Interview with Janina (25), technical system planner in construction/static engineering in the PC Engineering within the Overhead Line Construction business unit.
Janina completed her training as technical system planner with our colleagues in mobile telephony. What particularly interested her there was seeing projects through from A to Z. As a design engineer in overhead line construction, she now only works on partial projects. Nonetheless, she did not hesitate when the opportunity arose to do something new. Aside from her work, the 25-year-old is currently completing her construction engineering degree in the area of structural engineering and additionally pursues further education in project management, business administration and controlling. Janina also has a relaxed outlook on the challenge of being one of just a few women who work in the male-dominated field of steel construction. The main thing is that she loves the work she does and enjoys the fact that it is challenging.
Janina, how did you come to choose your profession?
I was always interested in all things technical. During my childhood, I always preferred handling tools to playing with Barbie dolls and I enjoyed doing handicrafts together with my father. I did my one-year internship for my technical college qualification as a draftsman at a family-owned steel construction company. This is also when I made my decision to pursue training as a technical system planner in steel and metal construction technology, and I started working for EQOS Energie.
Is it difficult to hold your ground as the only female design engineer in this male domain?
No, I don’t feel it is difficult at all. There are quite a number of technical system planners at our company but not in construction. When I drive out to the tower locations or to construction sites, I am usually the only woman, but I don’t mind working in a predominantly male industry. The work is excited and interesting to me, which is why that isn’t a problem. Sometimes the tone is a bit rougher but I am quick-witted (she laughs). My colleagues don’t take me more or less seriously than themselves, and that is important to me. The collaboration works well.
Do you approach tasks differently from your colleagues?
When it comes to technical drawings, everybody has their own style. When engineers and draftsmen within a given project know each other, as is the case here, everybody knows immediately who did the drawing. However, in the end, the results are identical. Within our team, we maintain a vivid exchange and support each other during those kinds of projects another colleague has not done before. If one of us has a different approach or knows how a task can be implemented well, this knowledge is shared with the other colleagues.
I enjoy tinkering a bit and trying to understand the difficulties.
What are the situations in which you become aware that you chose the right profession?
It may sound crazy, but I always notice when I run into constructive difficulties. I enjoy tinkering a bit and trying to understand the difficulties. Once I find a solution, I feel great. The pathway that leads to the solution and thinking about it is what I like. It is likely this kind of challenge that I find so exciting about my profession.