Female tradies come in all shapes and sizes—some of them are even hubbies. Hire a Hubbies, that is! Most Kiwis will be familiar with the “everything expert” hubbies available to do any and all maintenance, repair, and small building projects around your home. With franchises across the nation, they have made their very handy presence known.

Our most recent tradie lady is Kylie McMillan, who owns and runs the Hire a Hubby Papamoa franchise with her husband Andrew. As a dynamic duo, they renovate, fix, and maintain homes in their area. Kylie spends a lot of time on the tools and enjoys some of the design aspects of the job too. 

Here’s what she had to say about her experience as a woman in the trade sector!

Forging her path

Kylie’s journey to owning and working in a HAH franchise began with feeling aimless after she finished high school, which is something many can relate to.

“I left school at the end of my school cert year with no idea what I wanted to do or be. I was involved in a lot of sports so my first full-time job was working for Avanti Cycles selling bikes in my home town of Oamaru. It was a great stepping stone into the real world and fitted in well with rowing at the time.”

Working in retail may not have been Kylie’s true calling, but it served her well as she spent 18 years working for The Warehouse: 

“A good part of that time was working on one of their Store Development teams completing new branches, relocations, and refits and where I picked up my first drill!”

When her husband Andrew purchased the Hire a Hubby franchise, Kylie was initially uninvolved. But she soon realised she wanted a change and something that would fit better around her family. Kylie had experience in DIY and renovations, so she took the plunge.

“After 12 months he required my assistance in operating and growing the business… Buying the Papamoa franchise was a chance for us both to be more involved with our boys’ schooling and sports and it freed up our weekends which was a huge plus. 

Andrew and I had renovated many properties together and helped family and friends with their own personal projects so it was time to step out of our comfort zone. Having learnt many skills as kiwi DIYers we were finally confident in taking on work outside our home and leapt at the opportunity to own our own business “

Tradie favs

We have to ask all of our interviewees that crucial question: what’s your favourite tool brand? Kylie shared her pick plus a few handy tips!

“My favourite tool brand is AEG. I love using the sub compact impact driver for screwing down decking, among other things, as it’s powerful and super light for my little hands. They also have a great trade warranty with all their products. Just make sure you register them online.”

And while she doesn’t have a tradie pun that floats her boat in particular, she did give us this gem of wisdom:

“An old workmate used to say “we’re here for a good time not a long time” and I’ve used it ever since. Do what brings you joy and turns heads the right way!”

Breaking down barriers

“I find having a female on our team helps our customers who may not always feel comfortable with having a male in their home. They feel at ease when we explain things in more detail and are often better communicators. I’ve always loved getting involved with interior design and it’s definitely helped our business when customers are making final selections on colour choices and finishes. Being able to take a customer out shopping for ideas for their new bathroom is a great girls day out and I’m spending someone else’s money much to hubby’s delight! Things like Andrew might lay out the tiles one way but I can see it running another way—all things that take the job from a good finish to a great finish.” 

And while most of the population is excited (if a little surprised) about a woman in a trade job, Kylie has found that some are still a little resistant.

“There is definitely a culture shift going on. We still have a way to go as some of the old stigmas still exist but we are heading in the right direction. I was in the Bunnings drive-through recently and looked around to see two other women in there loading their utes with timber too. Was so cool to see other tradie ladies giving their men a helping hand, steel caps and all. 

I’ve been parked at the lights with Hire A Hubby branding on the side of my Holden wagon and had some young guys giving me a thumbs up and a giggle. I happily hire my hubby out for the right price…but more seriously, the main group of people I have found that struggle with seeing women working in a trade is retired men. Questions I’ve been asked while in my uniform are “so who’s the hubby?” or when I knock at a customer’s door I’ve been asked “So you do the work too? Thought you were just the office lady.” Truth be told, my hubby loves to sit completing admin in the evenings…”

Helping to make a change

Asked how people can help to shift the culture and make trades more accessible for women, Kylie expressed that it was about visibility and promotion.

“I think it's key to promote the trades as a viable option for women right from a young age so they are informed about the opportunities that exist. I attended a girls-only High School and there were the standard cooking and sewing classes but teenagers these days have so many choices available to them. It might have been different for me and many others if there was all those options available now... There’s a huge shortage of young people stepping into jobs that involve physical labour and I wonder if that’s because children aren’t out tinkering in their dad’s (or mum’s) sheds learning about how to create and build things with their own hands.”

And if YOU are the woman wanting to take on a trade or construction-related job?

Thanks Kylie for your insight! It’s always a privilege to hear from New Zealand’s wonderful women in trades jobs of all kinds. And we love the thought of Kylie showing up to people’s homes in her work boots when they “hire a hubby”!

You can follow Kylie and Andrew on their Facebook page or Instagram account.