Ingxoxo no-Emma Nicholson, BA, MSc, FCIOB, FIEMA, FWES, CEnv, FAPM, Umqondisi Osungule Wabesifazane Ekwakhiweni Okuqhubekayo Nempahla

UJackie De Burca
So I’d like to extend a warm welcome to Emma Nicholson. Emma, you’re a woman in construction with many letters after your name. Can you tell us what they mean and who you are professionally?

Ngo-2010, ube yi-Charter Environmentalist

Emma Nicholson
Sawubona Jackie. Yebo kunjalo. Ngakho nginesipiliyoni seminyaka engu-23 ku- imvelo eyakhiwe and have also worked in infrastructure. And since 2019, I’ve worked in the rail industry. In 2010 I became a charter environmentalist via the charters to building route. I’ve always worked in project management and this profession, I think, provides transferable skills. So I’ve always been able to transfer these skills, and I’ve also transferred them to the environmental sustainability sector.

Ngifundele iziqu ze-master in iphrojekthi yokwakha management at Southbank University, graduating in 2003. And I became a fellow of the Chartered Institute of Building in 2010, and also a fellow of the Institute of Environmental Management and Assessment. And then I became an Associate Fellow of the Women’s Engineering Society in 2020.

Futhi kulo nyaka, nginikezwe i-Fellowship ye-Association of Project Management. Futhi ubudlelwano bubonakala ngomsebenzi engiwenzile ngokomsebenzi eminyakeni engama-23, kanye nomsebenzi wokuzithandela wangaphandle kwesikole embonini. Ngakho ngokomsebenzi, ngisezingeni eliphezulu lokuphatha amaphrojekthi. Futhi ngingumphathiswa webhodi emabhodini amabili. Ngeluleka abesifazane abambalwa abasebasha, omunye ungusosayensi wezemvelo, kanti omunye ungumsizi womphathi wendawo.

Ufunde isiNgisi ekuqaleni

JB
Okay, I did notice your mentoring, let’s talk about that in a bit more detail, but later on. And also, I noticed when studying your profile, you originally studied English when you’re in uni, what inspired you to change into the path that you’re on today?

EN
Yebo, kunjalo. Ngakho idigri yami yokuqala yayingezincwadi zesiNgisi. Futhi ngajabulela kakhulu izifundo zami lapho ngifundela lezo ziqu. Izifundo engangizithanda kakhulu esikoleni kwakungezobuciko nesiNgisi, kunezibalo nesayensi. Futhi ngicabanga ukuthi ukwazisa izinkondlo zama-Victorian kanye nemidlalo ye-Shakespearean kwakuyinto enjalo ushintsho oluphelele kusuka ekwakhiweni izifundo engazithatha kamuva.

Well, years ago, back in the late 1990s, I was attracted by interior design and periodical journalism. And I worked for Elle Decoration Magazine for a couple of weeks. Then, I became an interior umsizi wokuklama wezakhiwo company. And I worked on high spec residential properties in London. And I guess this kind of sparked my interest in working on buildings. And I moved down into the built environment.

Ngakho ngangena embonini yezokwakha ngethuba lomsebenzi

So I came into the construction industry through a job opportunity that was advertised for a trainee role in London back in 1998. And the company took me on and agreed to sponsor me for a master’s degree in Construction, Project Management. So I studied one day a week and then worked the rest. And then I gained gradually- experience in different imikhakha yezokwakha imboni, ukusebenzela ama-consultants eLondon kanye Leeds njengokusebenza kanye nokusebenza emkhakheni wezokudayisa. Yilapho engaqala khona, ngabe sengisebenza emkhakheni wezohwebo, ezokungcebeleka, amagugu kanye nezemfundo, ezakhiweni zemfundo endaweni eyakhiwe.

Njengamanje uyiNxusa Lokusimama Lenhlangano Yemiklamo Enkulu

JB
Okay, that’s a very good, varied background. Now, amongst your many accomplishments, you’re currently a sustainability ambassador for the Amaphrojekthi Amakhulu Ukuhlangana. Ngicela, Emma, ​​usitshele kancane ngalokhu?

EN
Awu yebo. Ngiyabonga, Jackie. Yebo. Ngakho-ke ngaba yinxusa lokusimama kwe-Major Projects Association ngonyaka odlule nje. Futhi kunenqwaba yezinhlangano ezaziwa kakhulu ezingamalungu ezinkampani ze-Major Projects Association. Ngakho-ke inkampani yami yayiyilungu lebhizinisi. Futhi lapho ngibheka ku-inthanethi, ngabona ithuba lokuba inxusa lokusimama futhi ngimele inhlangano yami. Ngakho-ke ngibhalisele ukujoyina futhi kuvumela ukuxhumana namanye amanxusa okusimama avela kwezinye izinhlangano. Futhi endimeni yami, ngisekela i-Major Projects Association mayelana nolwazi lwami lokusimama lapho amathuba avela futhi ngimusha kule ndima.

