SUCCESS STORY

Vanessa Elizabeth Rowe:

From Electrician to Runway Model – A Journey of Transformation and Resilience

By Guillaume Jean Lefebvre

Vanessa Elizabeth Rowe, a name that embodies elegance and transformation, originates from the German word for butterfly. Though her name suggests a European heritage, Vanessa is firmly rooted in Canada, with her family hailing from Newfoundland.

Born and raised in Fort McMurray, Alberta, Vanessa grew up in a town where the oil industry shaped both the landscape and career opportunities. Her childhood, though challenging, was a fertile ground for developing an unwavering independence and determination. These formative years forged in her a steely resolve to succeed and provide for her future family, no matter the obstacles.

Vanessa chose to follow in her father's footsteps by becoming an electrician in the oil industry. In a town rich with oil-related opportunities, she found a stable and lucrative path to support her family. However, her heart always yearned for a long-held passion: modeling.

For 19 years, Vanessa climbed the ranks at Syncrude Canada Ltd., moving from an apprentice electrician to a maintenance manager. Her promotion to manager in a male-dominated industry is a cornerstone of her career, illustrating her determination and hard work. But a company restructuring changed the course of her professional life.

After losing her long-term job, Vanessa chose to see this transition as an opportunity. To rebuild her confidence, she arranged a personal photo shoot. What was meant to be a simple rediscovery activity turned into a flourishing modeling career. At 45, Vanessa made her debut on the runways of Fashion Week in Orlando, New York, and Cancun. Her unexpected success in this new path proves that it's never too late to follow your dreams.

Despite the challenges of a demanding managerial role and being a mother of three, Vanessa always sought to balance work and family. She learned to dedicate quality time to her children, saving her work responsibilities for late hours. When difficulties began to surface in her marriage and layoffs increased, she made the courageous decision to focus on her children and her own well-being.

Currently, Vanessa is using this sabbatical year to recover from her divorce, refocus on her children, and delve deeper into the modeling industry. However, her ambitions don't stop there. She plans to return to the oil industry, with the goal of becoming a vice president of a successful company. Her boundless determination and ambition drive her to believe that the sky is the limit.

Vanessa wishes to be perceived as caring, down-to-earth, independent, and ambitious. Her exemplary journey, from the fields of Fort McMurray to international runways, serves as an inspiration for those who believe in pursuing their dreams, no matter the circumstances. Her ability to turn challenges into opportunities speaks to her resilience and positive outlook on life.

Vanessa Elizabeth Rowe continues to prove that, like a butterfly, she is capable of extraordinary transformations while staying true to her values and unyielding determination.

BIOGRAPHY

1. Can you share more about your experience growing up in Fort McMurray and how the community and environment there influenced your career choices?

I was born and raised in Fort McMurray. When I was a child, the town was very small. The main industry was the oil industry. People moved here to find a secure job with a good salary. As I grew up the town boomed as industry grew. More oil refineries were built, and more people came for work. The trades were in high demand, the pay was substantial with no shortage of work. My father moved to Fort McMurray to pursue a career in the oil industry as an electrician while the first oil refinery was in its construction phase. I decided to follow in my father’s footsteps and pursue a career as an inter-provincial red seal electrician. I attained my journeyman certificate and secured a career at the same oil refinery. I started out as an electrician in a male dominated industry and worked my way up into a management role during my 19-year career with the company.

2. What specific challenges did you face as a woman in the male-dominated oil industry, and how did you overcome them?

When I first started out as an apprentice at 20 years old it was overwhelming to walk into a trailer full of men at my first job in an oil refinery with no experience as a first-year apprentice electrician. I tried to fit in. I always asked questions and worked as hard as I could. There were times when my mentors didn't want to train me due to some difficult experience's they had working with woman in the past. This made them a bit apprehensive about working with a young lady like me. I overcame these concerns by having a positive attitude, showing initiative, and creating trust with the team. It was not easy to overcome feeling overwhelmed and full of anxiety, but I had the drive to succeed by working hard, understanding the trade, and showing them, I could be as knowledgeable as they were.

As I worked my way towards becoming a manager, I had some challenging situations with my peers where they attempted to undermine my work. Rather than allowing this to continue I dealt with the issues head on and was able to effectively turn a negative situation into a positive one.

3. Losing a 19-year career can be incredibly challenging. What was your initial reaction to the company restructuring, and how did you find the strength to reinvent yourself?

Prior to losing my job the hardest part was seeing the stress of the teams not knowing if or when people would lose their jobs. I was dealing with a lot of stress at work and in my personal life and wasn't expecting to lose my job.

