I have worked as the Department Head for Trades and Technology at the College of the Rockies for the past 7 and a half years. Prior to this role I was the program coordinator and instructor in our Upgrading Program and prior to that I was an instructor in the English as a Second Language program. I have been at the College of the Rockies for the past 16 years- and counting! The College of the Rockies provides both apprenticeship and pre-apprenticeship training programs for nine different trades. In my role as department head, I oversee the operation and delivery of all of our trades programs, which involves supporting faculty and staff and students, developing the trades training plan, fostering partnerships with industry and keeping current on trends related to trades training. When it comes trades training, I feel very much like it has been part of my job as the Department Head to level the playing field so that trades are open for any and all who have a passion and interest- skills come later! Supporting women in the trades and moving the needle on the percentage of women in underrepresented trades fires me up and has become part of my mission to spread the word about the amazing opportunities that becoming a skilled tradesperson can provide.