Futhi ungusihlalo we-Women's Engineering Society Equality Diversity and Inclusion Specialist Interest Group

JB
Kulungile, kuhle kakhulu. Ngakho-ke phezu kwesiphithiphithi, angazi ukuthi uwathola kanjani wonke amahora osuku ukuze wenze lokho kanye okwenzayo njengamanje. Ngaphezu kwalokho, u-Emma, futhi ungusihlalo we-Women's Engineering Society Equality Diversity and Inclusion Specialist Interest Group. Yini ehilelekile kulokhu? Futhi lokhu kusho ukuthini kuwe?

EN
Yebo, impela. Hhayi-ke, ngingumphathiswa webhodi leNhlangano Yobunjiniyela Babesifazane. Ngibe ngumphathiswa webhodi ngonyaka odlule. Futhi ngasekuqaleni kwalo nyaka, ngavuma ukuzinikela ukuze ngisekele le nhlangano esiza abantulayo ekumiseni ukungalingani kweqembu elithakaselwayo, ukufakwa kwezinhlobonhlobo, futhi lalidingeka njengenye yezinhloso zenhlangano esiza abantulayo. Ngakho-ke lena indima- ithuthukiswa ngokuqhubekayo ngokuba sephaneli labaluleki be-CIB. Ngakho-ke futhi ngisephaneli lokweluleka le-Chartered Institute of Buildings EDI. Ngakho ngase ngithole ulwazi oluncane ngaphambi kokuthatha le ndima. Futhi indima neNhlangano Yezobunjiniyela Yabesifazane ibandakanya amakhono obuholi.

Futhi okwamanje, ngithuthukise imicimbi ethile, ngokwesibonelo, umcimbi omayelana nokuhlukahluka kwezinzwa, kanye namaseshini ambalwa okuqeqesha amahhala eNhlangano Yezobunjiniyela Yabesifazane. Ngiphinde- ngokuphathelene nale ndima, kufanele ngenze uhlu lwemibuzo olufushane lwe-EDI ukuze ngikhuphukele kumalungu e-Women's Engineering Society. Futhi lokho kukanye nabanye besifazane abambalwa abangamalungu e-WES, futhi ababambe iqhaza eqenjini labathakazelayo. Futhi sivumile ukusungula amaqembu okugxilwe kuwo ezindabeni zezihloko ze-EDI ezinjengobandlululo, ukuchema, i-STEM Returners nezinye izindaba eziphathelene nezihloko ze-EDI.

Ngakho-ke le ndima ibaluleke kakhulu ku-WES, i-Women's Engineering Society, njengoba isiza ukuqinisekisa ukuthi ukuhlukahluka kufakwe ngaphakathi enhlanganweni esiza abantulayo. Futhi, ekugcineni, nangaphandle. Ngethemba, iqembu elikhethekile le-EDI lizobandakanyeka mhlawumbe emikhankasweni. Kodwa impela, saqala ukwenza ikhalenda le-EDI ukuze sazi- izinsuku zokuqwashisa unyaka wonke wekhalenda. Futhi ngicabanga ukuthi lokhu bekubaluleke kakhulu kimina njengoba kungivumela ukuthi ngiqambe, ngisekele abanye, futhi ngibonise amakhono ami obuholi. Futhi ngicabanga ukuthi kubalulekile, ukwabelana ngolwazi kanye nokuqwashisa ngezindaba ze-EDI nabanye besifazane beNhlangano Yobunjiniyela Babesifazane.

Ngagxila kakhulu esihlokweni se-neurodiversity

JB
Yebo. Ngisho, kuzwakala- ngigxile kakhulu ku- usho okuningi ngempela, kuleyo mpendulo. Kepha ngagxila kakhulu esihlokweni se-neurodiversity, engiyithola ithakazelisa kakhulu.

EN
Yes. I’ve raised hopefully awareness, just yesterday organised an event with a couple of presenters, and one of the presenters from that was from the National Autistic Society. And I think it kind of raises awareness with regards to the importance of making neurodiverse people feel welcome, and to get the best of their abilities within the workplace so that they can operate to their 100% potential, rather than at say, 70%. So yeah, I mean, it’s certainly- there was some interesting discussion and debate and q&a afterwards.

