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Women in Construction: Norristown Resident Maya Crockem’s Journey Turned A Hobby Into A Career

 

by The Times Herald

Maya Crockem of Norristown is a shining example of possibilities during Women in Construction week.

NORRISTOWN — Although she wasn’t aware of it at the time, the seeds of Maya Crockem’s future as a woman in construction were planted early on in life. As a child, the Norristown resident would jump at every chance she got to try her hand at building something with her father, who was a carpenter. And visits to her grandmother’s house invariably included time with her learning something from one or more of HGTV’s home improvement programs.

“HGTV is pretty much the only channel my grandmother watched,” said Crockem. “So it has always been in my life.”

Even with these two major influences, as well as experience after experience that left her feeling fulfilled working with her hands, Crockem never gave trade school serious thought once she graduated high school—as is so often the case for young women. Instead, she went “the more traditional route” and enrolled at Temple, where she earned her degree in psychology. After graduation, she quickly learned that the industry wasn’t full of jobs, so she searched for a while until she finally found a job in the field of psychology.

Still, even though she had a job “in her field”—Crockem felt something was out of place.

“The climate wasn’t quite suited for me,” said Crockem. “It didn’t seem to match my interest.”

She realized that she needed to make a change, so she kept her eyes open for other options. This led her to a job fair being hosted by JEVS Human Services, a nonprofit in the Delaware Valley that assists more than 25,000 people each year in becoming self-sufficient and satisfied. Not realizing that JEVS also operates a trade school in Northeast Philadelphia—Orleans Technical College—Crockem was surprised, to say the least, at what she discovered at the job fair.

“I went to a JEVS job fair and pulled up to a trade school,” Crockem said. “I thought ‘This is so awesome!’ It was this toy dangling in front of me.”

As Crockem continued working in the psychology field, the idea of going to school to learn a trade remained in the back of her mind. It just never seemed to be the right time for a change—until COVID-19 hit. During this dark time for the global society, Crockem saw a ray of light and created for herself an opportunity to make a change. She enrolled in Orleans Tech’s Building Maintenance career training program.

The six-month day program teaches diversified skills needed to maintain and renovate commercial and residential properties. Students learn basic skills in electricity, carpentry, plumbing, heating and air conditioning maintenance along with additional specialty skills. And with students ranging from all ages and demographics—from the 18-year-old high-school graduate to the 40-year-old changing careers to someone over 50 looking to acquiring a skill to utilize as they age—Crockem fit right in.

“More and more of the public is realizing that the trades are a great career and one in which the demand for work should always remain strong,” said Debbie Bello, Admissions Director at JEVS’ Orleans Tech. “The demand for what we provide is rising, and we are seeing more interest from everyone—including women. Not only has the number of women graduating from our programs been steadily growing, but our female students really seem to excel and are sought after by employers.”

This was absolutely the case for Crockem, and she quickly made friends. She met Tyaja, another woman in her class, and they appreciated the comradery they enjoyed with the men in the class. It also wasn’t long before Crockem was voted in as class president, and she compares their class to a family.

“Our class got pretty close pretty quickly,” said Crockem. “Being a woman in school has its advantages and disadvantages. But people quickly realized, ‘hey, that Maya is good on her own.’ We all have strengths and weaknesses. And we all give each other a helping hand. Some of these activities take brute force so I always give it my best effort, but I feel like there’s always someone there who is looking out for me if needed. It has been really, really fun.”

Before settling on construction, Crockem also entertained the idea of interior design. But even though she loves that aspect of the world, those “seeds” planted in her childhood won the day.

“There’s just something about being able to construct something and put something together,” said Crockem. “There’s nothing like enjoying something you physically did.”

For now, Crockem plans to remain working in the psychology field while she finishes school, but she is extremely proud that she is following her true passion with Orleans Tech.

“I’ve now taken this from a hobby to something I see as attainable,” said Crockem. “Whether I switch careers completely, do something on the side, or even start a business down the line, the opportunities are endless.”

Bello says that women often thrive at Orleans Tech before heading off into great careers. “Our female students seem to have a much keener eye for detail, which can really come in handy in this world. The men quickly realize that not only can their counterparts hold their own, but many times they pick up the skills even faster.”

As Orleans Tech celebrates National Women in Construction week, Crockem and the rest of her Building Maintenance classmates are getting set to celebrate their graduation. Now equipped with skills she can carry for a lifetime, Crockem thinks the future is bright—not only for her, but for all women entering the profession.

“These days women are entering the field and doing really well,” said Crockem. “If I found a handy female, I’d support them. It’s been fun and crazy. Things that I thought were so difficult are making so much sense now. I would have been scared to wire a light and now it’s one of my most favorite things.

Read More : https://www.timesherald.com/lifestyle/women-in-construction-norristown-resident-maya-crockems-journey-turned-a-hobby-into-a-career/article_4bfeda8c-80ef-11eb-bd36-07bbb45bd2e7.html

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