Jessie Dickson – Operations manager, WIZ Overhead Doors

Jessie Dickson has earned her place on Toronto’s Top 10 Women of Design and Construction for her role as operations manager at Wiz Overhead Doors – a business serving a sector not traditionally associated with the female gender.

“We are an industrial overhead door company that focuses on installing, servicing and manufacturing high quality overhead doors in the greater Toronto area,” she writes. “We strive on maintaining a high level of work ethic by teaching our staff about personal development and encourage growth. Our team values the importance of customer service and we work directly with our clients to ensure all expectations are fulfilled.”

Jessie, 27, started working in the business when she was 21. She says she has faced discrimination, “inappropriate comments have been said to me while working on some sites, and my intelligence has been tested.”

“After six years, I have learned not to let what other say affect me in any way,” she says. “I have learned everything I know from my father – he is the smartest man I know.  It took a while for some people to believe I could do the job, but once they had seen the job completed, things became better.”

She says she enjoys pushing her limits to learn thew things.  “In business you are faced with new challenges every day and the ability to learn  and adapt to new challenges is all a part of the reason I love what I do.  I am continuously able to learn and grow.”

Her advice to other women seeking design and construction careers: “Don’t let anyone tell you something is not possible,” she answers. “Anything is possible with hard work and dedication,  Sometimes there will be thing said to deter you away from women working in construction, but just keep your head up.  If you love what you do, everything will work out.”