Construction World August 2023

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The construction industry has historically been seen as male-dominated, leading to a persisting myth that women are less suited for the field. In contrast, the reality shows women bring essential skills and perspectives that greatly contribute to the industry's success. BREAKING THE MYTH: WOMEN CAN THRIVE IN THE CONSTRUCTION INDUSTRY

Margaret Dube, HSE Coordinator at Concor.

Leah Nwedamutswu, QA/QC Officer at Concor.

Nikho Maqoqa, Quantity Surveyor at Concor.

M artin Muller, Contract Manager at Concor, underscores that women have shown resilience and competence, highlighting their critical thinking skills and meticulous attention to detail. Concor acknowledges the importance of gender diversity in its workforce and consistently strives for transformation. However, achieving gender diversity requires a shift in mindset from senior managers and executives, and Muller emphasises the necessity of addressing challenges such as non-acceptance from the broader workforce. Concor's commitment to inclusivity is demonstrated by the diversity of roles women hold within the company. They are found across various disciplines, ranging from quantity surveyors to document controllers, from quality assurance to safety and at supervisory levels. Construction World spoke to three of Concor’s women. Margaret Dube, HSE Coordinator at Concor, has experience spanning 17 years within the construction sector. What started as a keen observation of a glaring gap in the industry swiftly transformed into a relentless passion to initiate change. A natural-born educator, she saw the need to create ripples of positive transformation within this field. “Safety is no different – it is about

a Master Builders Association (MBA) Annual Safety Competition award, while its 5 Parks Boulevard contract secured second place, both achieving 5-star gradings. These accolades serve as a testament to Margaret's unwavering dedication to safety, an approach that has reaped rewarding outcomes and continues to change the landscape of the industry. Leah Nwedamutswu, a QA/QC Officer at Concor, thrives in a dynamic work environment. She prefers confronting real-world challenges daily to being confined to a desk, performing routine tasks. For her, construction offers a chance to be part of creating something of substantial significance, providing an opportunity to learn and develop new skills. "Construction allows you to create your own destiny, you determine your path," she shares. Having spent eight years in the industry, she recognises the challenges it brings, especially for a woman. Leah underscores the need to constantly prove herself and the critical importance of substantiating her ideas with facts. Interacting across different levels of understanding and finding a balance between work and family life are some of the challenges Leah faces. "Longer working hours impact family

education – enabling people to comprehend," she reflects. Prior to entering the construction sector, she thrived as a qualified high school teacher. Today, she leverages these skills ensuring individuals fully grasp safety regulations and procedures. Her passion for education has not only been rewarding professionally, but has also been instrumental in changing perspectives towards safety. Dealing with the challenges presented by the industry has been a journey in itself. In addition to the arduous task of working long hours and managing family time, there is the added challenge of being a woman in a traditionally male-dominated field. "One of the challenges from a work perspective as a woman is the need to put in extra effort to prove yourself – even for your ideas to be accepted, it is not that easy," Margaret says. Nevertheless, her empathetic approach, bolstered by her understanding of psychology, allows her to navigate and de-escalate difficult situations with grace. On her watch, projects undertaken by Concor like Ikusasa, Makro, Oxford Parks Phase 2, and Radisson Red were completed Lost Time Injury (LTI) Free. Moreover, Concor’s Trevenna Super Basement project was honoured with

10 CONSTRUCTION WORLD AUGUST 2023