Continuing our celebration of Women in Construction Week 2023, today we hear from Building Surveyor Decia Roberts from her perspective of being a woman in the construction industry.
How did you get into Building Surveying?
I was interested in buildings and design from an early age and set out to become a technical draughtswoman, as I was put off by the 7 years it would take to become an architect. Having selected my subjects at school by 14, I was given careers advice that suggested I should look at surveying. I went a careers event and then visited a firm of local Building Surveyors and ended up doing a vocational degree at Reading University in Building Surveying in the late 1980’s. I qualified two years after graduating and became chartered in 1991.
Has anything changed since you started out?
On my course in my year at reading University, there were 6 out of 30 students who were female. This was a time when women were told they could be anything and were given opportunities that diverged from the traditional careers that women could consider. When I started work I was one of the very few female surveyors in Kent. I worked for an all-male surveying practice apart from the secretary in Maidstone. I never thought about the fact that I was significantly and almost without exception the only female worker on the bulk of sites I visited. I got on with the job in my own way, absorbed the knowledge I could from the other surveyors. By the time I left my first job, there were more women entering the profession, particularly within the younger ranks of other surveying disciplines. Now it is not unusual to meet other female surveyors, although certain sectors of the industry tend to attract more women than others.
Challenges you face as a woman?
We all juggle the same challenges in terms of work life and family, and Playle & Partners LLP support all of their employees in obtaining this balance. The ability to perform my job on a part-time basis after having a family has ensured that I have stayed with the firm for more than 25 years. I always joke that I have seen the inside of a lot of men’s toilets as there are no dispensations when you are on survey and have to access certain areas. I have helped to train a lot of younger surveyors. This ability to nurture and develop the next generation of surveyors has benefitted the firm over the long term. There are rarely surveying activities that I cannot physically handle, but as a woman you look at ways round the challenges of the job and when to ask for assistance.
Highlights?
As a woman, I am naturally a mediator, and this has led me to my specialism of party walls. The ability to get on with people, resolve conflict and provide professional advice has given me an area where I can excel.
Advice for women wanting to start a career in the construction industry?
Don’t let the stereotypical macho image of the construction industry put you off. There are plenty of opportunities whatever your gender and a need for people with the right skills to get the job done. The results are rewarding and leave the world a better place!