The company’s first female sprinkler fitter is an ‘inspiration’

“Sometimes when I go to a job site, I feel like I have to prove myself. Being on a male-dominated construction site can be intimidating,” says Tarr, who has never experienced harassment or bullying. He says that those pressures “only come from themselves.”

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Tarr hopes that over time these feelings will fade and more women will enter the sprinkler fitting industry. “We can do the job as well as others can do it.”

BuildForce Canada estimates that in 2020, only about 5% of the nearly 1.1 million employed artisans will be women, indicating that much more needs to be done to close the gender gap. . But Thal believes more women are working in fields such as electricians, drywall workers and plumbers.

According to Classic Fire + Life Safety, several female fire alarm technicians have recently joined the company, carving out space for themselves in positions traditionally held by men.