In conversation with Renii Onadipe
“You are making a change in the world, whether it be through the design or the actual construction of a building.”
-Renii Onadipe
In honour of International Women in Engineering Day (IWIED), we have a series of eye-opening interviews with inspiring women currently working in the engineering sector.
Image: Renii Onadipe
Renii Onadipe is a Civil Engineer from London working for Costain. She is currently working on one of the most demanding and exciting transport projects in Europe: High Speed 2 (HS2). Some of her previous projects include large infrastructure projects such as Crossrail and Thames Tideway.
What project are you working on now, and what’s your role?
Assistant Design Manager on High Speed 2 .
What does an average day at work look like?
Busy – lots of meetings, reviewing drawings and documents from the designers.
How did you get into the industry?
By accident. I wasn’t sure what I wanted to do in year 13 and my form tutor said as I liked the environment that environmental engineering might be a good option – it was something she heard on the radio. I saw courses for Civil and Environmental Engineering on UCAS and so I applied.
What do you love about the construction industry?
It is inspiring. I recently read about an amazing construction project: “Playpumps International, which provides water pumps for African villages… Children play on a merry-go-round, and as they do so water is pumped from the ground for storage in an elevated tank.”
What is the biggest misconception about construction?
People think everyone that works in construction is male and looks like Bob the Builder, and any females that are in the industry are very tomboyish.
What’s the funniest story you have of your workplace?
The funniest thing you'll find out is going home on a Monday or Tuesday after work is not the norm. Friday pub nights are every night in construction!
If you could change anything about the industry what would it be?
The way we explain what we do. It never sounds interesting when people speak about it. I feel that it only attracts people who are intrigued by concrete or very technical. We should make it more fun and use simple English!
Would you recommend the construction industry to a young person, and why?
It’s so much fun when you are working with a good team and like-minded people. You are making a change in the world, whether it be through the design or the actual construction of a building.
