Meet insulation foreman Hedda

At the Tjeldbergodden land plant, Hedda holds the role of foreman in the field of insulation, a position which means that she gets to use both her professional knowledge and leadership skills. Among other things, she is responsible for ensuring that the jobs are carried out in an efficient, economical and safety-responsible manner, in addition to planning the work to be carried out. Dialogue with the customer is also an important part of everyday life.

The day always starts with a morning meeting before she distributes tasks and goes out into the field with the work teams for a review.

-Then I have to go back to the office to get a new overview of further work, keep hours, plan or conduct meetings. I am regularly out in the field during the day to check and follow up that the jobs are being done correctly. Sometimes I have to actively participate in the field to get the jobs done, she says.

Want more women in the industry

How many people she is responsible for varies according to the amount of assignments, and she thinks little of the fact that there are a lot of men in the work teams.

-Of course there have been a number of challenges with seasoned men having to accept messages from a young woman, perhaps especially right after I became chairman. Now it has worked out and the tone is largely pleasant regardless of who I work with. Fortunately, I also have the ability not to care about those kinds of comments if they come, she says with a smile.

Hedda thinks that the industry is dominated by men is understandable, but is sure that many more girls could enjoy and thrive in the profession. She believes that the lack of girls has a lot to do with the fact that the industry is poorly communicated.

-At school, I never heard anything about the possibility of becoming an isolator, and we were guided to think within completely different fields and industries. I didn't know what an insulator was once, she says.

She also believes that many girls refuse these jobs because it is associated with heavy and stressful work.

- I will still not hide the fact that it is demanding and sometimes heavy work, and you absolutely have to enjoy being outside in all kinds of weather. But when I was able to do it and have a great time, it is guaranteed to be a profession for far more girls than what we represent today, she says, adding that a little more balance in the gender distribution would have been both healthy and good for the environment.

Started as an apprentice

The path to becoming a foreman was somewhat random, but the aim was to be able to cultivate his interests both at work and in his spare time.

-As a 17-year-old, I had no clear plan for which direction I should take professionally, I was only aware that I wanted to work with something physical and challenging. It was my father who first saw that Beerenberg needed apprentices and encouraged me to apply. I immediately thought that this was an exciting opportunity, which could be nicely combined with my horse hobby and the joy of being outside. In that sense, it was very natural to apply.

When Hedda is asked how long she has worked in Beerenberg, she herself was surprised that the answer was 7.5 years.

- I can't believe it's been so long, time has gone incredibly fast and I still remember the first day like it was yesterday. I started as an apprentice at the land plant at Nyhamna, which is outside Molde. I was there for almost the entire apprenticeship, except for the last six months when I traveled to Tjeldbergodden where I completed my apprenticeship and took a diploma, she says.

Good experience from day one

A good reception from a colleague meant that she got a good start both as a young person and new to the company.

- My colleague Morten Ukkelberg became an important mentor for me from day one. He taught me an incredible amount and has followed me all the way. He has actually become one of my best friends with whom I also have contact in my free time, it is very nice.

Close-knit group

The job at a facility with a rotation system offers many advantages, and she talks enthusiastically about how good the working environment is at Tjeldbergodden, where she has worked for over four years.

- We are a close-knit group who have fun at work and are good at doing things together, even if the working days are long and many are tired. We like to go out and eat together, go on mountain walks in the area, swim, barbecue or get together to watch football matches. All this makes me look forward to going to work, every single day, she says.

Benefits of the job

Although Hedda has long since stopped riding horses, she has still maintained her interest in working with animals.

- I have a fantastic rotation scheme that allows me to cultivate my interests in my spare time. I am lucky enough to work as a volunteer at a visitor farm for children and young people, where I get to talk to the young people while we look after the animals. In addition, I live in a place with majestic mountains around me and spend much of my time hiking. The fact that I am so fond of training and being outside in all kinds of weather is one of the reasons why I also enjoy my job so much, concludes Hedda.

Natural leader

That Hedda was suitable as foreman became clear to the production manager at Tjeldbergodden, Hans Brunvatne, early on.

Ever since she came to us, she has shown herself to be a steady and independent person who quickly learned the tasks and showed good control. She naturally takes responsibility and is good at leading others, while at the same time she is not afraid to give notice and gives honest feedback to both customers and colleagues. In addition, she is well liked by everyone who works with her and always has a smile on her face, even on the most difficult days, says Brunvatne.