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Women in Engineering and Construction
Building a Future For Women in The Engineering and Construction Sectors
By Jessie Taylor
Despite many talented women advancing in the Engineering and Construction sectors, gender diversity in South Africa’s built environment industry remains low. Estimates say that only around 13% of those registered to work in the built environment professions are women.
Global statistics show that women exit built environment professions at a higher rate than their male counterparts, often within the first five years of employment. The Engineering Council of South Africa has estimated that as many as 70% of female engineering graduates left the profession because they felt isolated in their jobs.
Msizi Myeza, CEO of the Council for the Built Environment, said that the sector, like many others, is grappling with the slow pace of transformation. “It is, therefore, important for the sector to take strides and develop strategies on how best to address crucial issues identified in the skills pipeline strategy for the built environment, especially gender representation, participation, and retention,” says Msizi.
The Council for the Built Environment has developed a Women Empowerment and Gender Equality Transformation Collaborative Committee (WEGE TCC) to promote women’s participation and fair treatment in the local built environment.
The work of the WEGE TCC centres around creating a diverse and inclusive built environment. This includes building the next generation of female talent through skills development, supporting female entrepreneurship, advocating and promoting gender-inclusive policies, and facilitating the participation of women in key decision-making structures.
“The Council for the Built Environment encourages built environment professionals and councils to champion transformation by positioning themselves as an agent for the change we desire to see in the profession,” - Msizi.
The following women are trailblazers in the built environment sector, paving the way for other women to take up roles in the section.
Dr. Mamoeletsi Mosia
Dr Mamoeletsi Mosia spearheads the South African Agency for Science and Technology Advancement (NRF-SAASTA) in her position as Managing Director, where she works towards the NRF-SAASTA’s mandate of advancing public awareness, appreciation and engagement of science, technology, engineering, mathematics and innovation (STEMI) in South Africa.
Dr Mosia is well qualified for the position, having completed a PhD in Chemistry from the Technical University of Eindhoven in the Netherlands and an MCom in Leadership Studies from the University of KwaZulu-Natal. She also has extensive experience from the decade she spent at the Council for Scientific and Industrial Research (CSIR) in various management and leadership roles.
“While most of our initiatives are geared towards future scientists and innovators, we also work with STEMI professionals to provide them with skills to communicate science in an effective manner, with the aim of making science more relatable to the gogo (grandmother) on the street,” says Dr Mosia.
Dr Mosia and the NRF-SAASTA aim to visit areas where resources and information are not easily available, taking scientists, engineers and technologists so that young people picture themselves taking up those careers. The organisation also facilitates teacher training to encourage more children to study STEMI subjects.
“I will know that I have done my job when the day I leave here there is at least one young girl who says, ‘If it wasn’t for NRF-SAASTA, I would not be where I am today’. I believe this is the driving force for all of us at NRF-SAASTA,” says Dr Mosia.
Nicolette Skjoldhammer
Nicolette Skjoldhammer is the first female chairperson of the Southern African Institute of Steel Construction, an organisation that works to develop and promote the health and wealth of the steel construction industry in Southern Africa.
In her position, Nicolette champions women’s empowerment in the traditionally male-dominated industry, saying that diversity allows for agile and creative solutions. “If we look at history, most engineering and construction-related industries started off being male-dominated, and some have been faster at achieving a level of diversity than others. I think the steel sector, in particular, has been a slow mover in this regard, but that it is changing,” she said.
“By including women in the broader steel value chain, you create an environment of diverse and innovative solutions and opportunities.” Nicolette affirms that the SAISC has always been a centre of technical excellence, which provides support, guidance and influence to the sector. This role can extend to equality and the mentoring of young women entering the sector.
“There aren’t enough women in the industry, potentially because they don’t think it’s glamorous. However, I do think there is a lot of possibility for creativity in the steel industry. If women can embrace that, it’s quite an exciting industry to be in,” she said.
Tshidi Mndzebele
Tshidi Mndzebele is the CEO of AvenirHoldings, an engineering consulting and project management firm. The company offers construction and facilities management, as well as training and development.
Through AvenirHoldings, Tshidi has worked on numerous high-value projects for clients like Transnet, Eskom, ArcellorMittal South Africa and LaFargeHolcim. As a Professional Industrial Engineering Technologist and Certified Director, Tshidi saw the industry as an opportunity to challenge herself and “overturn the gender stereotypes in engineering and allied industries”.
She has spent two decades in the industry, making her mark in the traditionally male-dominated industry. She has successfully built her company and has also taken up a post as a Master Builders Association North exco member. She believes women are more than capable of taking on any role within the construction sector.
“Women have a unique contribution to make because they see things differently. Where men see things in black and white, we see a more complex, holistic picture, so our decisions are perhaps more measured,” she says. “From a transformational point of view – so important in a world that is changing so fast – female leaders are often better at bringing everybody along.”
These women are championing women’s advancement and the industry’s transformation through positioning themselves as agents for change.
