UDC employee bridges the hole between plumbing and accounting
Charmaine Wilks, 51, works as an accounting clerk at the head office of the Urban Development Corporation (UDC) in Kingston.
She spends her days processing tax certificates on the TAJ system, doing bank reconciliation, bank charges, inventory reconciliation, auditing schedules for subsidiary companies and filing tax certificates.
Her current job description is incomparable to the years she spent clearing drains, fixing pipes, and removing blockage from sewage systems as a certified plumber.
For years, Wilks worked as a temporary plumber at Urban Maintenance Limited, a subsidiary of the UDC. And after it closed, she got a permanent job with the UDC.
She decided that he wanted to become a plumber after noticing the inadequacies in the plumbing system at her parents’ house and fixed it with no expertise. Impressed with what she achieved, Wilks decided to get certified in the skill.
In 2002, she enrolled at the HEART College of Construction Services, formerly Portmore Heart Academy, and did up to level three in the course. Wilks recalls being the only female in the class, but she was undaunted.
“It is a joy for me working in a field dominated by men. I want to ensure the customers get quality standard work, and the finishing must look good and no short handwork or ripped off. Also, I prefer to work with males,” she said.
After a decade working as a plumber, she decided to further upskill and get a level four certification at the Portmore Community College. However, not enough students were enrolled, and so according to Wilks, the college scrapped the programme, and she was encouraged to choose another course of study.
“It was easier for me to shift my skills area to business. Because business was my vocational area in school as a teenager, and accounts was my favorite subject. I also have worked in a hardware store and help manage the business finances,” she said.
A few years later, Wilks decided to pursue a career fully in business. “In January 2018, I make my career shift when I started my Associate of Science Degree in Business Studies and did my first working experience in Finance and Accounts at UDC in November 2019 and was promoted to that department in February 2020. So I continue on the education path and completed my Bachelors of Science Degree in Business Administration February 2022,” she said.
She said her decision to change career paths was made easier because of the support she gets from her family, and her employer.
“I was encouraged not to give up my plumbing even though I am fulfilling another role and I should keep up the good work. Moreover, having two good skills that can contribute significantly to the company and it also makes me more marketable,” she said.
And according to Wilks, the years she spent as a plumber have solidified some characteristics which are now proving to be very beneficial to her current role.
“I am ambitious and very committed and have a positive attitude towards my work. I ensure that I maintain my integrity in the workplace and try to have a good relationship with both internal and external customers and get feedback from them to see if they are satisfied with the service they are getting,” she said.
“I am so self-motivated. Furthermore, I always aim for the highest and whatever I want to achieve I work hard to get it. Being self-confident, I never fear if I won’t do well.”
And for women who may be thinking of switching careers, Wilks had this advice: “I would advise them that they choose a skill area that they love. Having more than one skill will help them to be more marketable and even better in their finances. Choosing a technical skill they can save some money because they can do the job themselves.”
