Can women succeed in construction ? Many of my lady students ask me this question.
Each person , I feel , would have a a different set of conditions which may have to be analyzed before we can positively answer to this .
It is true that construction is mostly a male dominant sector .It is also a highly disorganized sector. There are too many variables here.
In fact between one project and other project each of the variables like Location, the team, the drawings ,specifications etc change radically .There is no fixed routine which can be followed.Every day offers its different challenges.
This article is dedicated to seeking answer to this question : Whether a lady can be a successful entrepreneur in the construction sector and if yes , what are the ground conditions which need to be followed.
The issues like women empowerment, gender bias etc have been addressed in the later part of this article.
Straightaway, let me present my views on the challenges of a Lady operating in the construction line.
If you look at it from an overall perspective these are the normal possibilities for any person to get engaged in construction activities. However, in context of the title , feminine gender has been used in this description here:
1.As an Owner of the land:
Either the plot exclusively belongs to her or is jointly owned with her family.
Assuming that the family has authorized her for the construction ( Let us leave the legal aspects for the time being )
2.As as an Architect of the building:
There could be several possibilities.
Either the lady is a practicing architect herself or she could be serving an architect :
either in the capacity of an assistant architect or
a site engineer working at site ( usually known as the clerk of works)
3.As an RCC consultant of the structure:
There could be several openings.
Either the lady is a practicing RCC consultant herself or
she could be serving the consultant in the capacity of an engineer
(Working in office normally and visiting sites when-needed for controlling or guidance )
4.As an contractor or builder:
This role perhaps needs a detailed discussion.Read the article on Supervisor.
5.as a Supplier of various materials supplied to the (1 )or (4)
6.As an Employee with (1 )to (5 )above
7.As a prospective customer for the constructed property
8. As an Interior Designer : This is a different field but closely connected with construction.
9. As a site supervisor :
- This is certainly a challenging task. To assess whether you shall be able to cope with the site requirements & pressure , just go through this article which indicates basic responsibilities of a supervisor
- If you want to know which habits make an effective supervisor ,read this one.
- If you are keen to know about the tools to carry at site, read this.
Construction basics re-told 