To encourage the entry of more women into engineering and scientific professions, women in these positions can reach out and highlight their achievements, according to SRK Consulting (South Africa) senior engineering geologist Basetsana Mmileng.
Working in SRK Consulting since completing her Honours degree 10 years ago, Mmileng said it had been encouraging to work in a company with a growing number of women professionals in senior and leadership positions. While acknowledging the challenges of working in male-dominated industries like mining and construction, she said that gender diversity could be improved if more school leavers saw role models they could relate to – and were given the right encouragement.
“It is still common to encounter stereotyping and discrimination – be it conscious or unconscious – but this is being challenged as more women prove their expertise and abilities in the field,” she said.
Women in leadership
SRK Consulting has actively encouraged women into the consulting field and has for more than a decade employed almost as many women as men, with the numbers of women scientists in the company often exceeding those of men. The proportion of women in the leadership of the business has also changed significantly, according to SRK Consulting (South Africa) partner and human resources manager Monique du Toit.
“While there were no female partners in 2014, women now make up 30% of the partner group,” said Du Toit. “In the past five years alone, 50% of our partner appointments have been women.”
Transforming culture
Mmileng explained that this kind of progress is having a transformational impact on the culture of the sector, and to its appeal for young women school leavers and graduates.
“As professional women in consulting, we need to put ourselves out there – to showcase our achievements and lead the conversation,” she argued. “Even at undergraduate level, many women have negative impressions and experiences of certain sectors and disciplines – so we need to change this narrative with the positive opportunities and potential in industry.”
She highlighted the importance of women in leadership roles, who can provide both inspiration as role model and practical support as mentors.
“This is valuable for the aspirations of girls in school, for instance, to start imagining how their future could look,” she said. “They need to understand that we – as women professionals – are active in these sectors, are thriving there, and are having our own impact on the workplace culture.”
Engaging both genders
In industries like mining, there are today various initiatives to support the role of women, and staff at SRK Consulting have taken an active part in many of these. However, it remains critical that these efforts continue to engage both men and women in the sector, said Charmaine Mafa, a mining engineer at SRK.
“While women often need to drive these initiatives, the aim is still to have a transformative impact on the sector as a whole – so men need to contribute and collaborate if our efforts are to be effective,” said Mafa. “This will help to ensure that the discussions we have and the decisions we make are properly actioned by all our colleagues – male and female.”
Having begun her career in mining operations, she noted that the sector’s working environment for women had significantly improved in recent decades – despite a range of remaining challenges.
Sharing stories
“Things have changed, and we need to shed more light on that for the benefit of potential new entrants,” she explained. “There are a lot more women represented across disciplines, and young schoolgirls would benefit by understanding their stories – and possibly following in their footsteps.”
Guidance and exposure to opportunity underpinned the career direction of Charmaine Thulo, now a hydrologist at SRK Consulting (South Africa). Although Thulo initially qualified in land surveying, she explored the field of water science, focusing on surface water hydrology through her internship at SRK Consulting.
“I was inspired by colleagues in the company to consider hydrology as a career focus – especially as this combined elements of GIS, engineering and data analysis,” she said. “This led me to study further, and to return to SRK with a degree in hydrology; the work has proved to be very fulfilling, as I can make a direct contribution towards protecting precious water resources.”
Better balance
She pointed out that women were still under-represented in this field – especially in senior technical and leadership positions, and appreciated SRK Consulting’s commitment to working towards a better balance.
“There is no doubt that more diverse teams can improve innovations and outcomes, and companies like SRK provide the support for this to happen,” she said. “As young women, we also have a great deal to contribute – with fresh ideas, perspectives and leadership styles that are essential for industry to progress.”
Inclusive workplace
Du Toit highlighted that the inclusive workplace culture at SRK Consulting is facilitated by both the presence of more women professionals, and the collaboration of the company’s male staff. There is also an understanding that people from different cultures and backgrounds contribute unique qualities, so that individual strengths complement one another.
“This principle applies equally to the men and women at SRK,” she continued. “Both genders bring distinct perspectives to the workplace, because of their diverse experiences and viewpoints. This diversity fosters creativity and innovation as we challenge and collaborate with one another.”
