Our guest this week goes by technically.a.techie online or Constanza. She is known for her videos about honest reviews of women's fashion. Her IG is filled with funny and relatable reels about being a women wearing a hardhat.
As a groundwater surveyor, Constanza spends many hours out in the field under all conditions. Living in Canada she values finding warm clothing. She's created a passion project of sharing her experiences and helping women find workwear that fits.
In this episode we talk about
Links
Social Media Doin'GirlyThings
The guest technically.a.tech
Our guest this week goes by technically.a.techie online or Constanza. She is known for her videos about honest reviews of women's fashion. Her IG is filled with funny and relatable reels about being a women wearing a hardhat.
As a groundwater surveyor, Constanza spends many hours out in the field under all conditions. Living in Canada she values finding warm clothing. She's created a passion project of sharing her experiences and helping women find workwear that fits.
In this episode we talk about
Links
Social Media Doin'GirlyThings
The guest technically.a.tech
Constanza Transcript
Megan:
Can you turn it down over here? Sorry about all that noise. I'm a project manager, at a construction site, building the internet. No, seriously. I'm focused on data center construction. My passion is electrical mechanical systems. Enough about me. Welcome to the podcast Doing Girly Things, a podcast focused on breaking down the stereotypes surrounding construction and making construction, working in the field, and wearing a hard hat all girly things to do. In this podcast, we focus on professional development and personal stories from people in construction. This podcast is focused on asking questions to women in the field about their experiences and how to navigate the construction industry. I'll bring on everyone from plumbers, administration, project managers and even an author or two. The premise of the podcast is to create a network of women in construction. I have found so many wonderful women whose voices and experiences need to be heard. Every other Monday, a new episode will be released. You can find transcripts on doing girly things website, and the podcast is available on Spotify or Apple Podcasts. This podcast also talks about grief. Don't worry about grief in the title, I use grief for my mother's fatal car accident to shed a light on how to navigate it. I also have episodes for my friend Jacob and his group that work at NASA that are growing the first fruits in space. Lastly, go to the Instagram Doin Girly Things to find out where all the action or to the website Doin Girly Things with one g to find the show notes. Hope to see you soon.
Welcome to the podcast, everyone. This is one of our last episodes for season two and I am so happy to introduce Constanza, who is primarily known as technically a tech on Instagram. And some of you may know her from her charming account that shows all the wonderful fashion for women in construction. It's also hilarious, and it's raising awareness to the construction community about how to find the best workwear. And so, technically a tech has a YouTube videos giving your views about women's workwear out in the field, and I'm so happy to have her on the podcast to discuss her career favorite brands and how she found to laugh about the clothing failures in the field. So, thank you for coming on to the podcast. With some of the followers that I have that don't actually follow you, which I loved, I think a lot of my followers do follow you. Can you just describe for us what an average day looks like for you and the field and what you're doing?
Constanza:
I do different types of work. Primarily, the work that I do is focused around Phase 2 environmental site assessments and site remediation. So my work is very hands on work out in the field for it's very common for me to be out in the field for 12 hours a day. And I work with soil and groundwater primarily. So if I'm doing a Phase two environmental side assessment, I'm getting on site early in the morning, I'm meeting with the drillers, and we're drilling into the ground depending on the project. We go either 30 feet into the ground, 12, 40, like it really depends. And they're pulling out soil for me, I am jarring it to send it to the lab, and we're testing it for different contamination metals, or just different parameters that we're looking for, depending on the area, depending on the project.
Then we usually also install wells into the holes that we've drilled. These are called monitoring wells and we're trying to capture the groundwater in these wells so that I can come back and sample it again and send it to the lab to see if the contamination that has been effecting the soil is also effecting the groundwater. And then from there, we could potentially move on to do site remediations, which is work where we are basically cleaning up the contamination.
