To every child reading this book, know that your career can be anything you dream. Let your imagination take you on adventures and find what you love to do no matter what perceived obstacles stand in your way. — Judy-Lynn Mason, chair of the ’s (MCAC) (WiMC).
Susie’s Shed, the first children’s book of potentially many, was officially launched yesterday (Nov. 28) at the MCAC’s 81st annual national conference and is a labour of love for WiMC’s Mason.
Created as a way to reach out to the next generation, Susie’s Shed was written by Ken Lancastle, chief operating officer of MCAC, and illustrated by Michael Roy. It has been 18 months in the making.
“This book has been a goal of our committee, and it is wonderful to see it come to fruition,” says Mason. “It is a beautifully illustrated book that tells a fun story about girls undertaking the exciting trades on a construction project.”
Intended to be the first in a series, along with colouring books and other interactive elements, Susie’s Shed aims to tackle the labour shortage by “touching not only the existing (labour pool) but also the up and coming.
“Women are 50 per cent of the workforce but only five per cent in construction,” says Mason. “Forty-five per cent is untapped in our industry. How do I try to attract people to this industry and make it a viable option? Because it’s not really talked about. There’s still a lot of assumptions when it comes to being a tradesperson.”
What’s more, the book is meant to show both young girls and boys that construction is for everyone.
“As a child, you all sit around the rug and the teacher reads you a book…nobody’s ever read me a book about a girl in construction my entire life,” she states.
“We decided to do our own. Not only is it a girl that’s an illustration…there’s also 50 per cent of that classroom is boys looking at that little girl going, ‘girls can do this too.’
“It’s trying to change the conversation, the thought process from a very young age.”
The book also features a real-life element to it with the use of QR codes. By scanning those, it takes readers to a video of a real-life “Susie” in action. Brandi Ferenc, a Red Seal 313A refrigeration mechanic/gas fitter 1 journeyperson, takes on some of the real-world elements featured in Susie’s Shed in the videos.
“Cartoons are great, but you don’t relate to cartoons. They open up the conversation,” Mason explains of the initial illustrations, adding the Ferenc videos allow “not having to imagine you, as a female, doing these things because we just presented it to you. We put it in front of you. It is real, you can watch her actually do it.”
The book, for sale through Amazon and through MCAC, was supported by mechanical contractor associations across the country and as such MCAC will be dedicating the sales to supporting future women in mechanical contracting initiatives.
The eventual hope is that Susie becomes a mascot for girls in the trades.
“We want to continue to grow the series through different trades, electrical, insulation, millwrighting,” says Mason.
“We want to continue to do more and to have more advocates for women in the trades. We feel this is a fun way to subliminally change that messaging and maybe the unconscious bias that exists in this world.
“We can start one by one, one per cent at a time, one book at a time.”
For more information about the Susie’s Shed children’s book, visit .
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