Video Clip: |
Three dynamic women who have staked out successful careers in the rail transportation industry will inspire your female students to explore new career pathways.Female role models help get this career on the radar of women and girls because they’re able to see someone who looks like them on the job. The video reveals the personal experiences and insights of successful women working in this field. Rail transportation and related industries employ millions of people. Increasing numbers of women are establishing rewarding careers in the traditionally male-dominated rail transportation field. Role Model Videos: Career Options for Women -- Rail Transportation
$99 
Item #: EDV67 |
Career Options for Women -- Rail Transportation:
This 24-minute video features profiles of three women with successful careers in rail transportation:
- Brenda Cox, a yard foreman who loads and organizes rail cars for train assembly
- Rebecca Mann, a technical officer who tests the structural and mechanical limits of rail cars
- France Robert, an electronics systems technician who performs safety tests on passenger trains
Additional information from co-workers and supervisors supplements each job profile.
Meet the role models featured in the Rail Transportation video:
Brenda: Yard Foreman
Brenda Cox is a yard foreman. Brenda organizes rail cars for loading and assembly into trains that travel East, dropping cars off en route. She likens it to a chess game with extra big pieces to move around.
Brenda got her start with a major railway several years ago. She competed against hundreds of applicants and was one of only 12 people hired. Her first job interview was held at 3:00 a.m., just to give her an idea of what the shift work was like. She got the idea, and the job.
“What I like about my job is I have a lot of autonomy. As much as I am given instructions by somebody, it is up to me to figure out the best way to perform those tasks…”
Brenda is on call 24 hours a day, 7 days a week. Her pager may go off at any time and she will be expected to come to the yard within 2 hours. As Brenda gains seniority, she will know when she is going to work ahead of time.
Brenda's rail yard is part of an intermodal transportation network. What does that mean? Containers arrive by ship and are loaded onto rail cars. These are eventually unloaded and put on trucks for final delivery, or vice versa. Some containers are also transported by plane. Four modes of transportation: intermodal. Coordinating train movement to and from the ship docks is also part of Brenda's job.
Rebecca: Technical Officer
How would you like to get paid to smash rail cars into each other? How about freeze them into something resembling a large ice cube? Maybe you'd prefer roaring around in a military vehicle to see what it can really take? That's just part of the fun at Rebecca Mann's workplace. She's a technical officer for the Centre for Surface Transportation Technology located near Ottawa, Ontario. Her job is to see what a rail car can really take.
Rebecca did a college field trip to the Centre and was very impressed with its facilities. So she applied, and applied, and applied. Finally she got a job in the railway department. “I prefer hands-on tasks over theoretical work...The tests are different every time, so it's very interesting and exciting.”
Crashing rail cars together is only part of Rebecca's job. She's also been able to travel to Germany and the United States on business. The job's a good fit for the theory aspect of her university education and the more industry-oriented college program she attended.
France: Electronic Systems Technician
Have you ever wondered what it takes to stop a rail car going 160 kilometers an hour? Just your hand, if it's pushing a button configured by electronic systems technician France Robert. France touches the lives of many simply by doing her job well.
France assembles and tests electronic systems for passenger trains. It takes a lot of concentration, attention to detail and patience. Some pieces are very tiny, so France has to be very good with her hands.
$99
Item #: EDV67
Video details:
Run time: 24 minutes total, including three segments of approximately 8 minutes each.
Format: DVD. Closed-captioned.
Year: 2006
Note: Videos are interspersed with Canadian salary and labor statistics, which are similar to the numbers in the United States.
Policies: There is a no-return policy on these videos.
Grade level: Middle School, High School, Two-Year College, Four-Year University
Video Clip: |
Three dynamic women who have staked out successful careers in the rescue industry will inspire your female students to explore new career pathways.Female role models help get this career on the radar of women and girls because they’re able to see someone who looks like them on the job. This video reveals the personal experiences and insights of successful women working in this field. Rescue and related industries employ millions of people. Increasing numbers of women are establishing rewarding careers in the traditionally male-dominated rescue field. |
Career Options for Women -- Rescue:
This 24-minute video features profiles of three women with successful careers in rescue:
- Danielle Gagnon, a paramedic in Montreal’s emergency medical service
- Julie De Grandpre, a rescue diver in the Coast Guard
- Pamela Kryskow, a firefighter with experience in a wide variety of emergencies
Additional information from co-workers and supervisors supplements each job profile.