It's really interesting work. I really like it, very hands on. From time to time I have to write reports and I do it because I have to, but it's not as fun for me as being out in the field I really love being outside all day, interacting with different people and getting into the dirt.
Megan:
So I wonder, do you typically work under a project manager, a GC? And when is it that you get called to a site to take these soil samples?
Constanza:
So it's very typical for our clients to reach out to us when they are looking to sell a property or buy a property. I think that's usually the number one or the top case. And basically, if they're looking to buy a property the client will want to make sure that their investment is a good investment, but want to make sure that the land isn't contaminated, that they're not going to run into issues later on.
So they'll reach out to us to do this environmental work, and my boss will be a project manager. I don't have one project manager that I work directly under, it's usually like five or six project managers that work at the company that will assign me work. So if I'm not working for someone else and I'm moving a little to do work, any project manager in the company can come to me and say, Oh, we need to do this and this. So yeah, I work under a bunch of project managers and we work for our clients.
Megan:
So your account name is called technically a tech. Is that because you're technically out there on the field? Is that what you saw yourself doing whenever you graduated college?
Constanza:
Yeah, so I started technically a tech because my first job at the Environmental Consulting Field was a project technician. And so currently actually my title is Environmental Site Assessor. It's usually like a broad umbrella of us, like field technicians, but I'm just in the environmental space and I actually didn't see myself doing this at all. Of university. I got a Bachelor of Science with specialization in biology.
And, you know, for a really long time I wanted to be a dentist and it's just so funny thinking back, because I had a really positive experience with my dentist. I didn't really hate going to the dentist. My dentist was very supportive, very kind, like always very friendly. And he was a big mentor for me while I was growing up, very encouraging for me to get into dentistry and I think I always kind of had in the back of my mind that I wasn't sure if I would really like it.
But, you know, when you're young and you don't know what else is out there, it's easier to pick something and say, Okay, this is what I'm going to do. I'm just going to tell every person that asks me because everybody's asking you what you want to be when you grow up. So it's much easier to say, Oh, dentist, and go and have people go, Oh, that's so cool.
Then be like I have no clue what I want to do and have people be like, Oh, well, what about this? you know what I mean? It's just easier.
Megan:
And being a dentist is a career that people expect you to say. They don't expect you to say, Oh, I don't know, maybe I want to work out in the field or maybe I want to be a technician or do something hands on. Doing a dentist is a career that when people nod and go ahead and just continue on with their life.
Constanza:
That's so true. And it's I never saw myself in this line of work ever. That might be because you know, we said over and over, representation matters. And that's how we a huge part of it. It just was never presented as a career choice. It was not something that ever crossed my mind. So, yeah, I went to university.
I enjoyed science. I was thinking of being a dentist, and it was causing me a lot of stress because it's very competitive and everyone in science wants to be a doctor. And so, it's this very scary world, but everyone is so under pressure and unhappy. And I was realizing like, what is the point of trying to do something that I'm not really sure I even want to do or just for the sake of doing it?
And so I started exploring different classes, and I really enjoyed ecology. It was we would do field trips, and I realizing that the kind of labs that I enjoyed with, the ones that were outside and I was like, you know, I think I really like going into the environmental field because it's just fun and I had no idea what I was getting into because doing now is not what I thought I would be today.
You know, I thought I was in construction sites. I thought I would be like, in the Algonquin Park, you know, like labeling trees or something. So I yeah, I stumbled into this and I really really happy. I really, really love my job.
Megan:
One thing that I do think is interesting, like what you keep saying is like, you're working outside and everything. And so your career has you doing a mixed bag of activities. So sometimes you're in the office, sometimes you're on the field. If someone is listening to this and they're like, you know, I kind of feel the same way, like maybe I want to get out into the field. But what have you found as the pros and cons after doing this for a while?
