HEALTH AND SANITATION 33
“ Even the general foreman didn ’ t think I would make it ,” she recalls . “ The first week they didn ’ t teach me anything ; they just had me carry stuff . I ’ m sure that happens to the guys , too , but they didn ’ t want to waste time teaching somebody who might not stay .”
Not only did she stay long enough to cost her co-workers some money over their losing bets , but she has continued to thrive in her new career . In her relatively short time in the trade , she has received the Field Most Valuable Person Award from the owner of Air Systems , Inc . — her first employer — after five years of service , the Excellence in Plumbing Award from the Pipe Trade Training Center , and Governing Board of Presidents ’ Scholarship from North America ’ s Building Trades Unions .
She also now helps run and coach the Workforce Virtual Design Construction ( VDC ) program at Stanford University .
The programme ’ s goal is to bridge the gap between engineers , architects , contractors , and construction workers so that everyone is on the same page and has a say in the design process . Tseng began as a guest speaker four years ago and is now the union job steward , representing the working pipe trade members on the Intel Santa Clara campus , where she works for Therma , her employer since last year .
“ It is amazing to think that my path as a plumber has opened doors to lecture and work with PhDs at Stanford University ,” she said .
Tseng ’ s family also had their doubts about her career as a plumber . She said her father almost disowned her because he believed working in construction was only for those who couldn ’ t make it through school , a myth she was determined to dispel .
“ I remember the first two years I was in the apprenticeship he would not really talk to me at all ,” she said . “ Finally , he said , ‘ Why don ’ t you go get a real job and stop playing around ?’”
His attitude changed , however , when the pressure-reducing valve at his house failed and fixtures in his house started leaking . This resulted in mold in the bathroom and wet floors and walls , and a screaming noise when he would turn on the faucet .
After hearing about the plumbing issues from her mother , Tseng enlisted a co-worker ’ s help and the two of them spent a couple of hours fixing the problems one weekend , installing a new pressurereducing valve and some hose bibs , and replacing sections of the system with shiny copper pipe .
She said when they were done , her father asked her to thank her co-worker for him . When she pointed out she had done much of the work , he said it looked like a professional had done it .
“ I was like , ‘ What do you think I do every day at work ? This is what I do ; I do this for a living ,’” she said . “ He said , ‘ Oh , I think it might be a good idea if you do some plumbing on the side ; people will pay for this .’ I ’ m like , ‘ People do pay for this . This is what I do .’ I had to beat it into his head . ‘ This is what I do ; I did not just do nothing for two years .’”
She calls the experience a pivotal moment in their relationship , as she was finally able to show her father the legitimacy of her profession . She said they now have a close relationship , and they work together on home improvement projects that allow her to use her plumbing knowledge .
Tseng said she still can ’ t believe she has become a plumber . She spends much of her time letting young women know they , too , can have a lucrative career in the trades .
She regularly attends Women Build Nations conferences , where she encourages and shares her knowledge and experience with up-andcoming tradeswomen and learns from those who have been in the trades far longer than she has .
At one of the conferences , she met former IAPMO board member Laura Ceja , who is now a UA special representative for Training and Outreach . Ceja convinced Tseng to appear in a video about what it is like to be a plumber .
“ I was very proud of actually having the courage to be in the video and tell people that I ’ m a plumber ,” she said , “ because I would never have thought that I could last through the whole apprenticeship . And the UA has done that for me because they were very supportive . It shows that they care ; they want women in the trade .”
Tseng also appears prominently in a photo on the UA Local 393 training center ’ s website , and it has already paid dividends .
“ A girl saw it and she got in when she was 19 ,” she said . “ She ’ s also Asian . She saw it , thought , ‘ Oh , someone who looks like me is a plumber , so it wouldn ’ t hurt if I apply .’ And then she applied , she got in and now she is one of our female plumbing apprentices .”
A member of IAPMO ’ s Central California Chapter , Tseng said her interest in joining stemmed from learning that two of her instructors , Bob Adler , and Sarah Aguilar , serve on the Uniform Plumbing Code ( UPC ) Technical Committee during an IAPMO presentation at her school .
She said she plans to become more involved as her schedule allows , and ultimately to serve on the technical committee one day .
“ I really want to get involved and become active , not just as someone who reads the code book , but also learn how the plumbing code gets developed and the direction we ’ re heading with water conservation and reclaimed water , gray water and all that .”
That busy schedule also includes being a pre-apprenticeship mentor for TOP , the program that helped her get in the trades .
“ As someone who faced similar doubts and uncertainties , I find it fulfilling to mentor the next generation of tradeswomen ,” she said . “ It ’ s hard to believe that just seven years ago , I was in their shoes , signing up for the same program with a million doubts in my mind about my ability to succeed in construction . Now , I am a living testament of the program ' s success and can give back by mentoring the next generation of women in trades . It feels incredibly fulfilling to help pave the way for those who come after me .” PA
August 2023 Volume 29 I Number 6 www . plumbingafrica . co . za