Twin sisters working on Darlington Refurbishment share their trades journey on national stage
At a glance
- Identical twin sisters Suveen and Shmyla Thandi recently spoke at Tradeswomen Build Nations conference in Washington, D.C.
- The red seal-certified welders are currently working with E.S. Fox on OPG’s Darlington Refurbishment project.
- In front of thousands of other tradeswomen, the sisters shared how they overcame adversity and doubts to establish successful careers.
Two twin sisters working on OPG’s Darlington Refurbishment project recently got a chance to rally thousands of tradeswomen and share their stories on a national stage.
Suveen and Shmyla Thandi are journeyperson welders currently working with contractor E.S. Fox on the Darlington Refurbishment, one of Canada’s largest energy infrastructure projects.
In early December, the sisters attended the Tradeswomen Build Nations conference in Washington, D.C., the largest gathering of tradeswomen in the world. The event saw more than 4,000 attendees, including Nancy Pelosi, former speaker of the United States House of Representatives.
Encouraged by their union, United Association Local 401, the red seal-certified welders helped open day two of the conference by sharing how they overcame adversity to pursue their careers, including initial doubts from their parents and questioning comments from their first instructors.
“Growing up of Indian descent, our parents and family didn’t initially support our career path, especially being a male-dominant field and the perception of it being dirty work,” said Suveen.
It’s been amazing to see more and more women getting into the trades. Our sisterhood is getting stronger and more powerful every day.Shmyla ThandiJourneyperson welder
Added Shmyla: “I still remember my first day of welding class back in 2009. I was 18 years old and the only female in the classroom. My instructor called me to the front of the class and said I think you're in the wrong class. And I told him: ‘No I’m supposed to be here.’ He looked back at me with a confused stare.
“This gave us the motivation to prove them wrong.”
After graduating from Kwantlen Polytechnic University’s welding program in British Columbia, the sisters quickly gained hands-on experience working on various industrial projects across Canada.
Eventually, with their eyes set on working in the nuclear industry, Suveen and Shmyla made the decision to pack their bags and move to Ontario to work on the Darlington Refurbishment. The $12.8-billion project, which remains on track to be completed by 2026, will provide decades more carbon-free, reliable nuclear power for Ontario.
Eight years into working on the project with E.S. Fox, it’s a decision they have not regretted.
“Working in the nuclear industry, we weld to the highest standards and work on critical projects, including welding in the reactor,” said Shmyla. “We’ve learned so much from our experience on the project.”
Their contributions on the Darlington Refurbishment have included welding on the Unit 3 Auxiliary Shutdown Cooling pump project, which was completed on time and on budget. Unit 3 was returned to service in July 2023, 169 days ahead of schedule.
Today, Shmyla is working as a welder for Darlington’s Unit 1 Auxiliary Shutdown Cooling pump project and Suveen has been promoted to weld supervisor.
Reflecting on their journey so far, the sisters say they are amazed by how many more women are entering the trades each year.
They hope the increased representation in women will spur more girls to take the plunge into the trades with confidence.
“When other girls see women in key positions, they see that they can do it, too,” said Shmyla. “It’s been amazing to see more and more women getting into the trades. Our sisterhood is getting stronger and more powerful every day.”
“It was a very powerful experience,” said Shmyla of her time at the Tradeswomen Build Nations event. “You just felt an overwhelming sense of empowerment and solidarity among the women. It’s the first time I felt that power of sisterhood, with the full group cheering us on. We are proud of ourselves for getting to where we are today.”
OPG vendor E.S. Fox has pledged its commitment to championing women in the trades by supporting W.I.N. (Women in Nuclear) through its annual scholarship program.
The company also actively participates in women-focused Career Expos and skilled trades events, exemplified by its involvement in Halton Region’s “We Build a Dream” event. This proactive initiative seeks to inspire young women and girls in Grades 7 to 12, encouraging them to explore a wide array of career opportunities across industries such as skilled trades, STEAM, emergency response, entrepreneurship, and leadership roles.
E.S. Fox’s dedication is a testament to OPG’s ongoing effort to creating a more diverse, inclusive, and empowered workforce for the future.
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