A FEMALE civil engineer is paving the way for other women who want to enter the business.
Caitlin Hope has been sharing a typical day in her working life on her TikTok platform, and it’s produced some unexpected comments.
Civil engineering is traditionally a male-dominated industry, but young women like Caitlin are breaking through and proving they are up to the job.
“Wouldn’t change my job for the world,” she says, followed by a series of motivating hashtags, #engineering #civilengineering #femaleengineers.
Most of her colleagues are men, and she is unfazed. She has a job to do and she’s going to do it.
But she says you have to give and take, and not take anything too seriously.
“What’s it like working with all men on site,” she captions her video before she lists some of her roles in the job description.
“Promoting the business,” is all part of her job she explains.
Being small and slim also has its advantages on a construction site. “Getting down excavations because I’m skinny,” she says.
There is also a certain amount of rib tickling, and she seems to take it very well.
“Getting kicked in the shins!” But there is always time for selfies with workmates too. “Taking lovely selfies together,” she says.
There is always room for learning of course, and her colleagues are eager to help: “Teaching us how to lay granite blocks.”
Comments to her post were impressed with the young civil engineer.
Some wanted advice: “I just started civil engineering. Can you give me any tips,” asked one.
Caitlin responds with some common sense: “Don’t take anything to heart,” she says.
She isn’t the first newbie to be sent down excavation holes, said one comment: “If it helps,” said one comment, “I make the apprentice squeeze in the tiny gaps too.”
Another said: “I love a woman working in a male-dominated industry.”
Chiming in at the end was at least one marriage proposal: “Marry me, like marry me.”