Meet the role models featured in the Rescue video:
Danielle: Paramedic
Danielle Gagnon was working as a lifeguard when a little four-year girl suffered a respiratory arrest. As she watched the paramedics work on the child, Danielle knew then what she wanted to do. Danielle is a paramedic. She gives pre-hospital care for the people who call 911 and transports them to the hospital. She currently works nights (10pm - 7am). Danielle has a diploma in nursing and is certified as an ambulance technician at Ahunsic (north of Montreal). Although she used to work as a nurse, she felt that her life in the hospital was not allowing her to achieve her goals.
The job appeals to Danielle because it involves taking care of people and saving lives. It's an interesting job and there is a place for women in it. However, she stresses that it is physically demanding. Danielle has to lift patients in stretchers up and down stairs and in and out of the ambulance. She believes she can do her job even if she has children, but would have to adjust her schedule. She says, “You can get burned out on the job.” Danielle advises that it helps to separate work from home.
Danielle has never had problems working amongst the male paramedics and believes she won't as long as she is strong physically and can back up her partner. The most rewarding aspect of being a paramedic: “Taking care of people and saving lives!”
Danielle was working as a lifeguard when a little four-year girl suffered a respiratory arrest. As she watched the paramedics work on the child, Danielle knew then what she wanted to do.
Julie: Rescue Specialist/Diver
Julie De Grandpre works for the Canadian Coast Guard/Hovercraft Unit as a Rescue Specialist/Diver. Her duties include everything from surface swimming to diving on a car, plane or boat wreck. Right now, she is qualified as a surface swimmer and bridge lookout. She is also nearly finished her training as a rescue diver. The particular Coast Guard base that she is working at is the busiest search and rescue unit in the country.
Julie has always lived on boats (her dad was a fisherman), so it was natural to want to work on a boat. It's the freedom of working outdoors and she loves the ocean. Knowing that she is part of a part of team that can save lives is a great reward for her. One of the benefits of the Coast Guard is the excellent on-the-job training. Even after Julie was hired, she was able to continue her education. Julie advises that you find out about the industry if you are interested in her type of job. She works on six-month contracts only, meaning her job position is renewed every 6 months. To turn down a placement, says Julie, would likely mean the end of your contract.
Julie works four days on and four days off. The day shifts are 10 hours and nights are 14 hours. “It's a fantastic career with many different avenues. If you enjoy working on the water, it's probably the job for you.”
Pamela: Firefighter
Pamela Kryskow is a professional firefighter. As a firefighter, she attends emergencies such as fires, medical emergencies, high angle rescues, swift water rescues, confined space rescue, and vehicle accidents. Firefighters work four shifts on and four shifts off. The first two are 10-hour day shifts. The second two are 14-hour night shifts. This is a perfect job for anyone wanting to start a family, as one would have six out of every eight days off.
“There would be more women doing this I think if they knew this was a career option. This is a great job for women that want to stay strong and fit their whole life. The time off is great allowing one to pursue all sorts of other activities.”
For the most part, the job is not as physically demanding as Pamela's previous job as a forestry fire fighter was. Pamela enjoys her work. Her coworkers are great and occasionally she feels rewarded when she gets to do something that really makes a difference to someone in the public. In addition to responding to fires and vehicle accidents, Pam is also trained for rescue in confined space, swift water, and high angle. There's always excitement on this job, along with excellent pay and benefits.
Video details:
Run time: 24 minutes total, including three segments of approximately 8 minutes each.
Format: DVD. Closed-captioned.
Year: 2006
Note: Videos are interspersed with Canadian salary and labor statistics, which are similar to the numbers in the United States.
Policies: There is a no-return policy on these videos.