Futhi ngicabanga ukuthi enye yezinto eyaphakanyiswa ukuthi empeleni abantu bagcwalise ifomu lesicelo somsebenzi. Futhi ngeshwa, icala liwukuthi abantu abaningi abane-dyslexia noma i-autism, ngeke babeke uphawu ebhokisini ngoba bangase bangawutholi- banomuzwa wokuthi bangase bangawutholi umsebenzi, noma bangase bangabheki isicelo. Ngakho lokho kuyinto evamile. Futhi uma sebesemsebenzini, bazokhuluma nomphathi wabo, noma ngabe yini bese ngethemba lokuthi bazosekelwa.

Usungule Abesifazane Kwezokwakha Okusimeme kanye Nezakhiwo

JB
Kuyathakazelisa kakhulu lokho. Ngisebenze iminyaka eminingi enkampanini ekhiqiza amavidiyo, futhi umphathi wami wayengakwazi ukufunda kahle futhi engumuntu onethalente elikhulu, kanye nomunye wabanye abantu abasebenza lapho. Ngakho kuyathinta nje. Yebo, cabanga ngezingxoxo obuzoba nazo ngemva kwayizolo, ama-Q akho nama-A. Kuyisihloko esikhulu kangaka, Emma, ​​futhi wena wasungula Women in Ukwakhiwa Okuqhubekayo and Property. And you’ve also organised events on healthy buildings, smart cities, again, diversity and inclusion. What do you feel you’ve achieved so far, with this up to date?

EN
Yeah, sure. So I founded Women in Sustainable Construction and Property on my own back in 2011, as a LinkedIn group. And the purpose for this was mainly because I wanted to network with women in the built environment who had sustainable professional backgrounds. When I worked in London, I also set up a steering group with WSCP, which is Women in Sustainable Construction and Property. It’s shortened to WSCP and we organise really fantastic events. And the one that particularly stands out to me was a speed networking event that was organised with students at UCL University. I don’t know how we achieved it around our day jobs, but it’s such hard work but we arranged for 17 professionals from all kinds of backgrounds and managed to get a female electrician to speed network.

And then we arranged for 100 students, including UCL students to attend. And then we also had representatives from seven institutes which had stalls all around. And then we also arranged for inspirational speakers such as Roma Agrawal, who works for WSP, I believe. She’s an associate structural engineer. She presented and also, we got London & Quadrant Housing to sponsor the event. So we went on to organise many events on as you mentioned on healthy buildings and smart cities, and many of these I did on my own when I moved up to Leeds as well. Sorry, back up to North Yorkshire in 2013. And this LinkedIn group’s now has over 1340 members.

And last year, I set up Women in Sustainable Rail around on LinkedIn, because I kind of moved into railistry, and I wanted to see more events on to do with the focus on sustainability. There are Women in Rail, which is a proper organisation. This is just a LinkedIn group. But this LinkedIn group’s growing, men and women are welcome as well to join this and it’s now 70 members. And just this year, I’ve organised events on sustainability and diversity inclusion topics with various organisations from Natural England Network Rail, Vattenfall and Smartworks, and a number of other companies as well. Mainly because I’m passionate about sustainability, and I just want to share knowledge. And I also enjoy networking too.

JB
Kulungile. Ngiqonde ukuthi leli qembu kusobala ukuthi mina nawe sahlangana kanjalo ngenxa yamaqembu eniwasungule.

EN
Yebo.

Uyini-ke umbono wakho ngabesifazane abasakha eminyakeni eyi-10 kuye kwengama-20 ezayo

JB
Ngakho uyini umbono wakho kwabesifazane ekwakheni phezu elandelayo 10 ukuze 20 iminyaka, ake sithi, Emma?

EN
Kulungile. Yebo, ngisho, iminyaka eminingi- Yebo. Ngesikhathi ngijoyina lo mkhakha, eminyakeni engama-20 edlule, kwakungavamile ukubona abesifazane befundela ukwakha. Ngithanda ngempela ukubona abesifazane abaningi befunda ukwakha, ukusimama. Ngingathanda ukubona abesifazane abaningi bezokwakha ezikhundleni zobuholi. Futhi ngicabanga ukuthi amamodeli wesifazane akhuthazayo anganika amandla abesifazane namantombazane amancane, futhi ngethemba lokuthi ahehe abesifazane abaningi kulo mkhakha.

