#WomenExcel: Perspectives from a project manager in China
Although I grew up in northeast China, familiar with the rolling hills that surrounded us, when I received an offer from Hahn-Meitner Institute to study railway materials in Berlin, Germany, I jumped at the opportunity. I later graduated with my Ph.D. in material science and engineering from Berlin Technical University, and landed my first job — at AECOM. I was drawn in immediately during my interview, where I felt free to speak English slowly enough to comfortably express myself. This unforgettable interview, among other things, was what made me choose to work at AECOM, and I haven’t regretted that decision.
I have been working at AECOM for more than 11 years as a project manager in the engineering, procurement and construction management department of the infrastructure group. I chose this career path because I believe it is challenging, and allows me to interact with diverse groups of people, solve a variety of complex problems and learn various skills.
Frankly, it is not easy for a woman to work in the construction industry, where the majority of employees on construction sites are men. There were also a lot of adjustments I made that men on site didn’t have to consider such as not being able to wear skirts or short trousers when working on site. I even kept my hairstyle shorter due to the pressing of the safety helmet.
However, the minor inconveniences were worth it because the practical working experience helped me to develop a powerful inner strength and increase my technical knowledge. I’m so thankful that AECOM has so many excellent technical engineers who have given me strong and timely support whenever I required it. Mainly, I would like to thank two senior discipline engineers — William Zhang, a heating, ventilation and air conditioning engineer, and Blade Chen, an electrical engineer. They are both reliable and always ready to provide any technical professional advice I need.
Looking back at the past 11 years growing up with AECOM as it expanded, I really feel a deep appreciation for the company. I have been able to work with managers who trust me and continue to provide me with opportunities to further develop myself. For example, I have been placed on various projects, developing my skills in clean room management, building design management, process design management, procurement management, construction management and environmental assessment support. AECOM has also given me many opportunities for internal and external training. For example, I received my project manager certificate in 2007 and became a LEED Accredited Professional in 2009.
I enjoy the working atmosphere of the company, and the diverse challenges and facets of each project. This is why I have been working at AECOM for such a long time. As I am now living and working in AECOM’s office in Suzhou, China, which has a mainly flat landscape, I still find the time to take my seven-year-old son to explore any hills we discover during our free time.
What do you enjoy most about working at AECOM? Comment below, and be sure to use the #WomenExcel hashtag when you share this post on Twitter, Google+ or Facebook.
Lisa Wang is based in China, and works at AECOM as a project manager for engineering, procurement, and construction management projects. She has had several articles published in Material magazine.