Meet the glamorous tradie who ditched a career in graphic design to get on the tools

A glamorous tradie who studied for five years to be a graphic designer gave it all up to become a caulker working on construction sites, and is now raking in six figures.

Camila Bernal has now spent seven years on the tools and earns a generous salary running her own business – and hasn’t looked back since, even getting hired for her skills on The Block.

Speaking to FEMAIL, the 31-year-old said it was a magical twist of fate that led her to getting into the trade.  

‘I was working in hospitality at the time and a friend asked me if I wanted to get into caulking – and I jumped at the opportunity,’ she said. 

Camila, who’s originally from Columbia but now lives in Melbourne, said while the job is challenging it’s ‘very rewarding’. 

Last year she was approached by producers of Channel Nine’s television show The Block to become a caulker in the final week alongside the contestants – and she says it’s a ‘dream come true’.

The happy-go-lucky 31-year-old tradie told FEMAIL she adores her new career and hasn’t looked back

‘Caulking is all about the finishing touches and the final product; I’ve really fallen in love with my job and I’m a real perfectionist when it comes to my work,’ she said

Because of her background, Camila’s eye for design sets her apart from others in the industry.  

‘Caulking is all about the finishing touches and the final product; I’ve really fallen in love with my job and I’m a real perfectionist when it comes to my work,’ she said.

While pivoting to trade seems like a drastic change, Camila said it ‘made sense’ for her because along the way she ‘lost of passion for graphic design. 

Like any job, caulking comes with its own set of challenges.

Camila usually starts her day on the jobsite at 7am and at times is required to be on her knees for hours to complete the task correctly and perfectly. 

Camila usually starts her day on the jobsite at 7am and at times is required to be on her knees for hours to complete the task correctly and perfectly

Outside of work Camila is an adventurous woman who loves travelling, extreme sports, being in nature and camping (pictured in Paris) 

But this has been severely impacting her scoliosis – curvature of the spine – causing extreme back pain.

Camila was only officially diagnosed with the condition in 2021 but doctors say she’s been living with it for years, likely since her childhood.

‘I need to make sure I take care of my health; I stretch, exercise, take vitamins, have massages, run baths and do all the right things because the pain can be unbearable,’ she said. 

Last week after spending eight hours on her hands and knees, Camila said her back pain was almost unbearable and rated the feeling ’20 out of 10′. 

‘Us tradies suffer a lot and I need to make sure I look after my body. I’ve been on the strongest pain killers at times,’ she said. 

Camila considers herself ‘lucky’ because she runs her own business and can work when she needs to – rather than being told what jobs to work on by an employer.

Doctors say the only way to ease the pain is to quit her job – but she doesn’t consider this to be an option. 

‘I’ve learnt to live with the condition. I will never in a million years quit,’ she said. 

While she needs to cope with the physical challenges, Camila added the job is ‘very rewarding’.

‘I love seeing my clients reactions to seeing the end product for the first time – it’s like the cherry on top – it’s the best feeling,’ she said.

And her one piece of advice for women wanting to follow in her footsteps is it ‘do it’

Last year she even received a phone call from producers of Channel Nine’s television show The Block and says it was a ‘dream come true’ to be recognised for her work

Unfortunately when she first started out Camila she fell victim to discrimination because she was a woman and from another country originally. 

‘I didn’t speak much English – which was a challenge itself – so the language barrier frustrated some. And it was hard being a woman on the jobsite too,’ she said. 

‘If you’re the only woman out of 30 men at work, they treat you differently. 

She also received nasty comments about her heritage that made her feel uncomfortable – such as the association between Columbia and illegal drugs. 

However, in recently years she’s seen a shift in this behaviour where women in the construction industry are celebrated rather than laughed at. 

‘For me now working in construction is a privilege and employees want more women on the jobsite,’ she said.

And her one piece of advice for women wanting to follow in her footsteps is it ‘do it’. 

‘Don’t think about it – if it’s your dream and your passion, act on it.’