Too few women in civil engineering: manager
A NorthTec manager is encouraging women to sign up for a civil engineering diploma.
Mike Mullany, Pathway manager for architecture and civil engineering, said that more women should go into the profession.
Nationally, only 10 per cent of qualified civil engineers are women – although in Northland, this figure rises to 32 per cent.
‘‘I’ve had some fantastic female students come through each year but there are so few of them,’’ Mullany said.
‘‘People still see it as a man’s world, but it’s not.’’
He said while civil engineers undertake a wide range of tasks, their main role is to plan, organise, and oversee the building and maintenance of structures such as bridges, roads, dams, and waste systems.
Despite what people might think, the role is not labour intensive and a lot of civil engineering requires work on a computer or in the office, he said. There is a lot of scope for work variation from large-scale infrastructure projects to smaller local jobs.
Work can also include travel and collaboration with stakeholders, and due to the nature of the work, there is also opportunity for flexible working hours, something women often value in their work life.
‘‘It’s not all constructions sites and lifting heavy stuff,’’ said Sarah Scott, a third-year student of NorthTec’s level 6 diploma.
‘‘I get to look at beautiful landscapes and gardens, I get to work in the office and outside, there’s a lot of scope. You don’t have to be a tomboy; you can be any type of woman. Just have confidence in you own ability and go for it.’’
Careers NZ advises that while rates of women studying in this field are increasing, they still need more.
Engineering skills in New Zealand are in short supply and, with increased government spending on infrastructure such as roads, public buildings, and water collection, demand for civil engineers is set to increase in the coming years.
Work in the field is well paid, with new workers usually earning around $60,000 to $70,000 a year. Senior civil engineers can earn upwards of $120,000.