Amanda Hennessey is the December recipient of Medicine Hat Police Service's Be the Change Award.--SUBMITTED PHOTO
Medicine Hat Police Service is recognizing Hatter Amanda Hennessey for her efforts to support and advance women in trades with its December Be the Change Award.
A master electrician of nearly 20-years, Hennessey has seen firsthand the discrimination and barriers women in trades – a traditionally male-dominated field – experience. In response, she works to reduce such barriers and promote diversity through education and inclusive engagement with tradespeople of all genders.
In her role as an instructor and coordinator in Medicine Hat College’s electrical department, Hennessey helps women and non-binary students develop skills and deepen understanding of the trades. Particularly, through her involvement in the college’s 16-week Women in Trades program, which provides women and non-binary students a safe space to learn about various trades, including carpentry, plumbing, welding and electrical.
And Hennessey doesn’t limit knowledge sharing to only those in the trades. She also shares her expertise with female community members through her business ARH Electric, which she founded after a female colleague asked for her assistance in fixing an in-home electrical issue. The colleague had hired a company to fix the issue, but had a negative experience with a male technician from the company and was fearful of allowing another male technician into her home.
Hennessey assisted her in fixing the issue and taught her how to handle things if it returned in the future.
Hennessey was a member of Medicine Hat’s Women in Construction Committee, which worked to promote diversity in trades by engaging tradespeople of all genders. But following its 2020 disbandment, she dedicates the majority of her free-time to managing local animal welfare organization Bunny Run Rabbit Rescue as president.