Grade level: Middle School, High School, Two-Year College, Four-Year University
Video Clip: |
Three dynamic women who have staked out successful careers in robotics and automation will inspire your female students to explore new career pathways.Female role models help get this career on the radar of women and girls because they’re able to see someone who looks like them on the job. The video reveals the personal experiences and insights of successful women working in this field. Robotics, automation and related industries employ millions of people. Increasing numbers of women are establishing rewarding careers in the traditionally male-dominated robotics field. Role Model Videos: Career Options for Women -- Robotics and Automation
$99
Item #: EDV69 |
Career Options for Women -- Robotics and Automation:
This 24-minute video features profiles of three women with successful careers in robotics:
- Isabelle Tremblay, an engineer specializing in the use of robotics for space exploration
- Jessica Amsden, a robotics technician who works in automated manufacturing
- Cheryl Hyrnkiw, owner-operator of Solarbotics, which produces educational robot kits
Additional information from co-workers and supervisors supplements each job profile.
Meet the role models featured in the Robotics and Automation video:
Isabelle: Robotics Engineer
Isabelle Tremblay's robotics work has taken her career to new heights -- outer space. Isabelle's fascination with the unknown and science fiction was the perfect backdrop for her current job. Planets and space exploration have been on her mind since she was a girl. That curiosity has landed her a job as a robotics engineer at the Canadian Space Agency.
Jobs in robotics and automation are opening up at warp speed. Along with several different engineering-related careers, there are many positions available that require a 2-year technical degree. Isabelle says some of the skills needed for her job are curiosity, optimism and an interest in everything technical and space related.
“I like to see the tangible result of my research and to share my expertise with other researchers through publications and conferences.” Along with sharing her research knowledge, Isabelle also shares her passion with robotics by enlightening young women to the possibilities of a career in robotics."
In the future, Isabelle would love to participate in space mission experiments using her knowledge and experience in robotics. Of course, we’re talking on-site, in space.
Jessica: Robotics Technician
Jessica Amsden is a robotics technician for E-One Moli Energy, a company that produces lithium ion batteries, the kind that recharge and have a longer life. Jessica's pretty charged herself, doing maintenance on the automated equipment used to manufacture the batteries. She also does project work, installing new equipment and doing equipment modifications. Her job activities range from simple mechanical servicing to using sophisticated software programs to troubleshoot or update equipment. A typical day would find her at the workbench or in the production area taking care of business.
Jessica was the first woman to ever graduate from the Robotics and Automation program at her technical institute since it began in the early 80s. Her advice to other women considering this type of career is to stick with it. School is hard, but it will pay off. “With robotics you get to focus on more than one thing. You experience a whole range of technological areas.”
Most of the over 650,000 robots installed worldwide have been used in manufacturing. Typical applications are welding cars, spraying paint and loading and unloading machines. These robots are mainly used by the automobile and metal-manufacturing industries.
The technicians who work at E-One Moli Energy must be able to grasp a wide spectrum of technologies - from cam driven mechanical systems to X-Rays networked with Ethernet. There is also a huge array of specialized applications for robotics technicians and technologists. Basically, it's the control of motion and its properties that are common to most applications.
Cheryl: Robotics Business Owner
Cheryl Hyrnkiw and her husband design and manufacture robot kits, mostly for educational purposes. Cheryl loves her home-based robotics business because it's an opportunity to always be at the forefront of technology. And there are always new toys to play with. Just check out her home. It's overrun with electronic critters of all sorts.
“I love my job because it's constantly changing. Robotics is a fairly new field. It's on the forefront of technology and there are always new things coming out to play with.”
Cheryl's future plans are to take a step back from the day-to-day administrative work of her business and get more into the hands-on technical work. She wants the company to focus on research and find even more practical applications for their robots.
Cheryl’s research could one day result in robots that have a practical, useful application that everyone can benefit from, over and above the educational aspect and fun her kits now provide. In the meantime, she still enjoys bringing high tech robotics into the lives of her customers, especially the kids.
Some of the new product research Cheryl is doing could really explode. She is currently working on developing robotic bomb disposal units and land mine seek and destroy systems.