I was grieving at first and over time I realized it was an opportunity for new doors to open. I felt that God had bigger plans for me, and this was part of my journey. I maintained a positive mind set and decided to do a photo shoot for myself. It created opportunities that I didn't expect. New doors were presented to me. I was offered the opportunity to walk in a few fashion shows. Orlando, New York, and Cancun fashion week. I was signed by a modeling agency in Edmonton, Alberta and decided to break out into the fashion industry which has always been a dream of mine since I was a little girl. I decided to follow my dreams and take every opportunity that was presented to me as a gift from God to reinvent myself and follow this new journey that was presented to me. It was then, I realized It's never too late to follow your dreams!

Model: Vanessa Rowe - @bozzy.baby
Photographer: ELITE AMBITIONS PHOTOGRAPHY - @eliteambitionsphotography
Agency: World management - @worldmgmt
Clothes: Black onyx boutique - @theblackonyxboutique

4. Your transition into modeling at 45 is inspiring. Can you describe the moment you decided to pursue this childhood dream and the steps you took to break into the industry?

I decided to do a photoshoot for myself. Something to lift me up and make me feel good after going through such a tough year. The pictures turned out beautifully, which encouraged me to reach out to a friend of mine that had walked in a fashion show in New York. I inquired and he connected me with the fashion designer he worked with. She offered me the opportunity to walk in three fashion shows. I felt so blessed and believed everything happens for a reason. When these new doors opened that was the moment, I realized it’s never too late to follow your dreams, so I ran with it.

I started to connect with modeling agencies and was signed by one in Edmonton, Alberta. I started building a portfolio and applied to magazines for publication. My submissions were approved for publication in 6 magazines. (It Model, VIGOUR, BLUR, GLADYS, HOLLWAY and Eclair Magazine).

5. Balancing a demanding career and raising three children must have been tough. What strategies or routines did you implement to manage both responsibilities effectively?

It was very tough to balance, especially once I moved into my managerial role. It was very time-consuming and my responsibilities with work didn’t always end when I got home but, I had my family here to support me. I tried my best to leave work at work and focus on the family when I was home but often had to resume working from home when the children went to bed.

I would try to squeeze in a quick work out after work and pick up the kids and focus on them for a few hours. There were things that didn’t always get done around the house, but that wasn’t the priority. The wonderful part of working with the same company for so many years was the amount of vacation I had, which helped me plan more time with my family.

6. Your leadership approach as a manager focused on building a positive team culture. Can you provide specific examples of how you turned a toxic team into a high-functioning one?

I made it a point to make sure people were heard no matter what level they were at. I engaged in team meetings and created a culture of caring where technicians and their leaders felt comfortable coming to me with concerns. I always addressed them, that was a priority for me and a lot of teams never felt their concerns were heard at the higher level of management. This created a positive change.

I dealt with the team environment immediately as I was receiving emails sent to their leader and cc’d to me which helped me see there was a problem prior to me taking over the role. I made that my priority when I took on the manager role for that team. I engaged their leaders who were frustrated by the lack of support in the past. I coached and mentored them on how to make positive changes.

Some conversations had to be difficult, and most were just ideas or concerns that needed to be answered. I also made it a point to recognize the folks that put in extra effort on the job.

Being heard, caring, making appropriate changes and handing out gifts for recognition increased team morale, which made people want to work harder. They began to voice more concerns in the field which helped understand what barriers were causing failures by listening to their ideas. It benefited everyone in the long run and created relationships built on trust which in turn created a high functioning team.

Interview

7. The modeling industry is known for its challenges and competitiveness. What were some of the unexpected difficulties you faced, and how did you navigate them?

As I had just started out in the industry my age was a concern and, in the past, there used to be so many restrictions on height, weight and age. The industry has really made positive changes over the years. Recognizing all the beautiful people no matter what age, size, height and so on.

8. How has your experience in the oil industry influenced your approach to your new career in modeling, if at all?

The fact that I was able to move up the ladder in the oil industry from a young female electrician to a manager made me realize that there is nothing you can’t do if you work hard and set your mind to it.

9. What advice would you give to others who might feel it's too late to pursue their dreams, based on your own experiences?

With a positive mindset and the desire to succeed there is nothing you can’t do. I say reach for the stars.

10. Looking ahead, how do you plan to integrate your aspirations in both the oil industry and modeling, and what are your long-term goals in each field?

I still plan to attain my goals as a director or vice president in the industry someday once I find the perfect job but, for now I’m taking this opportunity to pursue my dreams as a model in the fashion industry.

I dream big and would love to be successful in the modeling industry. Even change careers working as a chief editor of a magazine someday but, for now I am going with the flow and following the path that God has laid out for me. I believe whichever road he takes me on will be a successful one.