Constanza:
It's not easy work. Actually, being out of the field like I said, it's very long hours. So it's very common for me to work, usually an eight hour day in the field is short, very common for me to work 8-12 hours out in the field, and the weather plays a big role. So I have out at scorching heat where even our drill rig shut down because it was so hot. I've been in very cold, cold weather, pouring rain, so much snow and ice, it's not for the faint of heart. And it's definitely I think people would enjoy field work if they like working hard with their hands because yeah, it's not it's not easy work, but it's very fun. I think working in an office and working out of the field are both difficult job but for different reasons. So for me, I like standing, moving, and touching, and doing things that are more physical. I find when I'm in the office I actually feel more tired after an eight hour day than I do after a 12 hour day on site. Sitting and staring at the computer is really hard on me. So I think you really have to know yourself and know what you like. That's a good thing is as I got a little bit of a balance of both, but on really slow weeks when I'm mainly in the office, it drags on.
I think another pro of working out of the field is that you get to be very social. I'm a very social person. I like to be surrounded by people and you know, I get to work with so many people from different education backgrounds, working backgrounds, different experiences. So on a construction site, I'm working with guys that are teaching me so many things about like case on drilling and foundations and all these things that I never would have gotten to learn about. And then I'm out doing the drilling with the drillers that operate the rigs, and they're teaching me so much about soil and about my job to, right?! Like all the experience that they have working with old people, young people, it's just fun for me to be out there. And a 12-hour day feels like nothing really when I'm out on site.
Megan:
So my background is, is I worked in a design firm and they had me sitting in silence for basically 40 hours a work week and I called my dad. I was like, I am way too chatty of a person. I need social stimulation right now. And so that's how I end up finding my way in the construction. Like you're saying, is is like I enjoyed being out there and being able to talk with people. You're not talking to just the people that are in your trade. It sounds like you're also talking to people that are running the machinery. You're talking with people that are actually doing the design that know all different types of trades. So the amount of learning that you can do out in the field is so vast because the field is where everyone that's involved in the project basically comes together as a central spot to talk about everything.
Constanza:
Yeah, exactly. I've learned so much. I knew nothing about construction and I was full time on a construction site. We were doing a remediation and the amount that I've learned just from those months being there has been incredible. I'm a very hands on learner and I find that it's much easier to absorb.
Megan:
And I graduate with a master's in electrical engineering, but I got out into the field and I was like, I feel like I know nothing about electrical engineering. Like, everyone out here is smarter than what I am, but those piece of paper says that I should be the smartest one out here. And so I think it also is humbling too. The hands on experience very much supersedes some of this textbook learning that we have. So I love that you are able to have the balance in the field in the office.
So you have a couple videos online where you talk about work where because you're outside in the field and I don't think we've mentioned this yet, but you're also in Canada, so it's also not the most forgiving in the winter time. One of my favorite things that you said in the video was a smaller pair of pants isn't going to fit women. And so what you devoted your channel to is really finding workwear that fits women.
Constanza:
So it's interesting that you bring up that a smaller pair of pants won't fit women because, it won't. A pair of pants made for women will fit women, a smaller pair of men's pants just won't work. And that's for women of even, for example, bigger size, I have a friend who's very curvy and she had reached out to me and she said, you know, people just assume we're a smaller size, but I can wear a smaller size. I have to wear men's large. And it's terrible still!
Megan:
I think that that's very important, too, because whenever you say just a smaller size isn't going to fit women. We're also just assuming that women are smaller than men and that we are including this whole other genre of plus size women who have different shapes. You can't just wear an extra large that's not going to fit around your curvy hips. And so I think that that is also important too, because I have this website where I go and I look up like the highest search terms for just anything, and I look up women's workwear and you will not believe it, but there is almost no searches. And so part of me wonders if we've just given up finding women's workwear, have we just accepted that we're going to wear men's workwear? And so what do you hope to see as the change in women's workwear?
