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Mikaela Martin's Story

Category: Study abroad student
Country: Vietnam

Written by: Mikaela Martin

Mikaela stands with her friend in front of a worksite in Vietnam.
As a female carpentry student, I've often felt like I was carving my path in a male-dominated industry. But nothing could have prepared me for the experience of travelling to Vietnam through NSCC's Change Makers program, where I quickly discovered that the concept of a female carpenter was not just unusual, but in many cases, completely
unheard of.

Throughout the trip, I had conversations with TVU students who were curious about my trade, many of whom had never even heard the word 'carpenter'. In Vietnam, construction work appears to be predominantly done by men, and witnessing it firsthand was both eye-opening and humbling. Workers laboured tirelessly in nearly 40-degree heat with high humidity, many wearing flip-flops or bare feet, and no PPE in sight. At first, my instinct was to judge that through a Canadian lens, worrying about safety standards and what was "missing." But that mindset quickly shifted. I had to acknowledge that my concern came from a place of privilege. What we saw was not carelessness, but a reflection of a different system, one shaped by economic realities, cultural norms, and an incredible work ethic.

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