit. She’s happy to be doing the work that she enjoys so much.

Wood, who has been with Niagara Peninsula Energy Inc. (NPEI) since 2016 in Apprentice and Full-time positions, loves the breadth of work she’s doing. “Everyone thinks it’s all brute strength, but there’s a lot more to it than that,” says Wood. “There’s a lot of mental work as well. There’s a lot of planning that goes into it. You still need to get down and dirty sometimes, but you’re constantly learning and growing. Every job we do is a different situation with a different set of circumstances. It never gets boring.”

NPEI is proud to have one of the few female powerline technician apprentices in Ontario. “We love having Allison as part of our team,” says Ron Campaigne, Director of Operations at NPEI. “She’s a hard worker and she’s a great role model for young women looking to enter the trades.”

Wood says she enjoys being a member of the Women of Powerline Technicians, a group that hosts networking events, peer groups and mentoring opportunities for women in the trades. She credits the group for helping her meet other women in the trades and validating her career choice. “It’s a spot where we can talk to other women and hear about their experiences or ask them questions.  Even just things like where to buy gloves and boots that are small enough to fit.”