Constanza:
I think the change I hope to see is a change that is starting to happen, where women are taking things into their own hands and making gear that's going to fit and function for the work that they do and for their bodies. So I've seen so many companies, Zena, Cover Gals, we have Dove Tail like there's so many companies that are coming up there by women for women, I think it's really difficult for companies that have started off by making gear for a certain type of person to recognize or see the importance in trying to make gear for the other half of the population. And it's true, there aren't that many of us that are working in these careers, there aren't that many of us relative to the amount of men that need this gear. But you've spoken as well on your podcast about the shortage of women in construction and in the trades and how many more people we're going to need to fill the roles that are coming up and how much we need women to be there to fill those roles. And for me, having workwear that fits is it's not just about safety and comfort.
Those are two major points, right? Like you need to be safe and to do that gear that fits properly is going to keep you safe. Yes. You need to be comfortable because you're in this work gear way more than you are in your regular clothes. So it's a little comfort as well. But to me, it's even deeper and it's about fitting in and being truly a part of the community and the space that you're in. It's kind of embarrassing showing up ill fitting clothes. One, it's unsafe. The amount of times that I have, like on this construction site that I've been on, it gets really muddy sometimes. And my rubber boots, they are men's and the amount of times that my boot get stuck in the mud and my whole foot comes out and I step into the ground. So unsafe. Now that I've done so much research and I've started to actually get gear that fits well, it's night and day. I used to show up in my jeans and you can't really bend over well in tough denim. You can't do your job properly. You feel like you should be there in gear that doesn't fit. So really, it has been so night and day for me discovering these companies that have started to make women a priority.
And I show up feeling good and looking good and being able to perform my job safely and properly. I think workwear is so important, so much deeper than just the comfort and the safety.
Megan:
So the podcast title of this was actually started kind of on that same wavelength. I used to work in a high voltage area, and so I had to wear flame retardant clothing, work provided me with flame retardant clothing, all that was provided was men's clothes. And so I would go out onto the field and before I would leave every time I would say, Oh, just off to go do girly things... Wearing all men's clothes. And as the project manager, I was the one in charge who looked like a little kid because I'm wearing, you know, I'm wearing pants that don't fit me. I'm wearing a shirt that's hanging, like the shoulder seam is like almost halfway down to my elbow and so to like walk in and say, Hey, guys, I'm the boss here, listen to me.
It's kind of hard to even gain the respect of people within you because how are they supposed to respect you whenever you look like a little kid that just showed up to job shadow?
Constanza:
Totally. I actually felt like I was tagging along to Dad's work in his clothes. You know, and it really is, it's just kind of embarrassing, really. Like you just feel uncomfortable. And when you feel uncomfortable, I find that you don't speak as confidently. You don't walk around confidently. And then it translates into the way that people see you and the way people respect you, I guess. Right? So how are you to be taken seriously? Like you said, if you don't look the part, you got to look the part.
Megan:
And I really do think that if we show women that there's clothing for them and that there's representation in there it's not like we never ask a male nurse to wear woman nurse's clothes. We never do. Even though male nurses make up just the same percentage of women in construction, same amount. So why do we have male nurse clothing, but we don't have female construction clothing.
It's not like there's less of us. It's the same. And so I really do think that to engage people, because sometimes I will accidentally refer to myself as the wrong pronoun. And I talked with someone and they were like, you know, Megan the reason why you do that is because you wear men's clothing and you have to do a lot of things that are for men that I was like, That's actually really interesting that by wearing clothing that is not for you, you start to refer to yourself as the wrong pronoun. Just on accident. Total accident.
Constanza:
It's a really interesting point because... it really reinforces the idea that careers in construction, careers in the trades, they're for men like it just continues to reinforce that idea. We don't have gear that's going to fit you properly, that you can do your job, properly, in, because you don't belong here. Really. It's the message that is sent out to young girls.
Yeah, there's a lot of issues.
Megan:
Yeah! Safety and just confidence.
In some of your videos, you also share some of the outfit failures you have. And so what is one of the biggest outfit failures you've had that you just laughed about at work and had to learn to move on?
