Tia Fasi - Trainee Cable Jointer #3

Tia Fasi is a trainee cable jointer at EA Networks. Luke caught up with her to ask about the risks in the role, and what it's like working in a traditionally male dominated field. 

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Episode Transcript

Speaker 1 (00:00):
The best tradey in mid Canterbury. All things to EA Networks,
thank you for all the votes that have come through
on the Facebook page. Doing a tally up as we speak,
and the winner's being announced just after eight o'clock. A
little more from the apprentice cable jointer Tea Farsi at
EA Networks. A bit from her yesterday, and she's the

(00:21):
one who's dealing with the underground lines and some high
voltages HV is what eleven thousand vaults? That sounds dangerous.

Speaker 2 (00:32):
My parents have definitely been a bit weary at times,
especially considering some things that have happened. And I tell
them stories sometimes and like, Tea, that's crazy, what if
something had gone wrong. I'm like, yeah, but that's just
half of it. It's electricity. The likelihood something can go
wrong is a lot higher than lots of other industries.
But that's the fun in it.

Speaker 1 (00:51):
I suppose are you the unsung heroes of the industry
because a lot of attentions always drawn to the lines,
men and women.

Speaker 2 (00:58):
I definitely think people under resumeate cable jointers. We get
a lot of hate and we don't deserve it. What
do you mean hate, Well, it's just an industry thing.
Linemen always think they're better than us, which that's just
because there's more of them, but that's because they have
to work like four people and a crew. They take
four people to dress a pole.

Speaker 1 (01:16):
You're more efficient, exactly.

Speaker 2 (01:18):
We can work on our own, we can work together.

Speaker 1 (01:20):
Addressingly obvious, you're working in a traditionally male dominated sort
of field.

Speaker 2 (01:25):
I have never had any problem with it personally because
I was a bartender for about three years before this,
so I was already exposed to having to work with
a lot of men. And I'm absolutely the sort of
person where I'm not going to let it get to
my head. You know, I'm here for a job, and
I'm not going to let any man telling me I
can't do something affect that. There's much more women getting

(01:48):
into it, and much like a lot more companies wanting
to make it an opportunity for women, and it's definitely
getting a lot easier, I would say, So.

Speaker 1 (01:58):
Are there some inter resting practical situations? For instance, I
imagine you spent a lot of time working out in
the field in the middle of nowhere. Nature can call
it any time. For a dude, it's easy enough to
respond to that what do you do if you don't
mind me asking?

Speaker 2 (02:15):
Well, I just don't have a problem with that.

Speaker 1 (02:23):
But even likes ppe primarily designed for a male body.

Speaker 2 (02:28):
They are, yes, so I struggle a lot because, like
I know, Chloe, the other cable joined in our department,
she has to order in her pants, so they're like
women's pants. I wear the men's ones because I don't
care that much, and like my shirts, they're definitely built
for men, so they don't fit in places which it
doesn't matter.

Speaker 1 (02:47):
Really rocking the mc hammer vibes.

Speaker 2 (02:49):
Yes, yeah, so a little bit maggy, but like, realistically,
I'm here to work and as long as I'm safe,
it doesn't really matter what I look like.

Speaker 1 (02:55):
What an awesome attitude, eh,