At a glance
One lift at a time, crane operator Jessica Johns is helping advance OPG’s Darlington New Nuclear Project.
The worker reflects on what led her into the trades and offers her advice to other women.
With her varied experience, Johns’ talent and skills are helping build the G7’s first commercial Small Modular Reactor.
It took a bit of serendipity for Jessica Johns to land in the trades and on OPG’s Darlington New Nuclear Project (DNNP) – Canada’s first new nuclear build in more than 30 years.
As a crane operating engineer with Aecon, a key construction partner on the DNNP, Johns operates a variety of mobile cranes, which do the heavy lifting of important parts and components in the construction of the G7’s first commercial Small Modular Reactor (SMR).
Licensed since 2021, Johns is now a veteran of these sturdy, long-armed crawlers, with experience lifting for projects ranging from the construction of a liquified natural gas plant in Kitimat, B.C., to Metrolinx’s Ontario Line subway, to now OPG’s DNNP.
And while she’s enjoying her career path now, her initial plan was far removed from her current world in the trades.
“This all came to me very randomly,” said Johns. “I was initially going to be a nurse, but I didn’t get accepted to the program. That’s when I picked another program that sounded interesting.”
Jessica Johns is a crane operating engineer with Aecon, a key construction partner on OPG's Darlington New Nuclear Project.
When you’re at the job site and working with these large machines, you can’t take any shortcuts. Safety is always paramount.
Jessica Johns Crane operating engineer
A piece of the massive tunnel boring machine, nicknamed Harriet Brooks, that will be used in the Darlington New Nuclear Project.
She soon enrolled in Durham College’s Faculty of Skilled Trades and Apprenticeship, eventually becoming the highest-ranking student in her class.
With her new-found aptitude, Johns began her journey in the trades after graduating in 2018 and logged thousands of hours to complete her crane apprenticeship.
While the job comes second nature to her now, Johns says she continues to remain vigilant about safety, respecting the machines she operates as well as those around her.
“When you’re at the job site and working with these large machines, you can’t take any shortcuts. Safety is always paramount,” she stressed.
Since starting her trades career, she has also developed some thick skin, a trait that has helped her thrive in a traditionally male-dominated field. Her advice for other women in the trades? Don’t let things bother you.
“You have to have tough skin,” she said. “You have to be able to stand up for yourself, especially around men who have been in the industry for 20-plus years. I’d say to other women, ‘Don’t let little things get to you.’ You’re going to have bad days, but you can’t let it ruin your drive to continue working in this field.”
Outside of work, Johns stays grounded by engaging in a variety of hobbies, including tattooing, art, and photography.
“You can never be too knowledgeable. I always aim to learn, especially with new cranes and new technologies.”
It’s with this learning attitude that Johns is gearing up for what will soon be a very busy season for the DNNP project. This includes the introduction of a 2,500-tonne heavy lift crawler crane that will help install the foundation for the first SMR unit’s reactor building.
While Johns won’t be operating that particular crane, she’s excited to see it in action, all while continuing to soak in the experience of working on one of Canada’s largest infrastructure projects.
“Just to be on this project is mind-blowing,” she said. “The site is changing very quickly, even week by week. And it’s only going to get busier as construction starts to really ramp up. I’m really looking forward to it.”
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