Constanza:
The first thing that came to mind, it wasn't such an outfit failure, it was I always, always keep extra clothes in my car. There's been time at one time in particular where I like sunk hip deep into some mud, and I was just like, covered in mud. And I mean, luckily I had pants that I could change into.
Megan:
Because at one time I actually had my zipper broke at work. And so on lunch, I literally had to run to ,I just went to Old Navy or something, and just got like a new pair of jeans and came back. That I had to go to my manager and I was like, my zipper just broke and I'm not walking around like this all day, I will see you in half an hour.
But after all this market research that you've done, what are some of your favorite brands, both summer and then winter?
Constanza:
So actually, those overalls that I ordered, the winter overalls as angry as I was that they came in so late, they are really good overalls. They are tufdeck. It's actually a Canadian brand. They make really good workwear I've talked with them on my account a few times. So their overalls are nice and they're pretty roomy, I think, so ladies with like wider hips and thicker thighs, I think would probably find them very comfortable. And the insulated overalls are great. I also worn Carhartt insulating overalls that's really hard to find in Canada. Actually, they don't, you have to either party on Amazon or find a retailer. But then other retailers obviously carry women's stuff. So it's pretty tough to find like actual workwear because, you know, you got the beanies and like they're more lifestyle stuff that's really easy to find. But I've used the Carhartt insulated overalls for winter and those were actually really good and worth the money. There's a brand that I've been trying out called Truewerk, and I've been very shocked actually by they're probably the only pants I have that are truly high waisted and that's a big one for a lot of women. Plus they have on their website, they give ranges for temperature so they'll tell you the shirt is good for really hot weather. This shirt is really good for a really cool weather. So that's pretty cool. Of course, you know, I've tried dove tail and they're really good. Some other stuff fit a little, like I ordered a few pants and like the size ten for one of the pants was too tight of a size ten for the other one was like a little too loose.
So sometimes besides, it's a little funny with Dovetail, but they're really good customer service, so they're super easy to just go back to you and get the size changed.
Megan:
Have you found women's gloves?
Constanza:
Yeah, you know, for my work, I use just like glove liners that aren't, because I have to wear nitrile gloves for all I do.
Megan:
Oh, okay.
Constanza:
Just because we want to keep the sample integrity so I don't actually wear different gloves in the winter. I'll put a liner inside of that, that never fits properly, but once I put the nitetrile glove on top, it's fine.
But I've heard HVAC dress, and she's out of Vancouver. She does HVAC work and she's a cool Instagram as well. And she has talked about Leo Flex gloves, she's also really great.
Megan:
One thing I've always wondered, because you seem to know a lot about a lot of the words, her style and fit. Have you always been a fashionista.
Constanza:
I guess I take pride in what I wear. I think it speaks to your personal style and your personality as well. But and it's I don't know, I guess in a way a little bit of an outer shell. You know, we're kind of what you want to present today. And I think that's why for me, this whole workwear thing was really important because I do take pride in what I wear.
But I think just through all the research I've done is what I've learned so many of these terms, because I try and be knowledgeable, because I know so many women are out there looking for gear. So I have tried to be a really good resource for all the women that are looking. And I try to use, you know, the proper terms. And I try and include as much information as I can because there's very few reviews out there for years. So I'm trying to be a resource for everyone out there that's looking.
Megan:
What type of videos do you have planned for 2022 though? Also what's the plans of the Instagram account?
Constanza:
For Instagram, I think I'm going to keep doing what I'm doing. I think I have found a really good place with my Instagram where I post a little bit of funny, a little bit of relatable, a little bit of workwear reviews and just everyday life on my stories.
I want to put a lot more effort to play YouTube. Actually, it's a lot of work, as I'm sure you know, just editing and planning and just the act of sitting down and filming. It's a lot of work but it is something that I think is very valuable just based on the feedback that I've gotten from my first two videos. So I think my New Year's resolution this year is going to be to put more effort into my YouTube.
