Inspiring women: Jenny’s a real jill of all trades

• Jenny Crozier runs a construction company in Utah with her husband
• She’s written children’s books designed to encourage girls to consider careers in trades
• A mother of three and a pageant queen, Jenny wears Steel Blue boots because they’re stylish and comfortable

Don’t wait for someone to hold the door open for you; build the door yourself and march on through it instead.

That’s the advice of Jenny Crozier, who co-owns Crozier Construction Services in Utah, USA, with her husband. Jenny, who is also a safety compliance manager for Delta Valley Trucking, is the Empowering Women in Industry Tradeswoman of the Year 2023 and the 2022 recipient of the Women Builders Council Outstanding Women Award.

Jenny is, in short, a bit of a legend.

A lifelong interest in trades

Jenny was drawn to the trades from a very young age.

“My granddad was a mechanical engineer and I wanted to become a mechanic, but there was just no opportunity for girls when I was growing up and I was always told no,” she said.

Despite her interest, Jenny wasn’t allowed to help fix vehicles, but she was allowed to fetch the tools.

“So, I kind of got this infatuation with tools from when I was young,” she said. “Then I married a builder and that’s kind of how I got my foot in the door. My husband taught me everything he knows and now we just kind of do it together.

“I do everything—from the bids and the plans to running the heavy equipment. I like to pour concrete; I like to do drywall; I like to weld. I like it all really—and I do all of it.”

A passion for encouraging girls into trades

Now a mother of three, Jenny is passionate about encouraging women and girls into trades careers. She’s involved in several professional bodies for women in construction and is an ambassador and keynote speaker, including for the college where she earned her construction management certification.

“I was the only female in the program and I thought, ‘how can I get more females into it?’,” Jenny said. One of her professors suggested taking part in a pageant, because it would give her access to a microphone to spread her message.

“I laughed because I’m not a pageant-type girl,” Jenny said. But she did it—becoming Mrs. Sanpete County in 2022 and running for Mrs. Utah America. It really opened doors.

“I was going in all these elementary schools and talking to these little girls who had no idea that you could be a princess, like a girly girl, and still go get your hands dirty,” she said.

The experience inspired her to write the “Jenny — Jill of All Trades” series of children’s books, which encourage girls into trades. The latest book, “I’m a Drywaller” features pink Steel Blue work boots!

Why Jenny wears Steel Blue work boots

Jenny and her husband lived in Australia for a year, and her husband wore Steel Blue boots at work. Back in the US and working in construction herself, Jenny was drawn to the “fun colours”.

“I kept trying different boots and none of them fit my feet and none of them were stylish and comfortable,” she said. “So once I came across Steel Blue’s women’s boots, I just fell in love with them. I love to support people who are supporting women in the trades and who are showing that we are dynamic. We don’t want just a brown pair of boots. I want to look fashionable on the job site. Also, Steel Blue boots never hurt my feet.”

Head to your local Steel Blue stockist to discover work boots that are a mark of true skill, or shop online.