Futhi ngingathanda ukubona izinhlangano eziphethwe abantu besifazane eziphumelele kakhulu kwezokwakha, futhi ngibone nama-CEO wesifazane ezinhlangano ezinkulu zokwakha. Ngicabanga ukuthi kunabesifazane abaningi abenza amagagasi amakhulu ngempela embonini kanye nomehluko ngoba kusobala ukuthi bathole i-niche yabo. Futhi ukwakha kuyimboni yokubuka amadoda, abanye besifazane ngaphakathi bangase bazizwe bengenakho ukuzethemba noma badinga ukuqeqeshwa nokuqondiswa, kanye nokuthuthuka kokuzikholelwa. Futhi ngicabanga ukuthi izinhlangano zidinga ukubasekela ngokugcwele ukuze bathuthukise amakhono abo aphezulu kanye nokusebenza kahle kakhulu. Futhi kwakukhona ikhava enhle ngempela yabesifazane abasakhayo kumagazini wemenenja yezokwakha ye-CRB ngoMashi kulo nyaka. Kepha ngicabanga ukuthi kusekuningi okufanele kwenziwe ngokwekhwalithi, ukwehlukahlukana, ukufakwa, kanye ne-COVID. I-COVID-19 ayizange isize abesifazane abaningi, ikakhulukazi kuye kwadingeka ukuthi mhlawumbe bathathe izihlalo ezingemuva, ngokwemisebenzi yomndeni, nokufunda ekhaya. Kungenzeka ukuthi abanye besifazane bakhululiwe noma benziwa bangasebenzi ngenxa ye-COVID futhi. Ngakho lokho kuwuhlobo lokubeka abesifazane emuva kancane. Futhi-ke, sinegebe elilinganayo lomholo lobulili, okuwukuthi futhi, uhlobo lolunye udaba okufanele futhi silunqobe, imboni nayo idinga ukuyinqoba.

JB
Kuningi kabi okufanele kwenziwe, kusobala.

EN
Yebo. Yebo.

Futhi uzizwa kanjani ukuthi abesifazane bangenza umehluko ekwakheni okusimeme, ikakhulukazi, u-Emma?

JB
Kodwa okungenani uyazi, umsebenzi obuwenza, futhi ngokusobala, inqwaba yabanye abantu besifazane, usuvele wenza umehluko omkhulu. Futhi uzizwa kanjani ukuthi abesifazane bangenza umehluko ukwakhiwa okusimeme, ikakhulukazi, u-Emma?

EN
Ngicabanga ukuthi kufanele ubheke ezinye zezinkanyezi ezisafufusa ngempela ukusimama maqondana nesakhiwo umagazini, isibonelo, kanye nemiklomelo eminyakeni edlule ukubona ithalente labesifazane laphaya. Futhi ngicabanga ukuthi baningi abesifazane abangena izimboni zokwakha ngokusebenzisa okukhethekile noma ukusimama, futhi kuyadingeka ngempela maqondana nokushoda kwamakhono emkhakheni kanye nesidingo sokufinyelela imigomo ebekiwe uhulumeni nezimboni eziyicelayo.

Abesifazane baletha amakhono ahlukahlukene eqenjini futhi benza umehluko omkhulu amathimba wephrojekthi. Futhi ngicabanga ukuthi abesifazane bayakhuphuka ezindimeni zokusimama embonini yezakhiwo kanye nengqalasizinda. Ngisho, izikhungo ezifana ne-Chartered Institute of Building, i-IEMA, kanye ne-Association of Project Management- ukuthi zisekela abesifazane ohambweni lwabo. Futhi ngicabanga ukuthi, Imidlalo yama-Olympics ka-2012 yase-London, ama-Olympics kanye ne-Paralympic Games ihlanganisa ithimba labasebenzi abahlukahlukene kanye nethimba elizinzile lendawo- iningi labo bekungabesifazane, futhi bengiyingxenye yalokho njengomphathi wendawo yokusimama.

Futhi kukhona abanye ngokumelene nabesifazane benza amagagasi amakhulu, amakhulu. Isibonelo, u-Amie Shuttleworth ukubala abambalwa, u-Kirsty Henson we-KLH Sustainability, onebhizinisi lakhe, u-Sue Riddlestone OBE nabanye abaningi. Kepha izinkampani zidinga ukukhuthaza ukuthuthuka kwemisebenzi kwabesifazane, amaholo alinganayo namathuba, isipiliyoni somsebenzi. Futhi, a indawo yokusebenza enobulungiswa kanye nokususa noma yikuphi ukucwaswa kwamanje futhi kuguqulwe imibono embonini yethu.