Leah Ullyot, project manager for Westcana Electric Inc.
KELOWNA – As a project manager for Westcana Electric Inc., Leah Ullyot does more than just keep projects running smoothly—she’s building a brighter future for women in the trades. With a firm commitment to mentorship and advocacy, Ullyot is using her role to reshape the electrical industry, making it more inclusive and supportive for the next generation of female electricians.
She credits much of her growth and confidence to the environment at Westcana Electric. Founded in Prince George as a family-run business, Westcana built its reputation by focusing on quality, safety and customer care. The company’s dedication to continuous improvement and team development stood out to Ullyot from the start.
“I loved how they promoted continuing education among their staff and I really respected that,” she says. “It was not your everyday company that did something one way and kept doing it that way. They were looking at how can we grow, how can we make us stand out, and what can we do to be better for the next time.”
This forward-thinking mindset has helped Westcana remain a leader in electrical safety and innovation. The company’s strong safety culture and emphasis on professional development not only ensures high standards on every job site—it also creates an inclusive atmosphere where employees are encouraged to grow, learn and speak up.
“Westcana really promotes that—there is always someone there that has your back or can be there to help you with any situation,” Ullyot explains. “There is nothing to do with titles; it doesn’t matter who or where you are within the company, everyone is always encouraged to speak up and reach out. We have open ears all the time.”
Today, she is a respected leader on job sites and a strong advocate for women in construction, especially through Westcana’s intercompany mentorship program, which she enjoys being a mentor in. Ullyot actively mentors several first and second-year apprentices, meeting with them regularly to go over questions, share experiences, and help them navigate the challenges of the trade.
“We are always making sure that any one of our younger apprentices has someone they can come to with any issues—that’s incredibly important to me,” she explains. “They have my number and can reach out at any time and every couple of weeks we set out some time where we can sit down and go through questions and just work through all kinds of things.”
That kind of support system can make all the difference, especially for young women entering what has traditionally been a male-dominated field. Ullyot knows this firsthand, which is why she’s so passionate about making mentorship and advocacy part of her daily work. She has also worked closely with groups such as the BC Construction Association and the BC Women in Trades to support initiatives aimed at increasing the visibility and success of women in the skilled trades.
That’s not all, Ullyot also enjoys traveling to schools to promote not only women in trades, but the trades as a career for our youth. She started working with the Women’s Shelter in Central Alberta while living there to help teach valuable life skills for women who are close to, or are leaving the shelter.
“We taught everyday things like changing lightbulbs, checking breakers, fixing faucets, mending a running toilet, things of that nature that some people may sort of know, but we find these women benefit from just being reminded they can do so much on their own and they don’t need a man to do that.”
“Also, if they have problems beyond their capability, we handed out business cards and if they made a service call and wanted a woman to help them complete their job, we were happy to ensure that that happens for them. We always ensured a woman was available to help another woman on a service call”
Through all these experiences, Ullyot definitively knows the difference that is made when women learn from each other. “When its women coming in and teaching women, it is so much more powerful,” she says.
“Women having other women they can lean on or go to, it makes a huge difference in confidence, in the job and in life, and I am incredibly proud to help be part of this empowerment while being supported by my company.”
https://westcana.com
