{"id":20082,"date":"2024-10-03T22:29:58","date_gmt":"2024-10-03T22:29:58","guid":{"rendered":"https:\/\/nzsda.org.nz\/?p=20082"},"modified":"2025-09-23T03:13:08","modified_gmt":"2025-09-23T03:13:08","slug":"breaking-barriers-women-redefining-signmaking","status":"publish","type":"post","link":"https:\/\/nzsda.org.nz\/index.php\/2024\/10\/03\/breaking-barriers-women-redefining-signmaking\/","title":{"rendered":"Breaking Barriers – Women Redefining Signmaking"},"content":{"rendered":"\t\t
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Breaking Barriers - Women Redefining Signmaking<\/h2>\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t
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One day she\u2019s welding aluminium lightboxes in the workshop, and the next, she\u2019s in the city applying giant Karen Walker window decals or installing signage on the side of a building from a boom lift. For signmaking apprentice Beau Little, no two days are the same.<\/strong><\/p>

\u201cIf variety is the spice of life, then I\u2019ve definitely found my dream job,\u201d says the 25-year-old. Having worked as a cattle musterer in Australia and dabbled in metalwork, Beau\u2019s search for the right career path led her to signmaking.<\/p>

\u201cI wanted a job where I could work with my hands but also be creative and have fun. After some research, I decided to give signmaking a try.\u201d<\/p>

Two years into her apprenticeship with Competenz<\/a>, Beau is thriving at Big Ideas<\/a>, one of New Zealand\u2019s top signage companies. \u201cI love the variety \u2013 I\u2019ve gained so many new skills and sharpened the ones I already had.\u201d<\/p>

Although she is focusing on becoming a \u201csolid all-round trades-woman\u201d, Beau is also discovering her niche.<\/p>

\u201cI’m really loving the electrical, fabrication and install side of signmaking. I love driving all\u00a0the machinery I can get my hands on, and I enjoy the satisfaction of a big install.\u201d<\/p>

Ross Hall, Director at Big Ideas, is thrilled with Beau\u2019s progress. \u201cShe is unique in that she\u2019s a really good all-rounder but can also pick up a welding torch and weld, which is very helpful in the fabrication of large signage.\u201d<\/p>

Beau is one of three female Competenz apprentices at Big Ideas, with a fourth soon to join.<\/p>

Ross is committed to fostering talent in the signmaking trade, especially among women. \u201cSignmaking is traditionally male-dominated, but women bring unique strengths, like attention to detail and strong organisational skills. They bring a different perspective to problem solving and create a more well-rounded team environment.\u201d<\/p>

\u201cTaking on apprentices means you have dedicated team members for at least three years, I still have one here sixteen years later. The key is to keep them engaged, create a unique work environment, and constantly challenge them.\u201d<\/p>

Ongoing support from Competenz Training Advisor, Grant Alsop helps fuel the success.<\/p>

\u201cI visit the apprentices once every three months and am available to them every day for assistance if they need it,\u201d Grant says. \u201cThe great thing about this industry is it\u2019s creative and suitable for all, and Big Ideas provides the ideal environment. They have a good skilled team who are keen to pass on their knowledge, they are encouraging, and acknowledge achievement.\u201d<\/p>

So, what do you need to make it as a signmaker? Ross says the number one attribute is attitude.<\/p>

\u201cYou also need to have a passion for creativity and arts and be versatile. This industry is not about signage but about fabrication, electrical and face-to-face communication.\u201d<\/p>

Luckily, 28-year-old Caitlyn Foster possesses all this and more. Now three years into her signmaking apprenticeship, she\u2019s developed a penchant for vinyl but loves every aspect of the daily grind.<\/p>

\u201cBefore signmaking I tried a bunch of different things \u2013 I did nursing, worked in telesales, made coffees, and studied visual arts. I\u2019d always wanted to get into signwriting, but no one gave me the opportunity until I met Ross.\u201d<\/p>

With her apprenticeship set to finish in February, Caitlyn feels like she\u2019s finally found her calling. \u201cIt\u2019s a great trade to get into without the debt of university, and there are so many avenues to explore, from electrical work to printing and graphic design. I love the creative side of it \u2013 from neon signs to vinyl wraps. One day I\u2019m installing window graphics, and the next I\u2019m wrapping cars, and even coffins.\u201d<\/p>

And the best part? \u201cIt\u2019s hands-on, and every day is different. I\u2019m physically stronger, using machines I never knew existed.\u201d<\/p>

New kid on the Big Ideas block, Jessica Livick is six months into her apprenticeship, and her enthusiasm is palpable.<\/p>

\u201cI get to try so many different things. I can apply vinyl to a window at the start of the day and by the end of the day I can be wiring light-up display stands for big well-known companies,\u201d says Jessica.<\/p>

Having spent four years as a creative arts producer focusing on media and content creation, it\u2019s not surprising the creative side of signmaking is a big drawcard.<\/p>

\u201cI liked the idea of being a part of a creative process from start to finish and having those things on display for the public to enjoy. I especially love the graphic design side of it as I like editing and working on computers.\u201d<\/p>

And although she admits certain projects of the apprenticeship are challenging, Jessica is taking it in her stride.<\/p>

So, what would Jessica say to other women considering a career in signmaking?\u00a0 Just do it!

\u201cDon\u2019t be afraid to try something new and step outside of your comfort zone. You won\u2019t know unless you try!\u201d<\/p>\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t

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Beau Little, Caitlyn Foster, Ross Hall, Jessica Livick<\/figcaption>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/figure>\n\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t\t\t<\/div>\n\t\t","protected":false},"excerpt":{"rendered":"

One day she\u2019s welding aluminium lightboxes in the workshop, and the next, she\u2019s in the city applying giant Karen Walker window decals or installing signage on the side of a building from a boom lift. <\/p>\n","protected":false},"author":2,"featured_media":20083,"comment_status":"closed","ping_status":"closed","sticky":false,"template":"","format":"standard","meta":{"footnotes":""},"categories":[12],"tags":[],"class_list":["post-20082","post","type-post","status-publish","format-standard","has-post-thumbnail","hentry","category-sign-shop-exposed"],"_links":{"self":[{"href":"https:\/\/nzsda.org.nz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20082","targetHints":{"allow":["GET"]}}],"collection":[{"href":"https:\/\/nzsda.org.nz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts"}],"about":[{"href":"https:\/\/nzsda.org.nz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/types\/post"}],"author":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nzsda.org.nz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/users\/2"}],"replies":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nzsda.org.nz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/comments?post=20082"}],"version-history":[{"count":3,"href":"https:\/\/nzsda.org.nz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20082\/revisions"}],"predecessor-version":[{"id":20086,"href":"https:\/\/nzsda.org.nz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/posts\/20082\/revisions\/20086"}],"wp:featuredmedia":[{"embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nzsda.org.nz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media\/20083"}],"wp:attachment":[{"href":"https:\/\/nzsda.org.nz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/media?parent=20082"}],"wp:term":[{"taxonomy":"category","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nzsda.org.nz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/categories?post=20082"},{"taxonomy":"post_tag","embeddable":true,"href":"https:\/\/nzsda.org.nz\/index.php\/wp-json\/wp\/v2\/tags?post=20082"}],"curies":[{"name":"wp","href":"https:\/\/api.w.org\/{rel}","templated":true}]}}