In many parts of the world, certain professions are still seen as the preserve of men. Carpentry, with its heavy lifting, noisy machines, and sawdust-filled workshops, is one of them.
Yet for Heidi Attigah, popularly known as The Female Carpenter, those stereotypes became stepping stones. Today, she runs Heidiwoods, a growing carpentry business in Accra.
Sharing her journey on The Career Trail program on Joy Learning TV and Joy News, Heidi revealed that her story has been anything but linear.
After completing senior high school, she entered the world of work in 2011, taking up various jobs while trying to figure out her path.
“My first work was with a construction company. They were into surveying, and I was doing the secretarial side of things. Later, I moved into fashion, tried my hand at modeling, and even worked with a soccer betting company,” she recounted.
“If you don’t discover your purpose early, you end up everywhere trying this, trying that, just to see what fits. I wasn’t that kid who knew what I wanted to be growing up,” she continued.
In 2015, Heidi enrolled at the African University College of Communications (AUCC), where she majored in accounting. She admits her choice was based more on practicality than passion.
“I didn’t want to be a banker, but I preferred numbers to reading courses, so I decided to do accounting,” she admitted.
Even after graduating, ‘The Female Carpenter’ still hadn’t figured out what she wanted to do. She continued working in small businesses, combining accounting with marketing and deliveries.
Then the COVID-19 pandemic struck, forcing her, like many others, to stay home. That moment of pause became the turning point in her life.
“During COVID, I saw someone on TikTok making a picture frame. I thought, I can do this. It wasn’t even carpentry at first, just something creative. But that was how it started,” she said.
Heidi turned to a carpenter she knew and asked to learn. At first, it was just to keep busy and make some money. But soon, she noticed something different.
“I told him, let me come and assist you so you can give me something at the end of the day. That was it. I went there, started helping, and before I knew it, I fell in love with the work,” she narrated.
Unlike her previous jobs, carpentry gave her a sense of purpose.
“When I start a job, I want to finish it. I wake up eager to go to work. That’s how I knew this was my calling,” she explained.
Within a year, she had learned the craft. When businesses reopened post-COVID, she chose not to return to her accounting job. Instead, she started carpentry full-time.
Her beginnings were humble, crafting shoe racks and small cabinets from home before moving into wardrobes and kitchen installations.
But Heidi’s journey into carpentry was far from smooth. Along the way, she faced a series of challenges, including a spinal injury from a past accident that made lifting heavy wood painful.
“I have spine issues due to an accident, so I’m unable to lift heavy objects. I therefore asked my cousin and a few others to join me so the work wouldn’t be too difficult,” she underscored.
But that wasn’t the only hurdle.
“Sometimes when you’re using the hammer, you hit your own hand. Or when lifting heavy wood, it can fall on your foot. I have plenty of scratches to show for it,” she disclosed.
Her friends, too, were not as supportive.
“They told me, ‘you’re too beautiful for this kind of job, saying carpenter is not for fine girl like you,’” she revealed.
Instead of dwelling on the discouragement, Heidi chose to focus on proving herself. Sharing her work on TikTok quickly changed the narrative.
“People were shocked. They said, this is the first time I’m seeing a young lady doing carpentry. Some didn’t even believe it was me in the videos. But the feedback was very positive, and that’s how I started getting customers and referrals,” she shared.
Today, Heidi is building Heidiwoods into a brand. She employs workers, trains others, and inspires young women to break barriers.
Her message is simple: “My dear ladies, don’t hold yourself back. Stand out. If carpentry is your dream, do it. Push forward and prove it can be done.”
For Heidi Attigah, what began as a lockdown experiment has become her life’s purpose. And with every finished piece of furniture, she proves that beauty and grit can thrive side by side in a workshop.