Following Middle East Consultant’s special edition dedicated to women in the construction industry, MECN.com’s sister publication continues to share the inspiration and experiences of women working in the male-dominated industry across the GCC. Here, we catch up with Methra Olaboduwage, senior quantity surveyor at Compass Project Consulting.
What drove you to get into construction and your very first role in the industry? What were some of the influences that set you on your path?
After completing my Advanced Level Examination, I applied and was selected for a Quantity Surveying degree in University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka. The decision to follow this path came about through discussions with my friends and peers, as it became apparent that quantity surveying was a fast-emerging skill-set, with great potential opportunities, and tied in well with my interest in working in the construction field.
After completing my degree and working in the industry, I quickly realised that this is the right profession for me; I’m really enjoying it, specifically working within the Middle East region on its varied projects.
Share a brief about your career, mentioning key achievements with regards to your role.
I began my career as a quantity surveyor in Sri Lanka and after one and half years I moved to Dubai in early 2008. During my time in Dubai, I had the opportunity to contribute within leading consultant companies as a senior quantity surveyor and on several prestigious projects, growing my experience on both pre- and post-contract areas.
In my desire to grow my professional capabilities, I became a member of the Australian institute of Quantity Surveyors in 2010 and then went on to obtain my accreditation as a member of the Royal Institute of Charted Surveyors in 2012. Both are key achievements in my career and milestones of my own growth.
Besides fairness and being the right thing to do, diversity in the construction industry is important because of the value women can bring to employers, clients, and customers. How have you made your mark in the industry working on projects specifically (your proudest moment)?
I believe that the most important thing is gaining the trust of the team you are working with, whether you are a female of male. I am continuously working harder and smarter to deliver my services to the highest quality standards possible. It is simple: when your peers understand that you are more than capable to see the project in its entirety and will deliver success on the job, it eases smooth running within the team and ultimately ensures the client enjoys the best outcome. Being honest and responsible will always give you a positive impact on your career too!
I feel proud of the progress I’ve made so far in my career with the positive feedback from my clients and management, and I am continuing to strive to maintain the same growth. This overall makes me proud, as a successful woman and as an individual.
What are some of the barriers to women entering the construction industry? What was your personal experience?
In my personal experience, I have not faced any specific barriers to entering to the construction industry, and I do not believe the barriers stopping women to enter to the construction industry are as rigid as they were once upon a time. If you are a strong-minded individual, who is driven to work hard and smart, you can enjoy success in your career irrespective of gender.
One challenge which could be better addressed is the balance of work and family commitments, which can be difficult for women across most sectors, as generally women perform a large share of household and family commitments. From experience, this is perhaps my greatest challenge.
The GCC construction sector is still male dominated, however diversity is beginning to increase. If you agree with this statement, comment on what is driving this and how you see the GCC markets changing in the coming years? If you do not agree with this, please share your thoughts/views of the market.
Nowadays we see many inspirational ladies in the built environment, most of who began climbing the career ladder early in their careers, and having gone on to reach top management positions in companies. Our own Claire Tromp, director here at Compass is a benchmark.
Nowadays, more and more women have come through the ranks where they may have begun their careers in their home-countries and have developed their professions further here in the Middle East, one of the most exciting, mature, yet flourishing markets in the world. These women are in-turn inspiring future generations of ladies to reach for their goals, with education and knowledge becoming readily available, easily shared and definitely more inclusive.
Everyone has a part to play in diversity and equal pay. What would you like to see government authorities and construction firms do to increase diversity and make pay a level playing field?
Government authorities should investigate implementing laws on the minimum percentage of contributing female employees within construction companies, perhaps with incentives for those companies who drive these initiatives. This will open opportunities for women to enter to the various roles in the construction industry.
Here at Compass, we have recently taken on a few graduate Saudi Arabian ladies who are quickly learning the ropes with our teams in our Riyadh and Jeddah offices. These sort of opportunities truly open terrific starts to the development of the future construction professionals (be they men or women). Hopefully, these programs will also help in bridging any gender pay gaps.
Besides authorities and construction firms, who else can play a part in increasing diversity and balancing pay scales?
I believe schools and educational institutes must play a major role in highlighting the value of construction occupations for women, both as a viable and enjoyable career path. Perhaps more can be done in the way of introducing extra-curricular activities to develop the leadership skills and training programs within the courses on offer, or even prior to tertiary education, such activities can be built into earlier education (safely!).
As a woman in the industry, what has your experience been working in the GCC construction sector? If you have worked in markets outside the GCC, how does your experience here compare with what you’ve experienced and observed in other markets?
My career has exposed me to both United Arab Emirates and Sri Lanka projects and companies. In my experience, I don’t see significant difference working as a woman in both markets – irrespective of gender, women have worked hard over the years to prove their worth and to receive near equal opportunities as men.
In your opinion, what is the biggest challenge women in the construction sector face in GCC countries? How can these challenges be addressed?
At this stage, there can be unavoidable difficulties due to family commitments and a women’s need to take on more of the workload at home, with family responsibilities and running a household, while also developing their professional growth and growing their careers. This struggle can be more difficult when we are working away from our home-countries, and our support network of family.
One of the biggest challenges is the fact that women tend to push themselves hard to avoid the impact of these complexities on work commitments, and often they may take on too much, causing unnecessary stress.
In doing your job, what sort of discrimination (if any) have you faced and how did you/employer address it?
I feel very lucky in that I have not been faced any discrimination during my tenure. I also feel lucky that off the people that I have worked with so far, I have felt supported, and the workplace had been friendly.
Do you feel there is a limit with regards to how far you can progress within your respective organisation?
I do not see any limits in Compass to progress in my career and am glad that they provide equal opportunities for both male and female employees. The best example is our director Claire Tromp, the leader of the company’s cost management division. It is also great to see the many new ladies who have joined in the past couple of months – I think at the moment, the number of women are catching up to the men very quickly!
How does Compass Project Consulting approach diversity in the workplace? What more can your firm do to increase diversity?
As I mentioned before, we are quickly nearing equal numbers of male and female employees here at Compass, so it is evident that opportunities are similarly open for everyone regardless of gender.
Furthermore, I believe that if a company is able to implement home working or flexible-working policies, it would go great lengths in supporting women to continue their career successfully, with courage and confidence, while juggling both work and family commitments.
How do you personally push for diversity and equal pay in the construction sector? Are you involved in any groups/councils etc. that focus on increasing diversity and equal pay?
With my own drive to obtain my professional memberships, I am always happy to share advice with team members as to how they can also grow their occupations. I firmly believe we should be qualified and well experienced to provide the best advice and a proper service, to each other and our clients.
What advice would you give to a woman entering the GCC construction industry today?
Women should not be afraid to enter the construction industry. If you can prove and rightly demonstrate your capabilities, no-one can stop you from reaching the highest level of your career. Nothing is impossible. Trust yourself, understand your strengths and be aware of your weaknesses. While you are doing your job well, you will also be gaining the trust of others. This respect will help you succeed in your chosen career.