PEER apprentice, Isabella LaVista, enjoyed unprecedented success at the HiViZ Women Building SA awards luncheon in 2025, where she took out both the Rising Star and Tradeswoman of the Year awards.
Isabella’s achievements are a testament to her talent, dedication, and strong belief in breaking down barriers for women in male-dominated fields. As an electrical apprentice, she has continually championed the message that trades are for everyone and that young women can not only succeed, but thrive.
Master Builders HiViZ Committee Member, Tahlia Cross, sat down with Isabella to find out a little more about her experiences in the trade.
Being a tradie was something you’ve always wanted to do since you were a kid. Has it lived up to your early expectations?
As a kid obviously you don’t know the ins and outs of a job and what it’s really like to work full time, but I knew I wanted to do a trade it because it looked fun and I loved the idea of being able to build something and see a project from start to end and solve problems along the way. So, in that sense absolutely it has lived up to my expectations. I get to have a lot of fun at work with the people I work with every day. The feeling of finishing a large commercial job and seeing months to years of work and problem solving come together at the end is really satisfying.
Tell us about your favourite moment at work.
My favourite moment at work was towards the end of my first year, I was running cables for damper actuators with my supervisor, Chris Errington, when he turned to me and said he’d put his nomination in for me as PEER apprentice of the year. He explained that he was impressed with my work ethic that he enjoyed working with me as I had a positive attitude and a drive that he hadn’t seen in many young workers. As a first year, I felt validated and proud of my work, as I was still learning and had a lot of self-doubt about whether I was doing a good job at work. This motivated me to work harder as I realised how much more I could accomplish if I put my mind to it.
Receiving feedback from someone you respect and look up to at work is validating and as women we are emotional creatures, we like to hear it and feel it. Whilst my male colleagues show their appreciation in playful jokes, hearing the words resounded with me more. I don’t feel what I do is extra, I just show up, do the job I’m told to do and do my best.
What is the single most important thing you can tell girls or women who may be considering an apprenticeship?
That a job in trade is not a just man’s job and that it is a job like any other that anyone, regardless of gender, can do. Girls make wonderful tradies and men and women work really well as a team. We think in different ways to each other and therefore there is a larger variety of skills and strengths in a mixed gender work environment. I’d also say that trade jobs are incredibly rewarding because they give you a real sense of accomplishment when a task is completed. In construction, the work is often tied to set timeframes, so that sense of achievement comes more frequently. Unlike many other industries, you can actually see the tangible results of your efforts-which makes the work even more satisfying.
How does it feel to be the recipient of not one, but two, HiViz Women in Construction Awards in 2025?
It feels truly amazing to be seen and recognised for my hard work and efforts by the people who I look up to in the industry. At the HiViz Awards ceremony, I was overwhelmed with respect and awe for the inspirational women I was able to meet and speak to at the event. I felt extremely privileged and proud to be able to stand up on stage in front of such strong and amazing people with the same passion that I have.
Are you comfortable with being a role model for others considering a trade?
Absolutely. I strongly believe that if I can help others feel comfortable doing a trade by sharing my experience and being someone they can relate to, then I am being the person in someone else’s life that I wish I had when I was considering becoming an apprentice. You can’t be what you can’t see, and I want to be seen by young girls and women so they know they can do a trade too.
Closing statement from Isabella;
I never planned to enter a trade; I was scared I’d be treated badly. I’m not treated badly but I am treated differently, just for being a woman. While more doors are opening for women in construction, the real change needs to happen on-site, with the men we work beside every day.
I’m constantly asked what it’s like to work in a male-dominated industry and honestly, I’m over it. What I’d rather see is more awareness around how to build better team dynamics, treat people fairly, and recognise the strengths women bring to the table.
Management often gets it, but the biggest culture shift needs to happen on the job sites. That’s where the outdated attitudes linger, and that’s where change matters most.
Interviewer: Tahlia Cross – HiViZ Committee Member
