Tanis Wickstrom found an interest in working on ag equipment after working on a family friends farm and becoming more familiar with the equipment. (Photo Credit: Tanis Wickstrom)

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At RME, we strive to encourage our employees to grow and thrive within their careers and support them wherever we can. One such area includes the heavy-duty mechanics, where you can find Journeyman Ag Equipment Technicians Tanis Wickstrom (RME Yorkton) and Shania Krupa (RME Moosomin) who have recently acquired their Red Seal certification.

With both individuals being long-time employees of RME, this exciting endeavor highlights the fact that more women are working their way through the trades and accomplishing so much.

“As the demand for qualified techs rise, having more women see that the agricultural trade is a great career choice is key to RME’s future,” said Regional Aftermarket Sales Manager Joel Hoehn.

The program itself takes roughly four or five years to complete with a certain number of hours needed within the shop gaining hands-on experience. For many, acquiring their Red Seal certification is the accomplishment of a lifetime.

For Shania, getting her Red Seal certification was a journey that began a little over five years and now that she has achieved it, she’s looking into specializing in seeding equipment.

“Last spring, I covered 90% of our Bourgault service calls and PDI’s and I absolutely loved it. If I could work on seeders all year round, I would be so happy.”

Her advice for any ladies looking to move into the trades is to work very hard and help set a good example of what women in this trade can do.

RME Yorkton’s Tanis Wickstrom started in RME back in February 2018 and originally started out in Medicine Hat before moving to her current location.

“I found RME through the Registered Apprenticeship Program (RAP) while I was in high school. I had applied at a few dealerships, but RME stood out because of the welcoming atmosphere and the amazing staff,” she said.

Her introduction to agriculture mechanics took place at a family friends farm south of Tufnell, SK over the course of a few summers, which really grew her interest in the ag industry.

Receiving her Red Seal certificate is something Tanis is very proud of, but she said her professional development isn’t finished, yet.

“Although I have the title now, I still have a lot to learn and there’s no doubt that, at only 22 years old, I have many years of pulling wrenches ahead of me.”

Her words of wisdom for anyone looking to get into the agriculture or construction service industry is to not be afraid to ask questions.

“Don’t be afraid of going in without a lot of knowledge,” she said. “No matter where you work, it’s a learning process and if you’re willing to ask questions, then people are willing to teach.”

RME is so proud to have supported Shania and Tanis in their journey towards obtaining their Red Seal certificate. RME stands by our employees to encourage further learning and advancement within their industries and careers. By doing , we set them up for success, which in turn, further helps our customers in the field.

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Even though she has her certification, Tanis says she isn’t finished learning and moving forward in her career. (Photo Credit: Tanis Wickstrom)