Cathy Bear: Women in Drywall

Cathy Bear, a taper in northeastern England, says she was “thrown in at the deep end” of the trade. Even though her partner had already been working as a drywall finisher/plasterer for 20 years before she started, Cathy didn’t have much familiarity with his work. (“He would come home at the end of every day, and I would still have no idea — he was just covered in white stuff, and I didn't know what he was doing,” she tells us with a laugh.) 

Then, about five years ago, when Cathy became frustrated in her career, she decided to pick up a taping knife and see what all the fuss was about. Soon enough, she found herself fully immersed in the world of drywall — and needing to learn all the tricks of the trade fast.

“It was pretty rapid, to be honest,” says Cathy. “There were some slow spells as well because, obviously, tapers here have to work quite hard to make the money and have to work quite quickly. I was thrown in at the deep end. Then also there were some things that I wasn't learning as quickly as I should have been because there wasn't enough time to teach me. But I think five years has been a good enough time to get the gist of everything.

‘It's very, very freeing’

Today, Cathy (or, as she’s known on Instagram, the Tiniest Taper) is working alongside three others as part of a group of self-employed tapers. And, as her skills have grown, so has her business: Cathy keeps her calendar full of work on commercial projects, like hospitals and schools, mixing in some residential work as well.

The trades turned out to be a perfect place for Cathy to thrive both personally and professionally, who says that a “regular” job just never really suited her.

“I've always struggled with mental health issues, and I think it's probably because I'm neurodivergent and I have OCD as well,” Cathy tells us. “Being in regular jobs doesn't necessarily work for me, but I didn't realize that until I found construction. I find it very, very freeing …  I'm quite headstrong in a way, and I don't like to be told what to do. I think when I realized that I'd learned everything and I can do it, I can be my own boss, and I can advance in the way that I want to do it — that really changed things for me. Personally, I feel like from that point, I've probably grown a lot more as well, both with experience and finances and things like that.”

Women in Drywall: ‘It just gives you this inner power’

While Cathy has only had positive interactions with the tradesmen she’s worked alongside, and feels quite comfortable in male-dominated spaces — “Everyone has pretty much welcomed me on site,” she tells us — it can still be an intimidating experience to be the only woman alone on a jobsite. However, to experience this kind of intimidation, and to power through it, can also feel empowering.

“When I was first on site by myself — the first job that I'd actually done alone as a female — turning up onto a site without any male backup like I usually have, it was quite daunting," Cathy says. "But I think that little bit of reassurance cemented it for me that I could do the job and I can do it on my own, and I don't necessarily need a full team of men behind me to do it.”

For many young women who may be considering a career change, like Cathy had been about five years ago, picking up a trade can be a transformative experience. Since becoming a taper, Cathy says she’s become more self-assured, more physically fit and has more control over her future. (In the coming years, she hopes to start a taping crew of her own.)

“If you're not sure you've got what it takes, that's a lie, because you absolutely do,” says Cathy on her advice to young women considering the trades. “I would just say just go for it. There are so many things that are so positive — I feel particularly really strong being a woman in construction. I'm not necessarily strong, but I feel like I am when I'm onsite, and it just gives you this inner power. I feel like I'm maybe a lot more confident onsite than what I am in normal day-to-day situations. I would recommend that they do try it and see for themselves.”

To see Cathy Bear’s work in action, you can follow her on Instagram (@thetiniesttaper) here. For more “Women in Drywall” stories — as well as other finisher spotlights, drywall tips, industry news and more — you can subscribe Trim-Tex’s monthly newsletter. Hit the button below to get started, and never miss another story!