Kim

Meet Kim, a 45-year-old inspiration who is making a statement for women everywhere.

Right as the coronavirus was closing down institutions across the region, Kim was fortunate to be finishing up a 6-month, hands-on carpentry training program at JEVS’ trades school, Orleans Technical College. She has big plans in store, and the pandemic isn’t going to slow down her dreams.

Before her stint at Orleans Tech, Kim was an interior designer for 22 years and also worked in real estate investment and property maintenance, including voluntarily managing a property for homeless veterans. While managing these properties, she needed an extended line of credit from the bank. She needed to know how to secure the property, not just use her interior design skills. While running into this problem, she knew it could be solved with help from Orleans Technical College.

When Kim enrolled at the school and began the training program, it was all new territory to her. Despite any doubts, Kim found her way in no time. “When I started I thought all hammers were hand-held size, I didn’t know they had different weights! I was nervous, and the instructor said to me ‘just show up and you’ll get it’ and I did.”

Kim, like many other women, believes that women in the building and construction trades are not represented enough. “It was unheard of for a female to do this, and even my family said ‘oh no, you can’t do that.’ I didn’t think it would be fun, and thought it would be difficult, but I took it step by step and realized anyone can do it.”