Charlene’s Story: Strength, Skill, and a Lifetime of Hard Work
Charlene is proof that dedication and a strong work ethic pays off. She was recently hired full-time by one of EMBERS’ biggest supporters, EllisDon, after impressing the team on site at Oakridge as a Hoist Operator.
“The superintendent noticed how I worked,” Charlene says. “He sees who’s pulling their weight and who isn’t. That’s how I got the offer.”
Charlene’s path to steady work with EllisDon has been anything but typical. She first joined EMBERS Staffing Solutions back in 2009, when she was working as a chef at a women’s centre. “I was putting on too much weight from being around food all day,” she laughs. “So I started with EMBERS just to burn off some fat.”
She started in General Labour, and eventually she earned new tickets: first in Traffic Control Person, then Hoist Operator, and Elevator certifications, all through EMBERS. “They always helped me find the training I needed,” she says. “Even paid me a stipend while I trained.”
Charlene has worked on many sites across the Lower Mainland, from PCL and Urban One to Marcon, Wesgroup, and Icon. She’s known for her reliability and drive, and it shows. “Every job was different,” she says. “But EllisDon really runs things properly. They respect their employees, and that’s why I said yes to working with them.”
Her journey hasn’t been without challenges. Charlene survived colon cancer in the 1980s, a battle that left her with lasting health issues but certainly not limits. “I’ve lived with it since 1988,” she says. “Still strong like crazy, and I can still do stuff.”
Her story goes even further back. “I’ve been working since I was 11,” she recalls. Growing up, her family ran a service station in Cloverdale, and she quickly learned the value of hard work. “I used to come home from school, drive to the station, work until closing, and make the bank deposit, all before I even had a drivers license.” By the early 1960s, Charlene had earned her Master Mechanic Certificate, run her own shop, and even taken night classes at UBC.
Today, Charlene plans to stay with EllisDon until she’s ready to retire as she supports her sick daughter.
When asked what advice she’d give to others thinking about joining EMBERS, she doesn’t hesitate:
“You’ve got to be ready to work if you want to make yourself a success. Be prepared to try new things, get training, and move up.”
Charlene’s success is what the EMBERS Gift of Work is all about: opening doors for people who are ready to work hard, build new skills, and create a better future for themselves and their families.
When you support EMBERS’ Gift of Work campaign, you help make stories like Charlene’s possible; stories of resilience, opportunity, and the power of work to change lives.
Click here to make a donation to our Gift of Work fundraiser.