Changing careers from Chef to Carpenter

by Heidi Riley

Melinda Burke is one of three recipients of the Phyllis Pitre Bursary for Adult Learners for 2024.

After a successful career in the culinary field, Melinda has decided to go back to school to make a complete change – she is now taking the one-year Heritage Retrofit Carpentry program at Holland College.

“After completing the Pastry Arts program at Nova Scotia Community College in 2012, I was asked to represent my school, my province and then to everyone’s surprise – my country, in a series of culinary competitions in WorldSkills Americas in Sao Paulo, Brazil,” says Melinda. “Nobody (myself included) expected me to compete at an international level.

“When the competition began, anything and everything that could have gone wrong did. At this point I experienced something that has served me many times throughout high-pressure situations in my career – an instinct to get innovative. It worked, and against the odds, I found myself on a podium accepting a Gold Medal. I’ve looked back at this memory every time it feels like failure is inevitable.”

Melinda decided to move to Vancouver to get more experience as a Chef. “That move helped me grow as a person. Going across the country at 21 and knowing no one helped me become truly independent.”

She moved on to become a Product Developer, working in test kitchens in manufacturing facilities.

“There, the level of complexity is so much greater than being a Chef. You need to figure out how to scale up a recipe to a massive scale, to anticipate changes, consider shelf-life stability, source ingredients, and develop relationships with suppliers and operational staff. This is a really niche job with few openings. There are only a handful of places you can work.”

Next, she decided to start her own consulting business, because she wanted the flexibility to determine her own hours and her own location.

“However, my very niche business took a hit in a post-pandemic economy where most of the industry felt pressure to put funding towards their own financial recovery instead of new product development. Also, I found that my career in product development had become less about creativity and making things, and more about technical aspects and paperwork.

“As a result, I decided a career pivot was the logical next step, and used what savings I had left to move back east from BC.”

Help from Trade HERizons

Before Melinda returned, she googled “women in trades PEI” and found the website for Trade HERizons. She applied and was accepted into the program. “They introduced us to many Holland College programs, and I liked the idea of taking Cabinetmaking, but there was a four-year waiting list.

“As soon as I stepped into the woodshop of the Heritage Retrofit Carpentry program, I knew this was for me. I spent a day in the classroom, and the atmosphere felt like home. The program is well designed, and the instructors are fantastic, and make you feel welcome.

“I like to build things. I chose Heritage Retrofit Carpentry because it is the arts and crafts aspect of carpentry. It’s more about the fine details and woodworking techniques.

“Returning to school in my thirties to pursue a new career isn’t something that I anticipated, but I do feel prepared and hopeful around this new challenge. I’m excited for the privilege that it truly is to be a student again.”

Transferrable skills

Melinda says there are a surprising number of similarities between working as a Chef and as a Carpenter.

“I have always been drawn to careers where I work with my hands – I am a very visual, creative, artistic person. In both jobs, you don’t shy away from hard work and sometimes difficult working conditions. You need to do more than show up. You need to work hard and have a talent for it.

“I look forward to joining an industry that’s in high demand, allowing me to hone a craft that uses my abilities and experience, build a life closer to my family, and continue towards leading by example in a traditionally male-dominated field.”