A MALE dominated profession does not scare off West Devon woman Gina Kearey ? she is now in her third year of plumbing and loving every minute, writes Lindsay Bright. Gina, 33, had not always wanted to be a plumber, but after the birth of her two sons, she wanted a profession which would be a challenge. She approached her father, David Pattison, who owns his own plumbing company, to see if it was possible for her to work for him. ?I am always one for a challenge, so I went for it. This is a total opportunity,? said Gina. Now the former Tavistock College student is working on her NVQ3 once a week, involving in-depth plumbing and engineering, and still works for her dad ? David Pattison and Daughter ? almost three years on. Eighteen months ago she decided to go to Plymouth College of Further Education to work on her NVQ2, to obtain plumbing qualifications. She said: ?When I went to college I didn?t go on the adult course. I attended one day a week with 18 to 19 year old boys, which was an experience! ?At the beginning we had a lot of ??What are you doing here?? at college. Adults would say ??this is the plumbing section you know!? ? the boys in class now call me mother.? Gina paid tribute to her teacher John Parsons, who signed her onto the course. She said: ?He really took me under his wing. I take my hat off to him as I was the only female trying to get onto the course and he signed me on when at least 200 other people were trying.? In the beginning Gina found it a challenge to juggle work and family life, but with the support of her dad and mum, Christine Pattison, and her husband Lee she found it a lot easier. Gina used to help Lee with Interior and Garden Ironwork, his own business based at their home in Tavistock, which he set up from scratch almost seven years ago. She goes to Tavistock Pannier Market every Friday with the iron products he has made. Before she had her two children, Conner, 9, and Kieran, 4, Gina worked as a qualified horse riding instructor, but called a stop to this 15 years ago when she had a nasty accident during a competition. A horse landed on top of her, causing great pain to her spine. Gina overcame her worries and doubts recently and climbed back on to a horse. She said it was like she had never been away. During the day she spends most of the time working with her dad. ?When we work together we get things done a lot quicker. Me and my dad have great fun. It?s brilliant, we get on really well and we have a laugh, it?s all really laid back. ?People do ask my dad if his daughter is coming. ?They like having a woman in their property, especially if its an elderly woman as they may get wary of a man in the house. ?Everyone is really supportive. They think it is nice to see a woman in this job, and I do it just as well as anyone else.? Gina?s aim, once she completes her NVQ3 in 18 months? time, is to achieve the industry?s Corgi qualification.