* 1973 | Germany
Field: Technology
Certified carpenter; Bachelor of Engineering (FH) in Wood Technology; various continuing education courses, e.g., Lean Management, New Work Facilitator
My Work:
Independent consultant for small businesses, specializing in New Work and Lean Management
Brief description of activities:
Consulting for skilled trades and SMEs on change management, people-centered approaches, and process optimization; one-on-one executive development; workshops for employees in skilled trade organizations and associations; new client acquisition
Silke Habermann
"I make small businesses happy. A technical background combined with feminine skills is exactly what small businesses need right now."
Her vision for "Women in STEM"
Even though I’ve often been held back and still am and those setbacks really mess with my head, they still don’t stop me. As a big fan of the trades, I believe in a shift in the mindset of business owners. The phrase “We’ve always done it this way” is gradually fading away and being replaced by “How can we do it differently so we stay ahead of the curve?”
Did you have a clear idea of what your future would look like when you were a child? How did that evolve? Did your vision come true?
My vocational school teacher inspired me. After graduating from middle school, she trained as a carpenter, completed her journeyman’s exam early, and then earned her vocational diploma in one year (FOS Technology). By age 23, she was a civil engineer; by 27, a vocational school teacher (theory). I always found her career path remarkable. She has always remained a good person. As a teacher, she was demanding, but always on the side of those willing to learn.
Which person(s) or experience(s) had the greatest influence on your decision about what career to pursue, and why?
There were no role models! All the creative professions in my family carpenter, master metalworker, carpenter, cook, seamstress, plumber had a profound impact on me. The biggest influence on my career choice was myself. Fortunately, my parents let me do my own thing and didn’t try to talk me out of it. Looking back, I’d say they believed in me and trusted my ability to stand by my decisions.
Please tell us how your interest in your profession, field of study, or trade was sparked.
My first boyfriend trained as a precision mechanic. Through him, I was introduced to the trades and began to consider pursuing a hands-on apprenticeship for the first time. After finishing middle school, I worked in various construction trades as part of the BGJ Bau program. I enjoyed the woodworking most of all. At the time, my training company had an open apprenticeship position, which I ended up getting.
What do you like most about your current job?
Creating something from raw materials using my own hands, my wits, and the aid of machinery has always been, and remains, my passion. A journeyman’s certificate serves as the official authorization, the ticket into a workshop much like a driver’s license. It signifies that I possess a skill that few others do aside from fellow carpenters, of course. Pride in my work, pride in my trade, and the privilege of being part of the close-knit community of skilled trades and helping to ensure its future viability fill me with joy.
As a consultant for craft businesses, I encounter a wide variety of challenges. Viewed individually, none of them constitute rocket science; yet, they are often time-consuming and demanding. My work within these companies helps them focus on their core competency: the craft itself. And this, too, brings me happiness: staying close to the trade and working together to find solutions that make it easier for artisans to identify malfunctions in technical components or defects in materials.
These qualities have helped me along the way:
Humor, chutzpah, tenacity, thick skin, empathy, curiosity, flexibility, open-mindedness, impatience/patience.
If you could give young women some advice, what would it be?
You can do it! End of story. Just do it… Nothing is too big you can do anything and become anything you can imagine!
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Kontakt
Tel. 069 / 713 79 69-0
Das Telefon ist von Mo. – Fr. zwischen 10:00 Uhr und 12:00 Uhr besetzt.
Fax 069 / 713 79 69-190
info@experiminta.de
