NEWS
Women in Construction Week: A Career Built on Work Ethic
Women in Construction Week is an opportunity to recognize the women building, maintaining, and strengthening our industry. It is also a time to share real stories, not just about representation, but about craftsmanship, professionalism, and long-term careers built through dedication to the trade.
For Julie Lawson, that journey began at 15 years old in a family friend’s garage.
A close friend of her father introduced her to welding, teaching her the fundamentals and sparking what would become a lifelong career. Growing up around her father’s tractor trailer repair shop, Julie was no stranger to working with her hands. Repairing, building, and understanding how things functioned came naturally.
In 2000, she returned to welding more seriously, enrolling in college courses to build a technical foundation. After working in metal fabrication, she discovered a private trade school focused on pipefitting. In 2002, she committed fully, spending eight months refining technique, theory, and practical application.
By 2007, at 25 years old, Julie joined the Pipefitters union — becoming the first woman to be indoctrinated into UA Local 221 Kingston.
Today, she is a Journeyperson Pipefitter with 19 years of industrial experience.
Over nearly two decades, Julie has worked across Canada in a wide range of industrial sectors, including gold, copper, and diamond mines, oil refineries, fertilizer plants, potash mines, LNG facilities, cogeneration stations, paper mills, hydro dams, food processing facilities, steel mills, and nuclear power plants.
That extensive experience reflects more than mobility — it reflects adaptability, technical strength, and a deep understanding of industrial infrastructure.
When asked what she values most about her career, Julie speaks first about stability and pride.
Working in the trades has provided financial security and flexibility, but it has also offered something equally important: satisfaction in building and maintaining critical infrastructure. Whether repairing essential systems or contributing to new construction, there is a tangible sense of accomplishment that comes from seeing the direct impact of skilled labour.
She also speaks about camaraderie, the relationships built across jobsites and provinces, and the shared learning that happens when tradespeople challenge one another to improve.
“It’s a lifestyle,” she says. “It isn’t always easy, but it’s rewarding in a lot of positive ways.”
Her advice to women considering a career in construction is grounded and direct:
“Focus on being good at what you do and let your work and your work ethic speak for itself.”
It is a perspective shaped by experience. While the industry has historically been male-dominated, she acknowledges there has been measurable progress. Contractors, unions, and industry groups have introduced committees and initiatives that support women entering the trades. Recognition and visibility have improved. Cultural shifts may not happen overnight, but forward movement is evident.
Julie’s nearly two-decade-long career and her milestone as the first woman in her local union chapter represents that.
Women in Construction Week is not only about increasing participation. It’s about recognizing the professionals who have committed years to mastering their craft.
As we look toward the future of construction in Canada, it’s stories like Julie’s that demonstrate what long-term opportunity in the trades can truly look like.
Published: March 04, 2026
