Nadine

Meet Nadine

“I’m able to book holidays, go on trips and I even bought a Ski-doo for the first time.” 

Nadine used to live paycheque to paycheque, always hoping for a more stable and better future. “I’m now able to provide for my family and give them the life they deserve,” she says. 

“Women Building Futures helped me get where I am now. It gives you that foot in the door,” says Nadine, a graduate of the Driver and Operator program (now Professional Class 3 Driver). “The work is on you to do, but they give you that entry. It would have taken me a lot longer to get where I am without Women Building Futures.” 

At first, Nadine was interested in heavy equipment operation, but switched gears when she found her true passion in driving large trucks through the program. She now works as a hydrovac operator, using high-pressure water and a vacuum combination for excavation on infrastructure projects.  

“Growing up, I loved playing in the mud. Now, I make money doing it,” she says. 

Driving a big truck was a proud moment for Nadine. “It was super cool to hop in a rig and be able to say that you can drive it,” Nadine says. “It’s really cool to hop out on a job site and see the surprised reactions of people who didn’t expect to see me behind the wheel.” 

More than financial stability  

Her new career brought more than just financial stability. It also led her to her partner, Ana. “Both of us went through the Driver and Operator program at different times and ended up working closely together at the same company,” says Nadine. “I taught Ana everything I knew about hydro excavation and practiced driving with her. We even had the truck that brought us together at our wedding.” 

Since finishing the program and getting her licence, Nadine has secured employment with an employer partner whose values closely align with her own. “What I find really cool is that Women Building Futures aligns themselves with companies that have strong core values for safety and equality,” says Nadine. 

As a 2SLGBTQIA+ couple working in the trucking industry, Nadine and Ana have found acceptance and support. While they know not every workplace may be as inclusive, they appreciate their positive environment. “No one cared what our sexual orientation was. Most people only care about your ability to show up to work and get the job done,” says Ana. 

For those considering a career change, Nadine offers encouragement: “Do it! If you’re even thinking about it a little bit, you have nothing to lose and everything to gain.”