Women in Plumbing Profile: Tori Tomkins

Who are you? Tori Tomkins

How old are you? 33

What got you interested in plumbing? Plumbing was suggested to me as a great career to get in to by a family friend who was teaching plumbing at trade school at the time. Once I started my Pre-App and realised how many different fields there were in plumbing, I knew it was the right choice for me.

What were you doing before plumbing? Before plumbing, I was an Assistant Manager for a hospitality group working at Young and Jackson’s in the city.

Where do you want to go with plumbing? I am really enjoying my new position as Field Officer with Master Plumbers. I would love to further my career with this company, and continue my work as a Field Officer.

What do you think of the Women in Plumbing program, and Certificate 2 course? I think the WIP program is fantastic. It’s great to know there are so many other women out there in the plumbing field. When I was an apprentice, it often felt like I was the only woman out there. So it’s great to know there are other women who may be going through the same struggles that I faced.

The Cert 2 course is a great way for women who are interested in joining the plumbing trade to give it a go and see if this is the right fit for them. It’s also fantastic that we are able to pay them for the 3 months of the pre-app. I think that most people wouldn’t be able to go to school full time for three months without any pay. I know that I struggled with that when I did my pre-app.

Do you have any advice for women/girls out there thinking about getting into plumbing? I would say definitely give it a go. It’s a great trade, with so many options for after your apprenticeship. It may seem a little intimidating at first, but just know that there are so many other women out there just waiting to give you support and advice if you need it.