Večernji list brings the story of Vanna Ivanjko, the only girl in Croatia attending a trade school for plasterers / drywall installers.
In the morning before going to school she uses a mascara, lipstick, eye liner and eye shadow, and then when she comes to school, she replaces them with a putty knife, trowel, scraper and bucket.
Večernji list brings the story of Vanna Ivanjko, who, like most of her peers, loves makeup, but her choice of profession is certainly not ordinary. Vanna is the only girl in Croatia training to be a plasterer / drywall installer.
“My dad is a house-painter, so I’ve watched him work all my life, surrounded by his tools and cans of paint. It’s completely normal for me, so I’ve decided to choose a similar profession,” says the 17-year-old student attending Craft, Industrial and Construction School in Zagreb, where future reinforced concrete contractors, stonecutters, glassmakers, carpenters, bricklayers, plumbers and floor layers are trained.
“We are glad to see girls enrol into our school because the atmosphere is better when there are both girls and boys. Most of them do it because they want to continue their parents’ work,” the school spokesperson said, adding that, besides Vanna, there are also four girls who are in chimney sweep school, three who are training to be reinforced concrete contractors, while most girls attend sign painting school, because it has an artistic note to it. In addition, two girls graduated from excavator driving school last year.
“We are delighted that girls are fighting the stereotypes, but we must admit that some of the work can be pretty challenging for girls, especially if they are petite.”
Vanna says that nothing is too demanding for her and that she is looking forward to her future work.
Class structure at the school changes weekly – one week it’s theoretical classes at school and the week after that it’s learning practical skills. Vanna prefers the practical part, but she says that she doesn’t mind the theory either.
“I’m the only girl in the class, so I’m surrounded by boys most of the time, but I don’t mind it, I think it’s a lot of fun, I have many good friends,” Vanna says, adding that she’s a typical teenager. She doesn’t have a hobby, but she spends her free time socializing with friends.
However, one problem that typical young people struggle with, but not Vanna, is finding a job after finishing secondary school.
“Most people avoid craft trades nowadays, but drywall installers tend to have a lot of work and I have several offers already, so I can start working as soon as I graduate next year,” Vanna, who is very pleased with her choice of profession, concludes.