$99
Item #: EDV69
Video details:
Run time: 24 minutes total, including three segments of approximately 8 minutes each.
Format: DVD. Closed-captioned.
Year: 2006
Note: Videos are interspersed with Canadian salary and labor statistics, which are similar to the numbers in the United States.
Policies: There is a no-return policy on these videos.
Grade level: Middle School, High School, Two-Year College, Four-Year University
Video Clip: |
Three dynamic women who have staked out successful careers in the rubber industry will inspire your female students to explore new career pathways.Female role models help get this career on the radar of women and girls because they’re able to see someone who looks like them on the job. The video reveals the personal experiences and insights of successful women working in this field. Rubber and related industries employ millions of people. Increasing numbers of women are establishing rewarding careers in the traditionally male-dominated rubber field. |
Career Options for Women -- Rubber:
This 24-minute video features profiles of three women with successful careers in rubber:
- Catherine Dupont, an extruder operation manager in charge of an automotive rubber production line
- Michelle Hennessey, a tire builder who also functions as a rotating safety monitor
- Nathalie Legér, a production specialist involved in several phases of the rubber manufacturing process
Additional information from co-workers and supervisors supplements each job profile.
Meet the role models featured in the Rubber video:
Catherine: Extruder Operation Manager
For production worker Stephanie Sebastian, working in a steel mill is a family affair. She's a third generation of steel workers. Stephanie went to college after high school, but was lured into the steel business by the great money, benefits and positive work environment.
Stephanie works in a galvanizing mill. Galvanizing steel protects it from rusting. The molten galvanizing material almost looks cold to touch, but would melt your fingers in a second. Stephanie handles the material carefully and wears heavy-duty protective equipment to ward off potential splashes.
While Stephanie really enjoys her job, she likes not having to think about it when the workday's over. “You can't find a better career in another industry. It's fast paced, the opportunity for advancement is great and financial gains cannot be compared with any other sector.”
As a production worker, Stephanie performs different tasks depending on where she's working in the mill. She can be in quality control, shipping and handling or operating a machine called a welder. This tool welds the beginning of a new coil of steel to the end of the one already on the production line in order to create one continuous strip of metal. The steel moves along the production line and goes through several furnaces and a zinc bath to become galvanized. The final product can then be used in the automotive and construction industry.
Michelle: Tire Builder
Before tire builder Michelle Hennessey got her career rolling with Goodyear, she went to college to become a private investigator, or "gumshoe", because of the rubber soles used to sneak around. Michelle still treads a lot of rubber building tires, but also works as a rotating safety specialist at the plant, coordinating safety activities and events. Although she may eventually go back to building tires full time, the safety specialist position gives her an opportunity to learn new skills.
As a rotating safety specialist, Michelle works 5 days a week, from 7:30 a.m. to 4:00 p.m., except on Fridays when she gets to leave half an hour earlier. As a tire builder, Michelle works the continental shift (12 hours on, 12 hours off), which allows her to work only 15 days a month! Weekend and evening work is sometimes required.
There's always an opportunity to advance and learn new jobs. Lots of training is available and we can take courses to upgrade our skills.”
Jobs at Goodyear Napanee are in demand. The wages and benefits are good and tire manufacturing companies put a lot of effort into hiring capable employees. “There's always an opportunity to advance and learn new jobs. Lots of training is available and we can take courses to upgrade our skills.”
Nathalie: Production Specialist
Production specialist Nathalie Léger inspects tires and cuts into the rejects. Nathalie has to be confident company tire specifications are being met, along with production quotas, of course.
The rubber industry is very competitive. Production processes are constantly being refined. Keeping a grip on the industry is a team effort that often requires standing up for what you believe is the right approach. Nathalie thrives on contributing to the cause.
Nathalie has to be very knowledgeable about different stages of the production process in order to understand where, how and why a defect has occurred. She has to have an analytical mind in order to come up with possible solutions. Excellent communication skills are needed in order to share this information with other team members.
Video details:
Run time: 24 minutes total, including three segments of approximately 8 minutes each.
Format: DVD. Closed-captioned.
