A lot of people will be there to challenge you, so do your very best. And when you think you’re the very best, push yourself further to be even better.
Sheila Bayne is an electric power reliability professional whose career spans more than 30 years. Among her many accomplishments, she holds a Master Transformer Maintenance & Reliability Professional certification from SDMyers, a Healthcare Emergency Power Professional certification from the Motor & Generator Institute of Florida and is an NFPA – certified Emergency Power System Specialist. She is currently employed as an electrician and an officer for the AFGE Local 2245 at the Hudson Valley Healthcare System within the Veterans Affairs Healthcare and Hospital System.
Traci Hopkins I met Shelia about 10 years ago when I was working for the SDMyers Training & Education group. At that time, Sheila had already attended the Half-Century Transformer course. I was immediately drawn to her personality and willingness to learn. As I got to know her, I learned that she is a fountain of knowledge and has had an amazing career spanning more than 30 years.
Most recently Sheila shared with me that she received a “really nice e-mail” from Dan Chisholm – Chairman of NFPA 110 (Emergency Power Supply Systems) and CEO of the Motor and Generator Institute in Florida and in it he thanked her for sharing the training she received through them. This did not surprise me as it is a testament to her character. She is humble and kind and always willing to share her knowledge and experience with the next generation.
Sheila, we are excited to have you here and grateful that you are able to do this interview for Women in Power Systems.
Sheila Bayne I’m honored.
TH I am really curious – what first inspired you to pursue a career in the power industry?
SB When I started out with the Veteran’s Administration back in the day, I was a nursing assistant. I had a lot of really great friends and the guys encouraged me to give the electrical industry a try. So I started out in a training program and worked my way up from there. I have been in power systems for approximately 31 years now, all because of the encouragement from a lot of people.
As a woman working in a male-dominated field, you wanted to make sure that you had training and be knowledgeable
TH And during that time, with your experience, what are some of the challenges that you have had to overcome?
SB As a woman working in a male-dominated field, you wanted to make sure that you had training and that you are knowledgeable of everything. Because a lot of times the guys would be bashful about working with a woman. But I studied all the books, I went to every course I could possibly think of, even air conditioning – the whole nine yards. I worked with and am grateful for a lot of people who took me under their wing. You can say I’m a professional sponge – If you want to teach me, I want to absorb.
TH It’s evident that you are a knowledge seeker and a lifelong learner, seeing how you have had courses for many different areas, from transformers with SDMyera to the emergency power system specialist course with NFPA. Being a lifelong learner is essential in any field, and your resume certainly shows it.
You mentioned that some people took you under their wing. What kind of support have you experienced in your career and on your journey? And how would you encourage others in the industry to support women?
SB As a lady, you’ve got to be tenacious, you’ve got to. You’re depending on a lot of men to help teach you. You cannot be too sensitive, because these guys are going to test you. But you must let the little things go, be strong-willed, study hard and have a great sense of humor.
TH Definitely, I agree 100%. And you obviously have all that, seeing how you’ve held your own in the industry for over three decades. When you look back on all that time, what would you say is the proudest moment in your career?
SB Oh, my God (laughs). I think the proudest moment I ever had was the last time I was out to SDMyers’ Transformers Training and got my certificate presented by Mr. Dale Bissonette. It was from SDMyers and I’m like, wow, this is really exceptional. And one of the big reasons that I liked it out there is because they integrated both training and love of the Lord and it’s just a wonderful, warm family-like feeling.
I’ve been blessed with a lot of good people and not just at SDMyers, but I even got to meet the head of NFPA 110. He was beyond wonderful.
Make sure you don’t get offended lightly because a lot of people will be there to challenge you.
TH Are you involved in any kind of organizations or projects supporting women in the power industry? And if you are, what would you like to share about them?
SB Well, I’m involved in the New York State Association of Fire Chiefs. I am the safety officer for the American Federation of Government Employees. I get to meet a lot of women there that maybe if they’re not electricians, they should know about electric safety and how dangerous it could be and how important it is that they take proper training and use proper equipment and don’t take what we do lightly. It only takes a split second for something to happen.
TH Exactly, safety is paramount in any industry, but especially in the electrical industry.
And finally, Sheila, what insight or advice would you like to share with women starting their career in the power industry?
SB Be tenacious, make sure you don’t get offended lightly because a lot of people will be there to challenge you. Do your very best. And when you think you’re the very best, push yourself further to be even better.
TH Sheila, again, you inspire me. If I could look back and say what the proudest moment in my career is – I would say it’s getting to interview someone who inspires me. Thank you.
SB Thank you very much, Traci. I hope I will be with the Department of Veterans Affairs for a couple more years, and when I retire, I would like to see men, women, young folks – whoever would like to learn and pass things along. Because there are so few people that want to get into these hands-on trades anymore. And we need to think and inspire them and give them what they need to do the job right.
You’ve got to be tenacious, study hard and have a great sense of humor.
TH I know the industry is going to be better off for having you in it and can’t wait to see what you do in your teaching career. Sheila, again, thank you so much and we look forward to continuing working with you and learning from you.
SB Thank You so much, God bless you all. You have a very good day.
