“There’s no Such Thing as Failure. Everything is Learning.”
This article was written by FTMA’s Kat Welsh
It’s International Women’s Day 2024 on the 8th March. FTMA is celebrating this important event by showcasing some of the incredible women that are in our sector. Each week throughout this month, we’ll be publishing an article and podcast, featuring 4 women who are particularly inspiring. Catch up on the first article with Carly Timperley. We want to promote that when women are invested in or pursue investing in themselves, they can and do thrive. It’s crucial to the progression of equality, equity, and society.
Women make up approx. half the global population, and are mothers to the other half, yet often it’s hard or impossible to flourish. Women, disproportionately live in poverty, due to un-valued low paid jobs, reduced working capacity, or no work prospects. Frequently, women struggle to feel proud of what they have done, and our achievements are minimalised or de-valued.
Taking on higher education, or pushing ourselves into areas that we feel we are under resourced in, can be a massive task. It can feel daunting with the threat of failure and often debt.
Shelena Serrano, Operations Manager at Vekta, came to find herself in the sector with no prior background in the industry. Vekta manufactures automated machinery and robotic capital equipment, for the timber frame and truss industry. Shelena’s journey into Vekta was incidental – not something that she planned. But once it became part of Shelena’s focus, she did whatever she needed, to make sure she excelled. “I was previously a high school teacher,” said Shelena who had been teaching in Perth high schools for several years, when the opportunity came along. Her husband Ed Serrano, who was working for PFP Technologies, was offered the rights for the Razer saw. It was a valuable prospect, and for Ed to take it on, Shelena was key. Vekta was born in 2009.
Life changes always seem to coincide – Vekta began when Shelena was pregnant. “I was on maternity leave and was pregnant with our first baby. A first baby isn’t challenging enough, let’s start a business,” Shelena remarked. Setting up Vekta as the family venture was a tremendous opportunity, though she felt she knew little about the intricacies of running small business. Shelena came with an array of skills from her teaching career, and university degree, but realised that to give her all to Vekta she needed more. “We basically dived into it. All of a sudden, I was going to small business classes, marketing classes, tax classes… I put myself through a MYOB TAFE course, doing it at night.” Ed would have the baby, and Shelena would study.
“It was an accidental pivot in my career,” Shelena said. The technical side of things with the engineering, is not the side to the business that she engages in. The other side to Vekta is where Shelena is highly skilled and valuable. “I have taken on the HR, the marketing, the strategy side of the business.”
When Shelena and Ed began Vekta, they were 2 of the 3 people working in it. “We’re up to over 110 now [staff]. The original concept was we wore all the hats, we did everything.” As the business grew, they were able to employ more people and skilled workers to fill the roles that they were covering. One of the most rewarding things over the last 15 years, has been seeing people grow and develop in those roles. Shelena talked about a trainee that they took on, and seeing his passion progress in the 12 years that he has been at Vekta. And, seeing engineers advance into leadership and managerial roles. “That’s really exciting when I think these people have come on this entire journey with us. And they have been able to grow and develop, change into new roles… You’ve got to believe in your people, and invest in them, going into the theme of International Women’s Day.”
For Shelena and her development, it has been a combination of investment from others and from herself. She joined a board for a large not for profit, where she felt that she needed more understanding to fulfill the role. At the time Shelena, reflected “I don’t know what I am doing here, I don’t know anything about this, so I put myself through and did a Graduate Diploma in Business Governance.” She knew it was an amazing opportunity and wanted to contribute fully. Shelena also secured a scholarship to do a business owners course, and also participated in the EY Entrepreneurial Winning Women program – a global networking enterprise that supports women in business reach their full potential with support, advice and knowledge. It’s a program linked with other international agencies investing and supporting women and gender equity, such as Invest Her. “The conference that year was held in Vietnam… having a room of 200 entrepreneurial women from all different areas, all different countries, was quite amazing being involved in that process.” Participating in the program began to bring awareness for Shelena, that she was essential to the functioning of what she was doing.
“I can’t bring the engineering mind, and the engineering smarts. There’s other things I can bring to the business. It’s having the confidence in myself, and to back myself,” Shelena said. What the program also promotes is connection. While we need to have inner strength and resilience, we can be more brilliant by networking and drawing inspiration and determination from others as well.
Shelena talked about a few experiences during those years, where she felt she didn’t know what she was doing, or felt “out of my depth”. What became clear is that it is important to identify this, and then act upon it. Take those leaps off the cliff with faith in oneself – progress in whatever direction you need. You CAN do it. This isn’t something that can necessarily come from others having trust in you, but something we all need to feel for ourselves about our own abilities.
“To know that if I was determined, I could do it,” Shelena said about believing in herself, and recognising her own value.
According to the National Association of Women in Construction, the 2023 statistics shows that women make up 12% of the work force. There is progress, but that’s still low. Trying to encourage more women, and diversity into this sector is fundamental. Having diversity builds progress. “One of our plants has a female operator, and she is amazing to watch, she knows it all. She runs that machinery and that equipment with such passion, she knows exactly where it is… she’s got that ability.” There was mention of the age-old gender thing – women rule at multi-tasking, and doing it to the highest level! Something that is a fantastic skill for frame and truss. “It would be great to see more female detailers within the industry, operators… but it’s hard to get women in the lines. We look for mechanical fitters, welders, electricians. They’re not generally areas that have attracted women.” The associated trades that could feed into many areas of the timber industry, are still at a pioneering stage when it comes to encouraging women in. When you don’t see yourself represented in something, it doesn’t always register that it can be possible. But, the more publicity and social media presence that focuses on women doing well in the industry, will inspire action.
The challenges that women can face, especially if children are on the scene, can limit or impact careers that are associated with long hours, early starts, or over-time commitments. The buck stops with the mum in many relationships, let alone for single mums. Socially we are progressing towards the care of kids being a shared task, but statistics overwhelmingly show that women earn less, and accumulate less super, due to the family requirements. “A lot of the time, women don’t go back to work because they’ll spend more money on childcare than what they would actually earn, which is concerning,” Shelena said.
It’s progressive. Cultures shift over time, and Shelena pointed out that “the most important aspect is raising the next generation. For my girls especially, it’s important for them to see both Ed and myself working, and we both play a role within the business, and a role within the family in raising them. Not trying to set them up for the impossible, but for them to know that you can do both.”
Talking about role-models, Shelena and her daughters recently attended the Taylor Swift concert in Melbourne. Taylor is a strong and determined woman, setting a standard for women that you can achieve what you want, no matter what anyone thinks about you. “It’s skill, it’s personality, it’s attitude, that has allowed you to be in that position… the other thing we do as women is often downplay those things… but you’re there because of skill, passion, commitment.”
For any woman out there, unsure, having doubts, hesitating, Shelena said “Back yourself. If you feel you need training, then go get training. If you feel you need a mentor, then go do that, but just back yourself into it. And also there’s nothing wrong with taking a second step. There’s no such thing as failure. Everything is learning… you’ll come across problems, but there’s always a solution.”
Thanks to Shelena for helping us celebrate this year’s International Women’s Day, by agreeing to put yourself in the spotlight. It’s inspiring to hear that with any hill encountered – despite doubts, you have secured the equipment needed – and had the courage to keep climbing!
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