Year: 2006
Note: Videos are interspersed with Canadian salary and labor statistics, which are similar to the numbers in the United States.
Policies: There is a no-return policy on these videos.
Grade level: Middle School, High School, Two-Year College, Four-Year University
Video Clip: |
Three dynamic women who have staked out successful careers in the steel industry will inspire your female students to explore new career pathways.Female role models help get this career on the radar of women and girls because they’re able to see someone who looks like them on the job. The video reveals the personal experiences and insights of successful women working in this field. Steel and related industries employ millions of people. Increasing numbers of women are establishing rewarding careers in the traditionally male-dominated steel field. |
Career Options for Women -- Steel:
This 24-minute video features profiles of three women with successful careers in steel:
- Stephanie Sebastian, a production worker at a fast-paced galvanizing mill
- Jennifer Zahra, a quality control inspector involved with steel tubing for automotive uses
- Christine Guérin, a research technician focusing on the chemical components of super-strong steel
Additional information from co-workers and supervisors supplements each job profile.
Meet the role models featured in the Steel video:
Stephanie: Production Worker
For production worker Stephanie Sebastian, working in a steel mill is a family affair. She's a third generation of steel workers. Stephanie went to college after high school, but was lured into the steel business by the great money, benefits and positive work environment.
Stephanie works in a galvanizing mill. Galvanizing steel protects it from rusting. The molten galvanizing material almost looks cold to touch, but would melt your fingers in a second. Stephanie handles the material carefully and wears heavy-duty protective equipment to ward off potential splashes.
While Stephanie really enjoys her job, she likes not having to think about it when the workday's over. “You can't find a better career in another industry. It's fast paced, the opportunity for advancement is great and financial gains cannot be compared with any other sector.”
As a production worker, Stephanie performs different tasks depending on where she's working in the mill. She can be in quality control, shipping and handling or operating a machine called a welder. This tool welds the beginning of a new coil of steel to the end of the one already on the production line in order to create one continuous strip of metal. The steel moves along the production line and goes through several furnaces and a zinc bath to become galvanized. The final product can then be used in the automotive and construction industry.
Jennifer: Quality Control Inspector
These days, many auto manufacturers are using steel tubing in many structural parts of a vehicle. Ensuring that the steel quality is within specification is the job of quality control inspector Jennifer Zahra.
Not only will Jennifer chase a problem pipe down the line to be certain it's been marked as defective, she also tests the tube to determine exactly what the problem is. From there, the appropriate production related adjustments are made.
Jennifer is on the leading edge of a new generation of steel workers. Automation has reduced the number of people it takes to produce steel while technology has increased the knowledge-base needed for the job. However, the human eye is still required to check quality on a regular basis.
“The people I work with are probably the best part of my job. Another attractive aspect about the steel industry is great benefits and great salary and this, of course, translates into a great lifestyle.”
In order to work in a steel mill, you need to enjoy working in a team and be willing to learn. You have to have excellent communication skills in order to communicate to your team properly. Flexibility, versatility and an open mind also help.
Christine: Research Technician
It didn't take long for Christine Guérin to find work after she graduated. Her diploma in analytical chemistry was still hot off the press when she was hired by a steel manufacturer as a steel research technician.
Christine's job is to improve steel quality and investigate any defect issues that occur. It's an ideal venue to satisfy her natural curiosity about the mysteries of science.
To be a success in any business, you have to be resourceful and develop effective work habits. There seems to be a lot of opportunity for success in the Steel industry. Many of Christine's classmates found work while they were still in training.
There are now nearly three thousand different chemical components to steel and that don’t include the ones created for special usage by researchers like Christine. For example, the new, super-strong steel, means that you can build an identical structure using 35 percent less steel than thirty years ago.
Video details:
Run time: 24 minutes total, including three segments of approximately 8 minutes each.
Format: DVD. Closed-captioned.
Year: 2006
Note: Videos are interspersed with Canadian salary and labor statistics, which are similar to the numbers in the United States.
Policies: There is a no-return policy on these videos.
Grade level: Middle School, High School, Two-Year College, Four-Year University
