N 2005, Alex Fisher won the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Crystal Vision Award and this year takes over as president of the association’s Queensland chapter. Fisher, 33, is currently Executive Officer to the Chief Financial Officer as part of a growing executive leaders program within Brisbane City Council. Her previous role with the council was City Design’s Principal Project Manager. She talks to Construction Contractor about the challenges in getting more women into the industry.
Have you often been the only woman in your team or unit?
Well for eight years I was an army officer with the Corp of the Royal Australian Engineers and as troop commander, managed an all-male team of 30 tradespeople. I was the only female officer in the 17th Construction Squadron which did plenty of reticulation type services. Again, at the Queensland University of Technology, where I worked as a Construction Lecturer, I was the only female academic in the School of Civil Engineering and all engineering schools within the Faculty of Built Environment and Engineering.
How did you succeed in these male dominated sectors?
I realised these were male dominated areas before entering and also know I love construction. If you focus on the work and not on the barriers, you earn the respect of the people around you. I am also fortunate to have worked with others who love construction and this helped overcome a lot of the challenges and gender bias issues there might have been.
What is it that you love about construction?
I enjoy creating – seeing a project through from start to finish and knowing that I am part of a team that has created a structure or facility. It is even better when I am part of a team that has created a project that benefits the community. The long hours on the job can be a bit tough but I find it really fantastic to see people use a facility that I have built.
What are your plans once you take over as NAWIC Qld President?
Our association has been around for ten years and I want to build on what we have already achieved. I would like to raise our profile and increase the value we offer to our members and the industry. I also plan to strengthen our events and add more strands to address the diverse needs of our membership which includes tradespeople, technical and professional women, as well as affiliated areas such as human resources, law and media.
We are also looking at setting up a mentoring network and partnering with other industry organisations. I will certainly continue and possibly extend networking events as our members find these extremely valuable. As a mother of two small children, I especially appreciate that these are breakfast or lunch events; my family responsibilities make it difficult for me to attend evening functions.
How do you plan to get more women involved in construction?
We will promote construction to high school and university students and ensure they do not discount this career option because of their perceptions about the industry. Once we put students in contact with industry professionals, they will get a clearer idea of what our jobs really involve. There are so many competing career alternatives and some of them have very sexy television shows which must appeal to young women – we must compete and put construction on their radar. There is a misconception that our industry is only about hard hats, dirt and steel capped boots.
Source: Construction Contractor