South Africa’s pioneering lady civil engineers, Civil Engineering August 2024

In 2023 I was asked whether I was the most senior female civil engineer in South Africa. I knew I was not and quickly jotted down several names in response, but I did not know much about their careers and challenges. I have since spent many interesting hours tracking down female civil engineers, aged 70 in 2024 and older. Their amazing stories are captured in the article published in the August 2024 edition of the SAICE Civil Engineering Magazine.

Their career advice is valuable for all:

• Be honest & cheerful & believe in yourself
• Be prepared to ask & learn at all times, be open to new ideas & keep up with technology
• Be organized, set clear objectives & build strong relationships
• Be enthusiastic about all tasks, be prepared to work hard & go the second mile
• Be an active member of voluntary association(s) to share knowledge, learn & expand your network
• Strive to be the best – ‘the better you are the more you will be needed’