Don’t let your gender put down your dreams

Simple technical tasks like changing a bulb is a challenge to some women. That is why some do not even imagine attending an engineering class.

But not for Cynthia Cherema Mkabane, 25. This is what she does and enjoys doing every day. She graduated with a degree in Electricals and electronics engineering.

For about five months, Ms Mkabane has worked as a management trainer – electricals and electronic engineering at Doshi & Co. (Hardware) Ltd. She is the only female engineer in the company working with ten men with the same job description.

“I have a long list of responsibilities. My work includes technical and a little paper work. For instance, I am tasked with understanding and interpreting manuals on how to set and operate equipment, like controllers, breakers, drives, thermal overloads, how to connect them.

I also to resolve unexpected technical problems like heaters, motor and pump malfunction and controller settings. This is apart from, maintaining standards of safety and complying with the company’s health and safety management systems requirements.

General electrical

My work also includes researching and testing manufacturing and assembly methods, creating a preventive maintenance schedule for machines in the company, maintenance, repair and installation of electrical machines, and general electrical tasks such as motor trending and control panel monitoring.

What’s more? I interpret machine electrical diagrams and building electrical blueprints, as well as suggesting changes in working conditions, and use of equipment to increase efficiency of machines.

It is manual work and I would be lying if I said it is easy. Most of the work is not automated, thus requires a hands on person. There’s rarely a time you’ll find me in the office. I’m always on the floor, mostly handling breakdowns.

It’s hard to differentiate between mechanical engineering and an electric engineering. The mechanical side involves, welding, grinding, fabrication of various things, before doing the electrical jobs. At times you’re expected to handle both, and that’s where challenges arise.

Male colleagues

It is tough at times, some male colleagues would imagine that you’re like a flower, thus you can break. You have to show them that you’re focused. At first, people focus on your brains. It becomes a problem when they focus on your strength, especially when handling heavy machinery.

But you have a team and whenever there’s a problem, you get assistance, and that’s when it becomes important to have a rapport with your male colleagues.

I relate with my female colleagues too. There are women in other departments like sales, and human resource (HR). We do relate workwise, for instance, if there is a client who requires products, you have to relate with sales, and if you have work-related issues, then HR steps in.

I do spend a lot of time with my female colleagues. This is because of the nature of my work, I interact with men especially in the work setting - nearly ten hours a day.

When I joined the company in April, it wasn’t easy at first. The first time I met some of my female colleagues from other departments was in the washroom.

I was lost

Many seemed shocked, meeting this small bodied lady wearing the engineering attire; a helmet, overall, safety boots and electrical gloves, and also armed with equipment like pliers, testers, meter, spanners, grinders and a drill just but to name a few.

The male colleagues also seemed amazed. They advised me to go the office, thinking I was lost. Maybe it is due to the stereotype that ladies don’t do such jobs.

Though they embraced me after some time. The reaction didn’t come to me as a surprise because while still in university, I remember I was one of only six female students in a class of nearly 90.

When I went back in Fourth Year after a short break, only 12 ladies out of 112 students were there. Gender disparity has been the least of my challenges.

Prestigious career

Engineering is an extremely prestigious career, but it also comes with sacrifices. The nature of this job requires one to be comfortable, thus as a woman, you’re forced to give up a lot of things in to succeed.

In my case, there isn’t time for perceived girlish things. I’ve had to say no to dresses, high heels, make-up and fancy hairdos when going to work. Most of the time you find me in jeans, canvas shoes, T- shirts and hoodies; not a pleasant site for many I’d guess.

Of course, at times I miss wearing dresses looking girlish, but looking at the bigger picture, I realise I’m doing something I love; something that encourages me to wake up and go to work.

I consider myself some kind of a tom boy, because there are things girls do, that I find tedious like wearing make-up.

But I still have that girlish side deep inside me. There are times I wear dresses, do my nails and even splash some make-up here and there.
My boyfriend who is also an engineer, doesn’t make a fuss on whether I wear make-up or not.

My message to other ladies; don’t let your gender put down your dreams of wanting to do what you love, no matter the challenges.”