Episode 16 - Exploring a Career as an ESA Inspector - Transcript
Diana Madill: ESA will really give you the opportunity to work with some of the most knowledgeable and dedicated professionals in the industry, and they'll make the transition from electrician to inspector rewarding and valuable. At the bare minimum, we ask for at least seven years of licensed experience in the electrical industry. For wiring and CSS inspectors, that means you'd need your 309a, but for field evaluation inspectors, you could also be a PENG or a 442 license that's sufficient to apply for the job.
Karen Ras: Have you ever wondered about what an ESA inspector does? Are you curious about career paths to becoming one? Well, today we've got some helpful information about ESA inspectors, whether you have experience in the electrical industry, you're a master electrician or a licensed electrical contractor.
Grounded in Ontario is a podcast for you, the province's licensed electrical contractors, master and certified electricians, and offers safety tips, tech and best practices. Now let's get grounded.
I'm Karen Ras and I work for the Electrical Safety Authority. I've got Diana Madill here with me today. Diana is a technical advisor at the ESA and we're going to chat about her career path, her life as an electrician, and how she went from an inspector to a technical advisor at ESA. How are you doing today, Diana?
Diana Madill: I'm great, Karen. Good to be talking with you today.
Karen Ras: Now let's start with you telling us a little bit about your career path and how you got into the electrical industry.
Diana Madill: Sure. When I was young, I got interested in the industry by listening to my grandfather and my uncle tell stories about their time with Ontario Hydro. They both worked in remote generating stations in Northern Ontario, and when I heard their stories, I was just fascinated by the work that they did. So even back then, I knew it was something that I wanted to do too. I started taking electrical courses in high school and I did a co-op placement at a large wastewater facility that was undergoing a pretty significant expansion, including a lot of electrical work. I really liked the work and ultimately went into electrical engineering technology in college thinking I could get a mix of both the hands-on and design work that I thought I would enjoy. I specialized in the design of power systems for utilities hoping to follow in the family tradition with Ontario Hydro. Unfortunately, it wasn't really in the cards for me because I graduated the year that Ontario Hydro was broken into the successor companies and there were really no external job opportunities at the time.
Karen Ras: Well, timing is everything when it comes to career opportunities, and I'm just wondering if you can continue along those lines on how you got your 309a.
Diana Madill: Yeah, so with that career path sort of not working out for me, I opted to get into the trade and I took my 309a based on how much I really had enjoyed the hands-on portion of the work that I did in college and while I was in the trade, I worked really closely with ESA.
Karen Ras: And just quickly for our listeners, I should have done this previously, but those who don't know, what's a 309a?
Diana Madill: Right, so a 309a is basically a class of electrical license that's issued by a province or territory in Canada. It's a recognized qualification that allows people to work as electricians in the construction and maintenance sector. To get your 309a license, of course you would have to pass a certification exam.
Karen Ras: Thanks for clarifying that.
Diana Madill: Sure. So part of my becoming an inspector was that I had always chatted with my local inspector about what he did. Eventually I expressed an interest in also becoming an inspector and he was really encouraging and supportive. I got a broad range of experience in the trade and then once I had the necessary years in to apply for ESA, I applied for the job. I was successful in becoming a wiring inspector. Thankfully, and in my interview when I was asked where I saw myself in five years, I actually said that I had hoped to become a technical advisor. It took a little more than five years, but hey, here I am.
Karen Ras: That's great to hear. You knew what you wanted and you went after it. I love it. On that, did you experience any challenges being a woman in the industry?
Diana Madill: Yeah, for sure. I think that all women that go into the construction trades have some challenges that they faced along the way somewhere. For me, I used to have trouble getting safety equipment that fit and also I guess finding washrooms and change rooms for women on job sites. I've had to change in a broom closet and on one large job we were building a new high school. I actually had to use the washroom at the local Tim Horton's rather than the ones on site. Even today, there's challenges due to others' assumptions. Sometimes the assumption is that I might not be qualified or experienced for the role that I'm in just because I'm a woman.
