An Electric Journey

September 3, 2013 in People
Explorer: Fall 2013

Uranium City Resident Turns Life Around and Achieves 4th Year Electrical

Denise Bougie has made a lot of changes in her life in just a few short years. This month, she completed her 4th year electrical, an accomplishment that requires four years of challenging school work and hands-on experience. Looking ahead, she is just a few hours shy of the 7,200 hours of work experience required to write her exam and become an interprovincial journeyman. Working for Flyer Electric, she has a job with challenging work she enjoys, family she loves, and a deep sense of pride and accomplishment.

It’s hard to believe this is the same woman who, just six years ago, was incarcerated for trafficking, and heavily addicted to drugs.

“It’s been quite the journey,” says Denise, who is not shy in talking about her life as an addict and her subsequent recovery. “A big part of my story is my recovery. And I’m proud that I’ve been able to turn that around and succeed.”

Originally from Uranium City, Denise spent a few years in Prince Albert, where her addiction eventually led to her arrest and incarceration in 2006. While incarcerated, she spent a year at the Okimaw Ochi Healing Lodge at Nekaneet First Nation, where her healing began. “When I was arrested, I lost everything – my kids, house, car, money – everything,” says Denise. “But It was the birth of my first grandkid that really inspired me to make a change. All I could do was look at her through the glass during a prison visit. Seeing that baby – it meant everything to me to get clean and make a life for my children and grandchildren.”

At 38 years old, Denise was starting over again. While on parole, it was very difficult to find a job. Denise did find work as a commercial painter, work that she didn’t really enjoy, but it allowed her to buy a car – a $300 clunker sold to her on a handshake and $50 payments. She also enrolled in the Women In Trades program, a three month course through Construction Careers in Regina, that introduced students to various construction trades, equipment, training, and life skills. “I went into the electric shop, and I knew – this is what I want. Yes!”

While in school, Denise worked hard – averaging 12 hour days for seven days a week for three months. When she finished school, she had two goals: to go back home to the North, and to become an electrician. “I knew I needed to go back home, to make money and challenge myself,” she says. “I needed a healthier challenge, and being a woman in a male dominated trade offered me just that.”

Her first job was with Alliance Energy, working at the Living Sky Casino. From there, she got a job with Cameco as a Mill Operator at Rabbit Lake, went back home, and everything began to click into place for her. She still wanted to pursue an electrical ticket, and at Cameco, the General Foreman allowed her take time off and held her job for her while she went to school. “I got help from so many places, and I’m so grateful. Northern Career Quest, Cameco, the Northern Apprenticeship committee – they all seemed to see how much I wanted this and gave me the extra help I needed to succeed!”

On her last day of school, she got a call from one of the companies that she had applied to – Flyer Electric. At the time, Athabasca Basin Development had just acquired ownership in the company. For Denise, it was a perfect match. “I love working at Flyer Electric,” she says, “There’s something just awesome about working for a company that we own. It makes me proud.”

While at Flyer Electric, Denise has achieved her 4th year electrical, and continues to work towards attaining her Journeyman status. Today, Denise is a proud Kookum to two beautiful granddaughters. Her clunker has been replaced with a brand new Ford. She is living in her home community, which she loves. “I’m so much happier now than I was before,” says Denise, “The meaning of being back home, with the children, and living the good life…it’s better than I ever would have dreamed. To anyone who is thinking about making a change, I would say, ‘do it!’ It’s a wonderful feeling to be proud of yourself, of who you are, and what you’ve accomplished.”