career exploration & workforce development ... FOR GIRLS!
Kiersten grew up in a house that was very hands-on. She’s the youngest of three girls and from a young age they were always helping around the house. She remembers her friends asking what she was doing over the weekend and her response was usually something like “building a fence…building a deck… painting…etc.” She says that although at times she would have rather been hanging out with her friends, looking back now she is so glad to have had the opportunity to learn all the valuable skills she did while growing up. Her dad, one of the smartest men she’s ever known, could build and fix just about anything and her mom who was the CFO (Chief Family Officer) of the household grew a small business selling home interiors and gifts. Their work ethic and commitment to teaching her and her sisters the value of hard work have given her the tools to create a successful business and she knows that without their example, and the support of her husband, she wouldn’t be where she is today.
Kiersten says that her mom had always wanted to be a carpenter and when she was in high school, she tried to get into woodshop, but they wouldn’t let her because she was a woman. Her grandmother even went to the school to try to get her mom into the class, but the shop teacher still said no because she just wanted to flirt with the boys. Kiersten says that she feels very lucky to have the opportunity to do what she does as she knows the struggle that most women have faced trying to make their way into the construction industry.
After graduating high school Kiersten had plans to become a fashion designer, or so she thought! The summer after graduation she started taking classes at her local community college to save money and get the core classes out of the way. She then went on to study at Philadelphia College of Textiles and Science. She is now the owner of Pitmilly House, an Interior Solutions firm, where she designs, builds, and paints. She’s a one-stop “finishwork” shop and her specialty is repurposing reclaimed pieces and transforming them into something amazing. Kiersten says that everything deserves a second chance and its’ time to shine!
When asked if she has ever felt out of place in the industry because she is a woman, Kiersten says that she tends to get very intimidated when she is on a jobsite because most of the time she is surrounded by mostly men. Because she never studied woodwork, she learned most of what she knows from her dad and the rest is self-taught, she feels like she is constantly being judged. While most of the men offer pointers and tips, there are some who scrutinize every detail. She has had to learn to let her work speak for itself and to have confidence in her abilities. It’s not always easy but she’s learning to give herself a break now and then. She also says that when standing next to her work van she sometimes gets mistaken for being a “good wife” and looking after her husband’s van. She quickly tells them the van is hers and then proceeds to watch as jaws drop!
Kiersten says that if she could go back in time and give her 18-year-old self some advice, she would tell her to give herself a little time to explore her options before committing to a path. She knows the journey is what gets us to where we are, but she always loved building, designing and fixing things. She just never thought she could make a career out of it. She would also encourage her younger self to explore the trades and to not let the views of others mold her but rather to let herself find her own way!
We use cookies to analyze website traffic and optimize your website experience. By accepting our use of cookies, your data will be aggregated with all other user data.