Jody took over the family business with his sister and is now an oyster farmer. She tells us about her job and the stereotypes she has been confronted with.
Firefighter, policewoman, archaeologist or even a works supervisor, are professions that are too rarely heard in women. Fun fact: women also do this type of job and they do it brilliantly! Because nothing should prevent a child from dreaming and from doing everything to exercise the profession of his dreams, we have collected inspiring, exciting and edifying testimonies. Proof that: yes, whether you are a girl or a boy, you can become whatever you want!
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Known since her time in Koh-Lanta, in real life, Jody is just as close to nature and has a very physical job: that of oyster farmer. Although predominantly played by men, the young woman never gave up. His strength and determination have allowed him to establish himself in this environment, as in the survival show.
Now at the head of the family business with her sister, she wants to send clichés around this profession. In an interview for aufeminin, she recounts her journey.
A family story
Initially, Jody was not intended for the profession of oyster farmer. As she tells us, she wished indeed "Open a franchise store" in fashion and “Advise women on their dress style. "
It was only during an oyster farming season with her parents that she clicked. “I knew more or less the work, I am the fifth generation of oyster farmers with my sister. I was rocked in it all my childhood. And even if that's not what I wanted to do, all this nature side, working with the environment, working with a natural product also really pleased me. It's a job where you have to have as much in your legs and arms as you do in your head, and that's what attracted me ", she confides.
A choice easily understood by those close to him. "When you're the son or daughter of an oyster farmer, it's rare that you don't work in the company. My relatives weren't surprised because they know my character and know that it was the kind of job that suited me best She says.
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Everything is accessible to women
Jody then underwent training at Bourcefranc le Chapus (17) as well as certification in aquaculture and vessel master in the merchant navy (to be able to operate boats). During her training, she quickly understood that she was entering a men's environment. "We were only 4 girls for 17 students", she recalls. Before adding: "I have sometimes been confronted with the macho side of boys who say to you, for example, 'girls work in offices, we don't want to see them on parks at sea or on a tractor'. "
These are remarks that Jodie takes with a great deal of irony today. “When I get on my tractor or my lift and pass a man who is looking at me and who looks surprised, I am proud. I tell myself that everything is accessible to women: we are also capable of driving large tractors or large machines ”, she says.
After her training, she took over the family business with her sister Stéphanie. “She manages more the administrative side and I manage the production. I manage a team to work at sea, in parks, in the tide. I also manage the shipping part: packing the oysters, packaging, etc. ”, she explains. For Jody, working among women is an advantage: "In oyster farming, we will not deny it, you also have to work with men, because we need them. But the fact that there are two women at the head of this company is a strength, because I think that we have a way of seeing the functioning of society that is different from that of men. For example, we will always seek quality over quantity. "
Never let go
The young woman is honest: oyster farming remains an environment where a woman must – yet – prove herself. "You should never let go and show that you are weak. If we let go, that's when we will receive criticism. So I always try to do more, to push myself. Our male counterparts are often in judgment, especially on the physique where they say 'she's cut like a toothpick how do you expect her to push a ton load'. However, we work logically to tire less, while some will sometimes go without thinking, head down. Anyway, in this job, whether I'm a woman or a man, the risks are the same ", she says.
The stereotypes around her work even follow her in her personal life. “When I meet people for the first time, they are quite surprised to see that I am doing this job. When I go out, whether in a restaurant or elsewhere, I get ready. And I am often told ‘ah but you must be a beautician or a hairdresser’. In short, big shots ”, she says. But when she explains her profession to them, people are often "Admiring that a woman is in this branch and that she takes the reins" : “Those who know oyster farming know that it is a physically demanding job. For those who do not know, it allows them to discover. I was once told that it was good that I was an oyster farmer, because it put 'a little glamor in this profession of men'. I found it very nice and pleasant to see that they are open-minded. "
Jody has no regrets about going down this road. “Although this is not my starting point, I am so proud to represent a family heritage. I don't see myself checking in and working in an office. I feel good. There is that spirit of freedom when you can go out on the water in the morning or afternoon. I won't change that for the world ”, she confides.
It also encourages children passionate about the maritime environment to get started. “Do not give up, anyway in all trades you have to fight to have your place. You shouldn't listen to the bad opinions of others: the most important thing is what you think about yourself and what you want to do. If it's really a passion, you have to go for it ", she concludes. A motivating message!