Building a stronger profession: insights from women driving change in the sector
With a key theme of #TogetherWeEngineer, Tehya Bruce-Allen, CICES Communications & Engagement Officer, spoke with several experts within the sector to cover their takes on ensuring equity is kept at the forefront of what we do when driving the sector forward while fostering collaborative conversations...
About the contributors...
- Nicole Metje is Professor of Infrastructure Monitoring at the University of Birmingham and Head of Enterprise, Engagement and Impact for the School of Engineering. She is also Director of the National Buried Infrastructure Facility (NBIF) within the UK Collaboratorium for Research on Infrastructure and Cities (UKCRIC), based at the University of Birmingham.
Her expertise focuses on civil engineering surveying and infrastructure monitoring, with a strong emphasis on inclusion and collaboration with industry and policymakers. Nicole is involved in advancing industry standards and best practices for underground asset management. Her work at the University of Birmingham highlights her leadership in research, innovation, and the practical application of new technologies to civil engineering challenges. - Cecelia Fadipe is Chair of the Multi-Disciplinary Steering Group and Director of CFBL Consulting, a specialist consultancy specialising in independent cost assurance audits on infrastructure projects and strategy advisory.
Her background encompasses lead roles across commercial, finance, and project controls. She is a qualified accountant, Fellow of CIMA-AICPA, Member of the Sustainability and R&D Committee, and a Guest Lecturer at University of Reading. She brings a wealth of expertise as a cost consultant and auditor. Her experience spans sectors such as rail, technology, defence, renewable energy, and electrification, where she has led audits on major complex energy and infrastructure projects, With a career in construction lasting two decades, Cecelia has contributed to prominent projects like HS2, Hinkley Point C, and Crossrail, equipping her with extensive knowledge and insights in this field. - Nina Young is Founder and CEO of Surveyors UK, a pioneering digital platform dedicated to uniting, empowering and elevating the UK surveying profession. As a Great British Entrepreneur Awards finalist, she leads efforts to connect surveyors, academia, and industry leaders, fostering a collaborative ecosystem that supports professional growth and knowledge-sharing.
Her background spans digital marketing, entrepreneurship and community building, with a focus on championing inclusion and breaking down silos within the surveying profession. Nina is an early adopter of AI and passionate about its potential to transform surveying practices. Through Surveyors UK, Nina will be providing resources, training, job opportunities and a supportive network for surveyors at every career stage, aiming to showcase the profession’s value and drive positive change
Now, let's dive in...
What does the theme #TogetherWeEngineer mean to you as a woman working in civil engineering surveying today?Cecelia Fadipe: #TogetherWeEngineer means adopting a culture of collaboration and inclusivity to drive innovation in construction. This is a call for true collaboration between diverse disciplines, people, professional backgrounds, gender and age groups. Technical excellence and commercial success can only be achieved when diverse perspectives combine to address today’s complex engineering challenges. #TogetherWeEngineer is about reshaping the built environment for emerging and future challenges.
Nicole Metje: This expresses clearly that through collaboration we can achieve more than the individual parts and engineer more successfully. This requires everyone to get involved, so matter the gender.
Can you share a recent project or initiative where collaboration between commercial and geospatial teams made a real difference?Cecelia Fadipe: By overlaying geospatial data with commercial cost records on a rail enhancement cost assurance review, we were able to pinpoint where and why non-value adding variations had occurred. This strengthened our audit trail and gave the client a transparent view of how commercial risks had materialised on site. Our findings directly influenced improvements to risk management, reporting structures and triggered a review of procurement practices on similar projects. It demonstrated how integrated, cross-disciplinary collaboration enhances commercial decisions on infrastructure projects.
In your experience, what are the biggest challenges still facing women in civil engineering surveying, and how do you see these changing?Cecelia Fadipe: A persistent challenge for women in civil engineering surveying is the broader issue, which is widely supported by evidence that women remain significantly underrepresented in key project governance structures, in technical advisory and leadership roles on high-value projects. While many women have the technical and commercial expertise to lead, they are often used to meet quotas or channelled into administrative support functions that limit their career progression and decision-making influence.
