2016. February 10.
In our new series we will show the everyday life of civil engineers working in different fields, to help the to-be and present university students see what opportunities does a civil engineer have.
The first interview of the series is readable HERE and the second is HERE.
Viktoria Olah is a really girly and very young woman, so it is sure that she caused a few surprise, when it came to light that she was working on the implementation of FTC stadium and now working on a Swimming pool complex for Swimming World Championship 2017. But among others this interview is made to showdown with prejudice and show that a woman can also prevail in this business, even in implementation.
How did you became a civil engineer? Which direction did you choose as a university student?
As many others, I tried to get in the Faculty of Architecture first, but I failed. Thence I am happy it happened this way. When I had to choose a specialization, I’ve started to interest in structural engineering, and I deal with that at this moment to, not the designing part, but implementation.
How does your career developed so far?
First I was an intern at Hilti, who deal with engineering and consulting over the well-known tools sale. Then I went to Questor, where I built hotels as a project manager and I took part in the building of Győri ETO Hotel. After that I’ve started working at Market, where I am now.
What is the biggest project you took part in?
I was working at Market on building the FTC stadium, which was a huge project. The best feeling is moment when the building is ready. Especially, when it is that huge.
What do you exactly do now, how does your workday look like?
I am a preparatory engineer, which means, that I spend most of my time in the office, but 1 or 2 days a week I’m on the ground. At the office my tasks are competiting, contracting, certificates of completion, on the ground I make mensurations, check and supervise the work.
It is not hard to succeed as a woman on the building site?
First it is not easy, you have to earn the respect, but if you do your job good enough, it doesn’t matter if you are a woman or man.
Let’s talk about money, can you earn well as a civil engineer?
Now I can say that it was worth to choose this profession, regarding the wage too. As a beginner, you earn less, of course, but you can make do on it. Then you shouldn’t presume on huge raise, and go forward slowly on the echelon, and later you get a really good wage.
Which qualities are the most important to work in implementation as a civil engineer?
I think problem-solving is the most important, you have to react to the problems arise, arrange, make, phone calls. You have to be speedy and precise, and find the balance between these two, because none of them can go to the expense of another. This is the hardest, but also the most exciting part of the job.