Sujatha Manoj - Technical Director & Geotechnical Services Leader, Australia, Beca

An advanced society is one where women do not have to choose between home and career and where they get the same opportunities that men with the same qualifications and capabilities get.
Sujatha Manoj, Technical Director & Geotechnical Services Leader, Australia, Beca

The one thing that irked me those days was the line saying “female candidates need not apply” in the ads of some engineering companies.

After graduating as a Civil Engineer from TKM Engineering College, my first challenge was to find a good job. In a city like Mumbai this was tough especially considering the fact that I had no previous work experience and had no one to give recommendations. In those days, the only way to find a job was through newspaper advertisements. But the one thing whichused to irk me was the line saying “female candidates need not apply” in some ads. This was common back then. I used to look for details of big companies from newspapers and the yellow pages, shortlist them and post my resume and follow up by phone calls.

Finally, I got an interview call from Cementation Company. After the interview, even though they told me that they will let me know the outcome, I used to go sit in their office reception for many days until I received the appointment letter. I still remember the feeling of euphoria as I walked to the then Victoria Terminus station from Churchgate with the appointment letter in my hand. My career had kick started.

My interest in Foundation Engineering and Geotechnical Designs drove me to acquire a master’s degree MTech and a PhD degree in Geotechnical Engineering from IIT Bombay.

When I joined Cementation company as a trainee, I was the only female Civil Engineer amongst all the young engineers. I was fortunate to work in a company that provided a great work environment and opportunities for growth. I travelled extensively and got the exposure and opportunities to deal with major clients and some significant projects. There were challenges at every step I took: most of the times I would be the only woman to be present in the meetings or at site visits. There were people with prejudiced minds but there were also great opportunities and great people with whom I got to work with. But every good and bad experience was a learning and a step forward.

I have developed an interest in Foundation Engineering and Geotechnical Designs, which drove me to subsequently acquire a master’s degree MTech and a PhD degree in Geotechnical Engineering from IIT Bombay.

Another challenge in later years was working in the oil and gas field, which again is a very male dominated field. During this time, an achievement that I am proud of was passing the tough offshore survival training and travelling to offshore islands. I was the only woman engineer in the team while visiting offshore Zirku and Das islands (off Abu Dhabi); in fact, I was the only woman on the entire island!

Gender equality mens providing equal opportunities to men and women.

It is true that in practical life, women often have to take more responsibilities in bearing and raising children and taking care of chores at home. Career becomes a second priority for most women when they do not have the support of family and partner, willing to share the domestic responsibilities. Lack of support makes it difficult for women to advance in their career. Women often are put in a situation where they will have to choose between a peaceful family life or a successful career.

An advanced society is one where women will not have to choose between home or career and get the same opportunities that men with the same qualifications and capabilities get. Gender equality is all about providing equal opportunities without discrimination against men and women, and not judging or being prejudiced against someone because of their gender or choice of career.

Women in a patriarchal society like India are often under social pressure to prioritize family over career.

What is wrong is that why such expectations are not raised for men, but only for women, even though educated women have the same set of skills and capabilities? The societal expectation for women to be the caregivers often instils a sense of guilt and self-doubt in them. When both men and women prioritize family responsibilities it does not become a burden only on women, and both get an equal opportunity to focus on their career and work towards their ambitions.

We, as a society, would have achieved gender equality when there is no longer a need to have such reservations. Girl child education and women empowerment in such a society would have ensured that there are enough and equal opportunities for women, without the need of such reservations. Women’s empowerment in such a society will also ensure that women and men share domestic responsibilities equally.

The encouragement and support that I received from my family have helped me tremendously in my professional journey. I pursued an MBA degree and then an MTech degree after my marriage and got a doctorate degree when my daughter was in school. There were very tough times, but I made it through with the support of my family, which I am grateful for.

Women engineers should keep a work- life balance in order to be successful in their career.

Reflecting on my professional journey, having faced gender discrimination as well as racial and colour discrimination during my employment abroad, my most significant lesson has been the importance of continuous learning, being better than the best in what you do, and being resilient on the face of any challenge.

To emerging women engineers and professionals, I would say that they should always believe in themselves, build a good support network, and not be afraid to take up challenges. Prioritize yourself always and keep learning and harnessing the power of knowledge. And keep a work and life balance to be successful in your career and in personal life and make an impact on society.