Providing energy for generations

On a snowy October morning in 2004, as Emma’s mom Ruthy settled in to write the Alberta Boilers Safety Association (ABSA) exam, she went into labour. Soon after, daughter Emma was born prematurely by six weeks.

Ruthy laughs at the memory.

“Back then, you had to take your course, then work for six months for your steam time before you could write your ABSA Part B exam,” says Ruthy. “In February 2004, I found a placement with BP Canada in Fort Saskatchewan, and then registered to write my 4B exam the following October. As I sat in the examination room, I was so uncomfortable that I was in actual pain. I thought it was the chairs! I soon came to find out that I was in full blown labour.”

Fast forward 19 years and the mom and daughter duo are now both actively involved in the industry. Ruthy, a Lakeland alumna, works as operations lead with Wolf Carbon Solutions, and Emma, a recent Lakeland graduate, just completed process and power engineering, a two-year diploma program finishing with a 3rd class ticket at the Lloydminster campus.
Both women say they are pleased to be in a career where they can earn a comfortable salary and break some traditional gender barriers.

“Women have been outnumbered in this industry, for sure, but I have yet to encounter a situation where my male colleagues thought I wasn’t capable,” says Emma. “It is important to remember that the job is not based on physical strength. It calls for brain power and thinking skills; to problem solve daily because everyday is different.”

Emma hopes to start building her career in the industry wherever she is able to find new opportunities and feel satisfied knowing that, as a power engineer, she is part of Canada’s dynamic and leading energy sector.

“That would be the ultimate dream,” says Emma. “If I can have a job where I can contribute to providing people with energy options, and to be able to balance home life and work life, that would be great, even with the 3 a.m. wake up times.”