Interview with Mary-Anne

This video clip is an excerpt from an interview by Sooke Region Museum Programming Manager Wendy Johnson on Mary-Anne Bowcott’s life and career.

Wendy : What is most rewarding for you in your line of work or in your extra curriculars?

Mary-Anne: I guess the most rewarding has been the fact that I have been somebody to look up to for the younger female generation. It’s pretty cool, I get resumes from young ladies sometimes that are like, “Oh we heard about you in school, they talk about you in school all the time,” yeah it’s pretty neat, being able to… and then accept their resumes as well and for some of them give them jobs because, you know, somebody gave me a chance and I know it’s really hard to get your foot in the door when you’re female because really, for the most part, somebody is going to prefer the male worker for many reasons I’m sure. I think that it is a lot easier than it was 15 years ago when I was first trying to get my job in the construction field. Even then, I think that it’s still difficult. One of my main workers Melissa, she is my main worker, she is my go-to, she is my foreman, she is my lead hand, she’s my world! I know that she really struggled for a long time trying to get a job as a plumber even with experience which is really unfortunate because everyone that she gave a resume to, they really missed out on somebody special, because, for whatever reason, they didn’t call her back. I think that some of the best workers that I’ve ever trained, being a business owner, as well as working for a company, some of them have been female. 

Wendy: What motivates you? Do you have any mentors or someone who inspires you?

Mary-Anne: I guess I’ve had, there’s been a few over the years that… I guess I got involved with some women that also are business owners a few years ago, and I think ever since, becoming good friends with them, you know you can bounce ideas back on them without any fear of judgement or whatnot. I think that they are my closest women friends, you know, and the fact that I can talk to them about not only business issues but also personal, and they know everything about me from the inside out business wise. I think that they are the ones I rely on most for not only my business challenges, but also life.