This year, Women in Trades were excited to announce two events, with the first already taken place in Rotorua on 18 March, and now  followed by the next event in Taranaki on 7 May.

Our events are a great way to showcase your business and build visibility with women considering trade careers. To get involved, email us  at [email protected] 2026 WiT Sponsor, Claymark, is supporting women to make their mark in the timber industry and is  immensely proud of their achievements – one of those women is Kaitlyn Russell. Claymark is New Zealand’s largest manufacturer and distributor of premium timber products and the Thames sawmill supports this by breaking down radiata pine logs into high-quality structural  timber for local and Australian markets.

Kaitlyn joined Claymark five years ago as a general hand stacking fillet. Through hard work and stepping outside her comfort zone, Kaitlyn  has progressed to her role as Night Shift Supervisor.

From General Hand to Night Shift Supervisor

Kaitlyn didn’t always see leadership as a viable career path. Before working at Claymark, she says she was quite shy and hesitant to take  on big opportunities. “One of the main responsibilities in my role is communication and people skills, which is something I had to learn and  has been a massive accomplishment for me. I would never have pictured myself in this position.”

Seeing her potential, Claymark supported Kaitlyn to build both her soft skills and technical knowledge. She progressed into a Sawmill  Operator role, processing timber, before working her way up to Team Leader. Five years on, she is now the Night Shift Supervisor, leading  a team of about 30 people at the sawmill.

Running the Sawmill After Dark

A typical day (or night!) for Kaitlyn involves ensuring her team works to the best of their abilities while staying safe on the job. She problem- solves and troubleshoots on the go, makes quick decisions on her feet, always keeping health and safety at the front of her team’s mind.  The team she leads works together to meet production targets while looking out for one another. What Kaitlyn enjoys most about her role  is the opportunity to constantly learn and take on new challenges. She says her job has allowed her to meet a wide range of people, lead a  strong team and see both her own growth and the development of those around her. While there are challenges, she finds the work  highly rewarding.

Kaitlyn’s Advice to Others

“Never doubt yourself, especially as a woman wanting to start in this career. Never listen to the stereotypes that say “it’s a man’s job”  because that is not true at all. Take every opportunity and challenge that comes your way even if you do not think you are going to  succeed, still give your best efforts and don’t be afraid to fail, there are so many learning opportunities when you fail the first time.

Never be scared to put yourself out there because if you do you might find that you will surprise yourself as I did.”