Artistic flair helps Camila the Caulker carve out her career
- Camila Bernal came to Australia to learn English and accidentally found a trade she loves
- Camila has been wearing Steel Blue from the earliest days of her career and has a pair in almost every style!
Colombian-born Camila Bernal came to Australia, aged 22, with a graphic design degree in her pocket and a desire to improve her English. The last thing she expected was to find herself working in a trade.
Yet here she is, eight years later, working as a caulker on building sites across Melbourne and having become a familiar face across Australia thanks to her appearances on two seasons of Australia’s top-rated renovation TV show.
Becoming Camila the Caulker
Camila’s mum is an engineer and her dad is a businessman, so she didn’t grow up around people in trades careers.
“When I was a little girl, I always wanted to be an artist,” she said. “I studied Graphic Design at university for five years and absolutely loved it.”
Camila’s a keen traveller, and her love of adventure brought her to Australia, where she was studying English and “being paid peanuts”, working in hospitality.
“I had a couple of friends who were working as caulkers, and one of them offered to teach me,” she said. “I was open to new experiences and it offered better pay, but what was most attractive to me was that caulking is a very artistic trade! So, I gave it a go, and here I am eight years later running my own business.”
Camila has worked on homes worth $12 million, bathroom renovations, restaurants, hospitals and commercial projects. She appeared on Australia’s popular TV show in 2022 and 2023 and has thousands of followers on Instagram.
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Watertight skills
Caulking involves sealing joints and seams to make them air and watertight. It takes a steady hand and meticulous attention to detail.
“It requires a high level of precision because a good finish can make all the difference,” Camila said. “Everyone thinks it’s easy, until they try it themselves!
“No one really knows the massive difference that caulking makes in a project—not only for waterproofing purposes but also for the aesthetic side of it. I love how precise and perfectionist you have to be to ensure a great job.”
That graphic design degree doesn’t go to waste, either.
“I use my design knowledge when doing the right colour matching in every job,” she said. “It’s incredibly satisfying.”
Being a woman in the trades
Forging her own path in a male-dominated industry has had its challenges, but Camila said it had also been very rewarding.
“I’ve had to prove myself and my skills, but over time I’ve earned respect from my colleagues,” she said.
“The language barrier has been my biggest challenge, and also being away from my family, as I’ve had to navigate all the highs and lows on my own. However, I have been able to navigate through all these challenges, stand up for myself, and create beautiful relationships with my colleagues, clients, and fellow tradies.”
“My advice to women and girls considering a trades career is to believe in yourself and your abilities,” Camila said. “Don’t be afraid to take on challenges and always seek out supportive mentors and networks.”
Why Camila loves Steel Blue work boots
Camila has been wearing Steel Blue boots almost her entire caulking career, after learning the hard way that cheap boots are more trouble than they’re worth.
“I remember the first boots I bought cost me $30, because I couldn’t afford anything else,” she said. “Someone on site saw me struggling with those boots, as I was constantly complaining about how uncomfortable they were and how much pain I was in. They advised me to invest in good boots because they are what you wear every single day, all day long.
“So, I saved some money from my first payments and bought my first pair of Steel Blue boots. I’ve been wearing them ever since.
“I love them because they are incredibly comfortable and durable, which is essential when you’re on your feet all day. I have the Southern Cross® Zip with purple laces and now waiting for my pink ones to support breast cancer.
“I love Steel Blue so much that I have rejected collaborating with other brands as I’m not interested in doing content that’s not genuine!”
Head to your local Steel Blue stockist to discover work boots that are a mark of true skill, or shop online.
