Millie Morris

My trade career began in 1986 when a good friend encouraged me to go to TAFE and do an electrical course because I enjoyed car electrics. Little did I realise the pre-apprenticeship I enrolled in would set me on a path of becoming an electrician. At the end of the course I was offered seven apprenticeships. I chose one but unfortunately, I experienced an extremely horrendous sexual harassment case.

It almost broke me, but that spark came back and I was determined not to give in and quit.

However, even though I won the case, I discovered that the transcript of my court case was given to fellow workers to read and discuss during their lunch breaks. It was, not only the court case, but my personal life choices were there for all to read about. What a start to my trade career! In the end, after many jobs, contracting, surviving chronic fatigue syndrome, further discrimination and harassment, gaining a second trade and many years later I became a TAFE teacher in my dual trades of electrical and refrigeration. It hasn’t always been an easy path working in a male dominated industry, but I never let that dim my spark. I love what I do and have faced the many challenges thrown at me during my 33 years in the trade.