Karen Ras: That is challenging and I agree, and hopefully the world will continue to evolve to be more inclusive and consider that women can do this work. Now, do you have any advice for women who might be hesitant to break into the industry because of these challenges?
Diana Madill: Yeah, for sure. I think the hardest part is probably taking that first step. Really, there's a huge network of women out there that are supporting other women to take that step. There's a lot of different groups available online, and if you were to join those groups, I think that you would see really all women have that same kind of concern. That hesitation or apprehension about joining the trade and knowing that everybody else feels the same way can really help you and taking that first step once you do it, despite some of the difficulties on the job, if you persevere and work hard, you'll definitely be rewarded. I think for sure, I felt nervous too, and I was worried about being treated unfairly or differently, but really, if you can do the work and you work hard, I promise you will be accepted. You'll not only be a valued member of that crew, probably one day you'll end up running it. And I can say at ESA specifically, our workforce is really knowledgeable and diverse. ESA offers a positive and welcoming environment that makes inclusivity a priority. We really encourage teamwork here.
Karen Ras: That sounds hopeful, encouraging and really rewarding. So on that, what did you find rewarding about being an electrician?
Diana Madill: I think like most electricians, there's a real sense of pride in knowing that you created something. I love being part of a team that was building something for a community, whether it was a hospital, a retirement home, a house or a factory, it didn't matter. You could drive by with your family and say, Hey, I helped build that. I really like being able to see the physical result of a day's work and knowing that I had overcome whatever challenge that day was thrown my way. Every day's different and has a different challenge or problem to solve. So the work's really engaging.
Karen Ras: It certainly sounds like there's a lot of variety in that work, if that's the case. What drew you to becoming an inspector?
Diana Madill: I had always looked up to the inspectors when I was in the trade as the people who really knew the industry, I worked closely with the inspectors that were on my job sites. They helped me to solve some pretty significant technical issues, and they actually also really helped with implementing a safety program at a plant that I was working at at the time. I wanted to be able to help electricians in the same way that my inspector helped me at the time. I was also trying to start a family, and I really needed some work life balance. I was traveling both within Canada and out of the country working three shifts, so I was looking for something a bit more conducive to family life. The inspector role had a pension and benefit package that allowed me some flexibility in scheduling, meaning that I had more control over my work hours and personal time.
Karen Ras: Well, it certainly sounds like it was a good fit for you at the time when you wanted to make some changes to your life. Now, were there any cons or did you have a biggest fear when you were considering the switch from being an electrician to becoming an inspector?
Diana Madill: Yeah, definitely. There were a few things I was pretty unsure of, but I guess the biggest one is really the broad knowledge of the trade. The electrical trade is huge and it covers so many different areas of work. Electricians don't normally work in every aspect of the trade, but inspectors need to be able to inspect all aspects of the trade. Our inspectors are bound by geographical boundaries not dedicated to a particular type of work, so anything within that geographical boundary they'd need to be able to inspect. So I was a little bit concerned about going on to a job site as the authority on that job when it was work that I might've been unfamiliar with. I've done a lot of different things in the trade, but certainly not everything, and I was pretty apprehensive about taking that challenge on. Luckily, ESA has a really in-depth and comprehensive training program for new inspectors, and there's a lot of support from inspectors across the province for new hires here. You can imagine that our inspectors have worked in all different aspects of the trades. So anytime there's a question from a new inspector, there's certainly someone just a phone call away to assist. That really gave me the confidence that I needed to do the inspections of work that I might not have done myself in the trade.
Karen Ras: It sounds like ESA was a great resource and support system for making that shift, and I know we just kicked off another session of training our new inspectors, and what do you like most about being an inspector?