And I also actually want to start a website where things are easier to find. I find that Instagram is really great for getting information out there, and I've obviously gotten very comfortable with it.
But things disappear, you know, posts get buried and I'm putting a lot of really good information about gear reviews out there that should be easier to find. So I'm also going to start working on that.
Megan:
Very exciting that. And the thing that I love too, like what you were just saying is, is like it's a mix of funny, but it's like funny serious, so like the other day you had posted about like pay equality and just creating the conversation about equal pay and transparency. And I really thought that that was a very interesting conversation. That you just posted it as, you know, equal pay. And then somebody had messaged you. And so I think creating those sorts of conversations is like... it's very fun. And I really enjoy that. You've created a place that women in construction can all get together and have those types of conversations with one another.
Constanza:
Totally. And that's a big goal for my space as well. I want, you know, I have learned from the trades, construction, environmental science, agriculture, lots of different backgrounds and lots of different perspectives and a lot of the time these conversations aren't really had in public spaces. They are serious topics, but they're really important because a lot of the time we are isolated in our work sites, you know, where the only women we're the only ones have no one else to talk to about these things so it's kind of fun. So many women are coming to my account and having these important conversations and seeing that I'm not the only one going through this issue. It really warms my heart when I see people having their own conversations in the comments and saying, Oh, I'll DM you, wear this and that, it's like, that's the whole point, you know?
Megan:
Yes, yes. And I feel that, like, I made this podcast and sometimes I feel like I made it almost more for myself but since I made it, I found so many women that are in construction that I didn't know existed and so I love that I found a place for everyone to connect. But also just like having the awareness of finding all of you is awesome because you sometimes don't think that any of us exist. And then you get on Instagram and there's just this whole community that is starting to blossom like women in construction, and women in trades and everything. And so I really just I've enjoyed your Instagram and I've enjoyed having you on the podcast, but I do have one last little game for us to play.
So the game is the best self cards, and so I really enjoy using these at the end of the podcast, they ask some deeper questions that are a little off topic, but I think I just really cool to get answered from our guests. So the two categories, and just let me know which one you would rather, is courage or life lessons.
Constanza:
Hmmm, let's go with courage.
Megan:
Courage. What do you want to know about someone that you've been scared to ask?
Constanza:
Wow. Anyone?
Megan:
Yeah.
Constanza:
I'm just going to say this because it's really the first thing that came to mind. But I have two sisters and I love them so dearly and I think I would want to ask them if they're happy, truly happy. I always think about them. I care of them so much and I want them to be.
And I guess not just my sisters, but, you know, any young woman starting out in her career like, are you doing something that you love to be doing? And if not, why aren't you doing it?
Megan:
I think some of that comes from your place of being happy and doing what you want. I very much can see that as like a question that you would have. You and your sisters look so much alike. How old are you guys apart from each other?
Constanza:
We're two years apart each, even? Yeah, we're close, we've a very good relationship. Yeah, it's very special to have sisters.
Megan:
Yeah, it is. Awesome. And I appreciate you so much for coming on the podcast. We've talked a lot about your account so far, so I'm pretty sure people know where to find you. But just in case they've missed it. Where can we find you?
Constanza:
Yeah, so you can find me on Instagram, at technically a tech and you can find me on a YouTube under the same handle technically a tech. And keep an eye out for a website.
Megan:
Yeah, I look forward to seeing everything that you have in the upcoming weeks and just a reminder for our listeners that if you listen to the podcast and you leave a review, send a screenshot of your review over to me and we are actually going to start having stickers the first of the year. So I actually have a meeting when somebody is starting discussing it and planning them and so the first 25 people that send me a screenshot of the review on Apple Podcasts will get a free Doin Girly Things hardhat sticker.
Thank you for coming on and I'm sure we will talk soon.
Constanza:
Thank you.