By Georgia Westgarth
IF you’re a Casey commuter, you’d know Danielle Kazi-Shedden’s face.
She’s the Cranbourne tradie showing up the boys and catching the eyes of passers-by in Berwick and Pakenham. She’s Chisholm Institute’s poster girl, for all the right reasons.
Danielle, 25, is a trailblazer in every sense of the word.
She is living proof of the changing face of women in the workforce, on the sporting field and at the altar.
A lesbian and soon-to-be mum, Danielle has a shelf dedicated to her trophies.
Last year she won Chisholm’s Building and Construction Apprentice of the Year, and was then nominated for a Master Builders’ award.
Danielle recently was awarded the ‘Community Choice Award’ at the Victorian Training Awards.
The annual state awards – now in their 62nd year – celebrate Victoria’s best apprentices, trainees and training teachers.
To many people’s surprise Danielle, a shopfitter, keeps beating the boys.
Danielle was up against three other males in the race to win the popular award.
“I won the overall Joinery Apprentice of the Year, Metro Apprentice of the Year, and Victorian State Apprentice of the Year. That was last year, in April,” she said.
“They were all clapping and being supportive at the awards ceremony but you could tell that when they called out my name everyone was a bit taken aback.
“People said to me well done and everything but in that tone that they were really surprised, like I must have been very good to beat all of the boys – I just thought I worked to a winning standard.”
