Hera Eruera, one of the 15 certified wāhine plumbers in Aotearoa hopes more women are inspired to pick up the tools this World Plumbers Day. Photo: Supplied / Hera Eruera
In a field where only 15 out of 11,389 certified plumbers in Aotearoa are women, Hera Eruera - better known as She's a Māori Plumber online - is challenging the status quo.
This year's World Plumbers' Day, celebrated on Friday 14 March, Eruera hopes more wāhine are inspired to pick up the tools and enter the plumbing space.
In a field where only 15 out of 11,389 certified plumbers in Aotearoa are women, Hera Eruera (pictured front and centre) is challenging the status quo and hopes more do the same. Photo: Supplied / Hera Eruera
Breaking into a male-dominated industry
From being a stay-at-home māmā to becoming a fully qualified plumber, Eruera said a career in trades helped transform her life, opened doors and even gave her a chance to return to her papakainga and give back to her whānau.
"I'm teaching not only my kids but my whānau things that I was never taught, and it just feels really cool when I'm getting all the whānau amongst it all."
"We've built our own houses, we're helping to maintain our marae, even some of our ūrupa as well."
Eruera said her introduction to the plumbing sector came in an unexpected way and it was actually one of her tutors at Manukau Institute of Technology (MIT) who sparked her interest.
"I honestly thought they were going to teach us how to unblock toilets or fix something really stinky, but he really changed my perspective."
Her tutor even had the class make solar panels from scratch, so when those panels started working in the sun, Eruera said she realised she could take all the skills she'd learnt and put them into practice back in her community.
"I could actually take all the skills and knowledge that I learnt and put it into practice. Back up to my papakāinga and show all my whānau."
Hera Eruera is one of only few wāhine Plumbers in Aotearoa. She hopes more wāhine are inspired to pick up the tools this World Plumbers Day on Friday 14th. Photo: Supplied / Hera Eruera
More wāhine in the plumbing sector
As World Plumbers' Day approaches, Hera sees it as an opportunity not only to celebrate the trade but also to call for a more inclusive industry.
With so few women currently represented among certified plumbers, she believes the numbers can, and should, grow.
"Across over 11,000 certified plumbers, there's only 15. And that's such a small number and I feel like the number could definitely grow."
"Things are definitely changing. The industry is starting to become a bit more welcoming, more understanding of women, especially mums as well, and I think that's all we really needed was just an industry that could be supportive of us."
Even in an industry still largely dominated by men, Eruera acknowledged that while there are occasional patronising attitudes and the pressure to prove herself, she is fortunate to work for an employer who believes in her capabilities.
"My company [AP Plumbers] wouldn't send me out to a job site if they didn't think I could do it."
Eruera said customers even go out of their way to specifically request for her to come to their site and do their jobs, because "they feel safer."
"They're either single mums or they're elderly ladies and they just feel more comfortable having a female tradie in their home."
Hera Eruera, one of the 15 certified wāhine plumbers in Aotearoa hopes more women are inspired to pick up the tools this World Plumbers Day. Photo: Supplied / Hera Eruera
Challenging misconceptions in the trade
Despite growing support for women in trades, Eruera said there are still common misconceptions about plumbers that don't reflect the reality of their mahi.
"There's this idea that plumbers are lazy, or we don't clean up after ourselves, or that we do the least amount of work but get paid the most," she said.
"But we're the only trade that's protected by law. I mean, excuse my language, but we're literally sh*t doctors. We've got to make sure everybody has clean drinking water, that our work is up to standard, and that everything is done safely."
Eruera said she sees her mahi as something she can teach and pass on to her tamariki as well.
"I can show my daughter that being in the trades can be a traditional career, as opposed to something else - if it was a pathway that she'd want to take."
'If you've got a trade, you've got it made.'
Beyond her daily mahi, Eruera said she visits high schools and speaks on panels to encourage rangatahi - especially those who may not see university as their only option - to consider a career in the trades.
Her involvement with the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWAC) and other industry meetings, she said, has broadened her perspective and opened up even more opportunities.
"I would never have come across it in my life if I wasn't in this industry. It's really opened up so many doors for me there."
Her simple message to any wāhine or wāhine Māori contemplating a career in plumbing is to "just get stuck into it."
"Just give it a go sis. You'll never know until you give it a go."
"You've got so many wāhine across the construction industry, so you'll never be alone. There's one thing I like to say, if you've got a trade, you've got it made."
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