Jenna Novak

In the early days of her career, like many of us, Jenna moved around. From odd construction jobs to senior care and a diploma in Criminology, she tried to find just the right fit. As a single mother of two, there was a constant struggle to find a career to support her family. Finally, she had to make the difficult decision to look for work in Alberta while her children stayed with family in New Brunswick.

 

After four years of hard work as a welder’s helper, travelling to and from Alberta, she was finally in a position to change her circumstances. She returned to New Brunswick and decided to pursue a career that would provide for her family while doing something she had come to love. With a desire to make the most of her career, this self-driven single mom carefully weighed her options. Jenna saw that with the specialized welder training she could obtain through Ready Arc’s 6-Month Welding Program, she could begin her new career. Every day for six months, she made the 1.5 hour trek from St. Stephen to Saint John where she worked hard in the shop and excelled in the classroom.

 

While at Ready Arc she was able to gain certifications that most NB welders will readily recognize: F3B, F3(Approved), F3/F4(Approved), CWB FCAW (4 positions) and CWB SMAW (4 positions). She also passed her first-year block exam for welders and had 900 hours accredited to her apprenticeship. Jenna’s dedication to her goals, combined with her hands-on and specialized training, paid off. Immediately upon graduation, she landed an apprenticeship with one of New Brunswick’s largest companies. This allows her to work, raise and support her family right here at home.

 

In 2017, Jenna was chosen to participate in the Regional Education Welder Apprentice Retention and Development (REWARD) program, created to help address a looming shortage in the skilled trades sector. It was developed to target recent welding graduates and provide them intensive training enroute to becoming a certified journeyperson. Jenna worked her a** off through this program – and in 2020 she reached her goal of becoming a Red Seal Welder!

 

Now almost 7 years in with the same company, Jenna sits on the examination committee with her union. They work with apprentices throughout the apprenticeship process. Jenna mentors other female welders too, both in and out of the union, helping them establish their welding career and dial in their skills. Most recently, in 2023, Jenna’s union chose her to represent them in Washington, DC for a Women in Trade Conference (all expenses paid!).

 

Jenna says, “Looking back it’s all kind of surreal how far I’ve come since I took the leap to take the welding course at Ready Arc. I just keep moving forward, and my journey all started with Ready Arc!”