WIC Week - Kelly Kennedy
Meet Kelly Kennedy — Journeyman Plumber - CAD/BIM Detailer - Tukwila, WA
Q&A
Q: How did you get into the industry?
A: I was lucky to get some good advice from two friends who already worked in the trades. At the time, I was 23 years old and working on an organic farm. I liked working with my hands, but I was barely scraping by financially. My friends (a stonemason and a carpenter) recommended that I become a plumber or an electrician. I’d never considered a trade career before, but they were very persuasive!
I had no construction experience, so I completed the Oregon Tradeswomen Pre-Apprenticeship program. Then, I applied to the plumbing and electrical apprenticeships. I waited on the list for both apprenticeships for about a year. By chance, I was offered a spot in both programs in the same week. I chose plumbing because clean water and sanitation are fundamental to human life (and, frankly, because I wanted to learn to braze copper pipe with a torch!).
I completed a five-year apprenticeship with UA Local 290 in Portland, OR, where I was fortunate to work on various large commercial projects. Near the end of my apprenticeship, I experienced a severe ankle fracture after a fall at the bouldering gym. My company wanted to keep me working even when I couldn’t walk, and that’s how I became a detailer.
A detailer is a tradesperson (typically a journeyman with field experience) who draws the project to be constructible, code-compliant, and coordinated with other trades. We are called “detailers” because we start with the design drawings from the architects and engineers and produce install drawings for our trade at a higher level of detail.
Detailers used to work with pen and paper. Today, we create 3D models of the project using a computer program called Revit and produce the drawings from that model.
Q: What do you like about working at Holaday-Parks?
A: The detailing department at Holaday-Parks has a great, collaborative culture. As a newer journeyman, I’m lucky to be able to work with and learn from some very experienced plumbers, including my coworkers in the detailing department, the foremen in the field, and the fabrication shop.
Also, our in-house Revit implementation is fantastic. Revit is the software we use to model plumbing, piping, and HVAC systems. It’s very powerful, but it was initially designed for architects and engineers, not contractors. It requires much behind-the-scenes work to make Revit usable for construction applications like spooling and fabrication. HP is way ahead of the curve on this. Like in the field, having the right tools for the job means the work goes faster, and the final product is higher quality!
Q: What is a memorable project you’ve worked on?
I had a great time laying out and installing the underground plumbing for Nike World Headquarters.
The Nike WHQ job was huge and busy, with four tower cranes, multiple levels under construction simultaneously, and lots of heavy equipment vehicles constantly moving around the site. Figuring out how to get clear lines of sight to set up the Trimble (layout robot) every morning in that dynamic environment was a fun challenge!
Cast iron is my favorite pipe to run because I like the complexity of waste systems, and I like working with heavy pipes. At Nike WHQ, we installed underground cast iron pipe in deep trenches that required ladder access and shoring (a system that uses plates and hydraulic pistons to push the trench walls apart so they don’t collapse on workers).
I like math, so I also really enjoyed setting large tanks underground for Nike WHQ. I used a laser level and a grade rod to determine the exact depth for the excavation. Then I worked with the crane operator and other plumbers on a team to safely set the tank.
Q: What advice would you give a woman entering the industry?
A: Complete a pre-apprenticeship program if you have access to one. ANEW offers a pre-apprenticeship for women in the Seattle area.
Next, find a mentor and learn from them. Mentorship has been invaluable to my career path. I’ve learned so much from more experienced plumbers and detailers. Many union brothers and sisters enjoy teaching the next generation. It’s a great part of the culture of the construction trades.
If you’re a plumbing apprentice, get involved with IAPMO (International Association of Plumbing & Mechanical Officials). There’s a monthly Seattle-area meeting where you can ask complicated code questions, connect with other plumbers, and learn about various industry topics.
If you’re in a union, get involved with your union!
It’s also very helpful to learn specialized skills and earn any certifications that might be associated with them. For example, certifications exist for specific welding processes, medical gas installation, and backflow prevention. There isn’t a certification for detailing, but detailing is a great skill to learn if you’re interested in it. Knowing how to detail has kept me employed even when work was slow, and when I was too injured to work in the field.
My final piece of advice: All you have in construction is your reputation. Your reputation will arrive at your next job site ahead of you -- make sure it’s a good one!
Q: How can construction attract more female candidates?
A: Early hands-on exposure to the trades is the best foundation for building the next generation of tradeswomen. There’s no substitute for excellent middle school and high school shop classes that are welcoming for all genders.
Also, if you or someone in your life is curious about the trades, take them to the Washington Women in Trades Fair on Friday, May 3rd! The fair has hands-on exhibits operated by tons of different trades. You might get to walk a beam with the ironworkers, solder pipe with the plumbers, or explore rigging with the shipyard riggers and crane operators. The fair is an awesome opportunity for school groups, parents and kids, and adults to all have a blast exploring opportunities in the skilled trades.
Another tactic for getting more women into the trades is ensuring apprenticeship schools are accessible to parents. Apprenticeships typically require a certain number of classroom hours and on-the-job work hours. During my apprenticeship in Portland, we attended school twice weekly for five years. One of the other women apprentices was extremely skilled and hardworking. She was also a single mom. The only reason she could be an apprentice and attend the required night classes was because her dad was available to take care of her child.
Some apprenticeship programs schedule their classes during the day instead. Apprentices take time off from work to attend school for either a whole week once a quarter, or one day a week during specific periods of the year. Having apprenticeship school during the day makes the program much more accessible to single parents. Day school also has the added benefit that all apprentices can attend class much more well-rested and ready to learn.
Q: What makes you proud to work in the construction industry?
A: I’m proud to help build the spaces where people work and live. I’m particularly proud to work in plumbing, which is foundational to civilization. There’s this classic poster of a plumber holding a pipe wrench and standing in front of a globe that reads: “The Plumber Protects the Health of the Nation". It sounds corny, but it’s true! Lead in drinking water, Legionella bacteria due to water aging, a backflow condition contaminating drinking water with sewage or toxic industrial chemicals, septic system failures: there are many ways our water supply can become unhealthy and hazardous. Proper plumbing gives us reliable clean water and sanitation, and clean water and sanitation save lives.
I don’t take plumbing for granted. In fact, a surprising number of homes right here in the U.S. currently don’t have clean running water or adequate sanitation. I hope to contribute to IAPMO’s efforts to address these unacceptable disparities and help make adequate plumbing a reality for all U.S. households.
Q: What is your favorite piece of construction equipment?
A: My favorite tool is the oxy-acetylene torch! I love brazing copper pipes.
A close second is the Gradall extensible-boom all-terrain forklift, which we use to move large and heavy materials around the job site.
THANKS, Kelly, for the great insights and for all you do for HP!
Holaday-Parks is one of the largest full-service mechanical contractors in Washington and Alaska. We design, build, enhance, and service high-quality building solutions that are SMART—Sustainable, Measurable, Affordable, Reliable, and Timely. To learn more about how we can help with your next project, contact us HERE