22-YEAR-OLD FEMALE PLUMBER BREAKS STEREOTPES AND BUILDS THRIVING BUSINESS

When this young Aussie woman shows up for work, she’s often met with doubt—not because of her skills or reputation,

Lainie Paterson, a 22-year-old qualified plumber, frequently encounters assumptions that she’s not capable of doing her job.

It’s not due to a lack of training—she left school in Year 11 to follow her passion for working outdoors,

There have been moments on the job when clients have questioned her abilities, even going as far as to ask if a man could take over instead.