Let's Get a Conversation Going
We love the quote that Trevor Matthews includes in his e-mail signature. It reads, “Let’s get a conversation going.” A certified training & development professional and a subject matter expert in commercial refrigeration systems, Trevor supports Jamie McMillan, founder of KickAss Careers, as a KickAss Career Ambasssador. The mission of the KickAss team is to authentically connect with and encourage young women and men to follow career paths that offer economic security, practical knowledge and lifelong skills.
Trevor’s passion for the trade, opennes, and committment to education make him an ideal person to get conversations going — including of course with women seeking guidance in this industry. MOXY quickly caught up with Trevor to discuss his perspective on women in the skilled trades.
What is the key to attracting more young women to the trades? Help them understand that a career in refrigeration is something they can do, and it is something that can take them to wherever they would like to be in life and career. There are dozens of different pathways in HVACR and the opportunities are endless for women.
Do you find that guys on job sites struggle with knowing how to work with the women there? No. I do not think it is any different than working together in another work atmosphere, like in an office. I can say that I have worked with some women in the refrigeration field when I was making my way through my apprenticeship and they worked just as hard as the men.
How do you envision a trades industry with more women? I would like to see more women get into refrigeration as there is a huge opportunity for them. It takes a lot of skills both physically and mentally and I believe more women in this industry could bring it to a whole new level. This trade is very exciting to be in right now as technology is evolving and they can be a part of it. From becoming a technician, manager, engineer or designer. The possibilities are really endless in the HVACR space. This trade is very financially rewarding, which they can benefit from too.