Diana Madill: I definitely love the work itself, but I also really love the interaction with the contractors. Every time I went to a site, there was so many questions and I love being able to help contractors understand why a code rule was written and what hazard it was intended to address. I think when the purpose of the rules is better understood, it becomes intuitive and really helps people to apply those safety principles across the work that they do, and that leads to safer installations. It was also really rewarding knowing that I was improving safety every day, whether it was by intervening in an unsafe electrical work practice or catching an overlooked loose wire in a panel or a meter base. I just felt like my work had a definite impact on the safety of the area and the people that I was covering. I also felt like I'd really found a positive environment that provided me with the flexibility and benefits I was looking for.
There was lots of job security and let's face it, some reduced physical strain from the work in the trade. The defined benefit index pension plan was also a level of reward That's pretty much unheard of these days. At ESA specifically, it's a people first organization that really supports you during the transition with learning and exposure opportunities. There's opportunities to engage with other inspectors and teams to keep you ready to tackle new challenges confidently. Plus, you can explore different career paths within ESA like I did. Right now, I get to do a lot of teaching, which is something that I love.
Karen Ras: Well, that truly sounds like a way to stay engaged in your role. Switching gears slightly from inspection to technical advisor, how did you move on to become a technical advisor and how different is that to being an inspector
Diana Madill: As a technical advisor? It's really sort of the perfect mix for me and the perfect career because it incorporates everything that I've loved to do along the way. I still get to go out and visit job sites with the inspectors and see what's happening in industry right on the front lines with all the new installations. But I also get to spend a lot of time researching and digging into problems and helping people solve problems, whether that's an engineer or an electrician or one of our inspectors coming to me with a question about how to apply a code. One of the things that I really love the most is digging into the history of code rules. If anybody's familiar with Rule 8 1 0 4, it has a history that goes back, I don't know, 80 years or something, and it's just fantastic insight into why the rule was written and really helps me to advise people on how to apply it in different situations. I love being able to share that accumulated knowledge and experience to improve electrical safety. Well, at the same time, I get to learn something new every single day.
Karen Ras: Your excitement about being both an inspector and a TA leads me to my next question. Why do you think an electrician should join ESA as an inspector?
Diana Madill: I think mostly the opportunities for growth and to create a career path that you want, well, still maintaining that work, work-life balance, it gives you time for the things that matter in life. It's also a great opportunity for those of us that are lifelong learners. You get to see so many different aspects of the trade and visit countless different installations that challenge your knowledge in the trade and your knowledge of the code. It keeps you engaged in thinking every day. You can also take all of that knowledge and share it with the next generation and teach them how to create safe and compliant installations. It's a super rewarding job.
Karen Ras: If that wasn't enough of an endorsement, what would you say to somebody who is considering making the transition to being an inspector at the ESA?
Diana Madill: That was a great time. There's opportunities for inspector roles with us right now due to the demand in the industry. ESA will really give you the opportunity to work with some of the most knowledgeable and dedicated professionals in the industry, and they'll make the transition from electrician to inspector rewarding and valuable.
Karen Ras: That's amazing. So we have one last question. Given the time that we have here today. Let's just see we have a question from one of our listeners, Joe in Hamilton, who wrote in, hi, I'm currently an electrician and unsure if I'd be qualified for an inspector role at ESA. What are the experience requirements?
Diana Madill: Great question, Joe. I love to hear that you're interested in considering a role as an inspector. I hope you'll apply. You won't regret it. At the bare minimum, we asked for at least seven years of licensed experience in the electrical industry. For wiring and CSS inspectors. That means you'd need your 3 0 9 a, but for field evaluation inspectors, you could also be a P ENG or a 4 4 2 license that's sufficient to apply for the job. And from there, you can discuss further qualifications or training with our hiring manager.
Karen Ras: And if you are interested in learning more about Inspector career opportunities at ESA, please visit esasafe.com/inspector. All right. That's all the time we have for today. Thank you for joining us, Diana.
Diana Madill: Thanks so much for having me.
Karen Ras: And thank you to listeners for sending in these questions. We want to hear from you, so please email us at podcast@esasafe.com. We're open to topic suggestions, questions and comments. Make sure you subscribe on any platform where you get your podcasts so that you'll get notified about our next episode. Until next time, be safe, work safe and stay grounded.