INDUSTRIAL WORK, SAFETY AND OUTDOOR WEAR FOR WOMEN
Who am I and what is this about
This is an exclusive personal shopping experience for women in communities across western Canada. My name is Audrey Rippingale and I am founder, owner and truck driver for She Works She Plays. My history is driving trucks and running equipment. My own frustration at not being able to find good women's workwear that fit had me thinking it was time someone did something about this issue. So when an ongoing wrist injury prevented me from continuing to drive concrete trucks, which I had been doing for Island Ready Mix for the past decade, I realized the time to do something had come. This crossroads in life got my creativity flowing and the business was born. I truck from town to town with my Kenworth, my pup Maggie and my converted semi-trailer which sets up as a store on wheels.
Here is an interview with CBC Radio North in May 2016 while I was in Terrace, BC. The interview covers who I am, what I am all about and the issues that us women working in industry and trades can face when it comes to getting work wear that is functional for us.
"CBC Daybreak North" by host Carolina de Ryk - Audio
Hello ladies. I am on home turf right now on Vancouver Island for a couple weeks and then back on the saddle again (yes, I consider my Kenworth my loyal steed!) heading to Williams Lake, Quesnel and Smithers in August.
I have left the north-west and I am now in the Peace Region. Due to requests I have added Mackenzie on to the tail end of this 7 week road trip, then I am heading home to Vancouver Island for some R&R and to set up on the island in a few locations.
My trucking career has turned into a whirl-wind of desparately trying to find you ladies what you need to do all the amazing jobs you do out there and then getting my butt and my truck to you!! But I absolutely love it and I wouldn't want to be doing anyting else!.
I have finalized 5 locations for my first trip off the island this year. As follow in order - Creston, Cranbrook, Sparwood, Nelson and Castlegar. Five weeks on the road, I am coming ladies. I am thrilled that one of the locations will be at a college (Selkirk College in Nelson).
If there is anyone out there who might question my authenticity about being a woman working in trades or industry, I would like to share the events of my final day of operation 2015.
BC Hydro and BC Chamber of Commerce are hosting Business-to-Business Networking Sessions in northern BC communites. Do you run your own business? Remember there will be a wide variety of work involved with the project creating thousands of jobs.