Clea White – Breaking Stereotypes

An Interview with Clea White

Clea White, a 4th-year apprentice carpenter, motocross rider, and Bowens ambassador, sat down with us to discuss her journey into carpentry, navigating the construction industry as a female trade, and drawing parallels between trades and motocross.

With a builder dad and a love for hands-on work, Clea trusted her instincts and threw herself into the world of construction. She’s since worked on multi-million dollar builds, was a guest speaker at Bowens Women in Trade Event and is passionate about encouraging more women to explore careers in the trades.

What inspired you to pursue a career in carpentry?

My dad is a registered builder, and I grew up watching him on construction sites, which really intrigued me as a kid. By the time I reached Year 11 and 12, I knew I wanted to do a trade. I trusted my instincts and decided to give it a shot.

What is it like being onsite as a female?

During my first year onsite, I was really nervous. I’d hesitate to ask to move other trades’ tools or borrow a ladder. My dad told me, “You’re gonna have to talk to them the whole way through, so you might as well learn now.”

I quite often have people offer to lift stuff for me, but I usually say, “no.” I might not lift as much in one go, but I’ll do more runs at it. I need to be able to carry heavy tools, like drop saws—that’s part of the apprentice’s job.

What’s the most rewarding project you’ve worked on so far?

We’ve worked on a lot of cool projects over the past four years. One was a 70-metre-long holiday house with a cinema, huge kitchen and an amazing alfresco – it was just an insane build.

The house we’re working on now is worth around $15 to $20 million and is just off the water. It’s got a $500,000 infinity-edge pool with a 12-person spa, a seven-car garage, cinema, golf room. Literally everything you could imagine in one house.

Do you have a dream project you’d love to work on?

I really want to build my own house one day. My parents built the first house I lived in, and I want to do the same for myself. That’s my dream.

What advice would you give young females considering a trade career?

Look into different trades and see what suits you best. For me, carpentry felt right because I find it more creative than plumbing or electrical. But give anything a try – you never know where it could take you.

What would you say to someone nervous about being the only female at TAFE?

Everyone at TAFE is probably just as nervous as you. These days, it’s more common to see females in the classes, and they’re genuinely welcomed. You won’t be out of place like in the past. That was my experience but there’s always a support system. The teachers I had were lovely and always made female students feel welcome.

You participate in motocross. Do you see any parallels between motocross and being in a trade?

Both are very male-dominated. I’ve thrown myself into two spaces where not many females are involved, but I’ve always enjoyed motocross and hanging out with the boys. It’s helped me build a kind of toughness that really carries over into the trade.

You fall, get hurt, pick yourself back up, and keep going. It’s that toughness.
Work keeps me fit and healthy for bikes and bikes keeps me fit and healthy for the job.

How did you enjoy your first Women in Trade event?

It was awesome – so much fun. It was really exciting to speak in front of that many people because I’d never done anything like that before. Afterwards, having other women reach out and come up to me was really special. It was great hearing their stories. I thought the whole event was super positive –  I loved it.

Congratulations to Clea who took home the Master Builders Victoria Metropolitan Developing Leader Award in May.