Nicole Metje: I think there are multiple aspects – firstly, civil engineering in the first place is often not that attractive as associated with the traditional ‘on site’ working which is perceived as hard and ‘dirty’. While significant advances have been made in civil engineering in general, I don’t think this is communicated well. Moreover, there are few universities that offer surveying at more advanced practices than using a level and total station. Thus, students are simply not aware of the breadth of civil engineering surveying – this applies to all genders. I think we need more role models who demonstrate the breadth and excitement of surveying.
What practical changes have you noticed in the industry or at your workplace to improve diversity and inclusion, especially around women?Cecelia Fadipe: At CFBL, we have taken deliberate steps to embed diversity and inclusivity into our internal work culture and into external project delivery on behalf of clients. This includes implementing inclusive recruitment practices, using diverse interview panels, and actively encouraging applicants from underrepresented backgrounds. We have established mentoring to support women transitioning into STEM, construction and infrastructure from fields like finance, risk and project management helping them develop in confidence, technical knowledge, and to build their professional network.
Across the wider industry, public sector and infrastructure clients are embedding EDI (Equality, Diversity and Inclusion) metrics into procurement frameworks, with bidders required to provide evidence of inclusive practices, workforce diversity, and social value delivery.
If properly governed, these requirements will create more equitable access to contracts for SME businesses.
Nicole Metje: There is a lot of emphasis on ED&I at university. A conscious effort is made to show role models and provide both male and female tutors or mentors. We have to be aware though that not too much load is placed on women in an effort to have more representation on committees or panels.
What do you hope to see from professional bodies like CICES and from government policy to better support women in surveying and engineering?Nicole Metje: Positive media campaigns that show the different facets of the disciplines including technological advances and different roles. Perhaps have more activities for 10-14 year olds to showcase the disciplines.
Cecelia Fadipe: I hope to see professional bodies like CICES take a more active role in building structured, long-term monitored systems for women, particularly those at mid-career or returning after a career break. Programmes focused on mentorship, technical training, and flexible re-entry pathways for retaining the skills and experience of women who may have stepped away due to caregiving responsibilities or systemic barriers. Performance of these initiatives should be reported, and they should be designed with flexibility, hybrid working, diverse women led mentoring, and access to industry wide placements.
The government can set the tone by embedding, monitoring and governing equity into procurement frameworks, rewarding inclusive delivery teams, requiring transparent workforce data, and linking funding to demonstrable progress on diversity and inclusion. Investment in infrastructure should also be evaluated through a gender equity lens, ensuring projects support a broader base of economic participation. If government and professional bodies align on these goals, they will create a more resilient and representative workforce across surveying and engineering that if fit for the future.
Nina Young: I’d like to see more support for career changers, returners, and those who didn’t follow a traditional path into the profession. Flexible entry points, mentoring, and progression routes are essential. We need to push the government and academia to introduce these roles at an early age in schools.
We also need to see more diverse, relatable stories of success, e.g. videos, podcasts, and real-world case studies. Campaigns that reflect real people and real challenges help women see that there is a place for them here, whatever their background.
Cecelia Fadipe: When I began my career, formal support structures were limited, especially for women navigating technical and commercial disciplines. Informal mentorship, through peers, line managers and more senior professionals, was critical in helping me develop. Now, I actively mentor women both within CFBL Consulting and externally, particularly those transitioning into infrastructure audit, cost assurance and commercial advisory roles. These one-to-one connections make a lasting impact and can bridge the confidence, access gap and barriers that many women encounter.
To expand these opportunities for others, industry bodies, academic institutions, and employers should invest in structured mentoring ecosystems, complete with training for mentors, matching processes, and ongoing support. Local in-person networking opportunities are vital for building community and sharing practical knowledge. Providing micro-grants or sponsorship for women-led initiatives, discussion groups, and regional networks could remove key barriers and amplify underrepresented voices. The more we invest in collective growth and peer-to-peer learning, the stronger and more inclusive the profession becomes.
Nicole Metje: No specific ones, but the University offers different leadership programmes and coaching which have been available to me.
Nina Young: The most valuable support I’ve had has often come from informal networks LinkedIn connections, small communities.. These spaces build confidence and create a sense of belonging.
A network and a mentoring directory are part of what I’m building with Surveyors UK. We also need to recognise and support grassroots, peer-led communities as much as formal mentoring schemes. Both have real power to connect and uplift. Surveyors UK brings this together into one independent, unbiased place - a community for all in the surveying profession.
What advice would you give to young women considering a career in commercial or geospatial civil engineering surveying?Nicole Metje: Find your own way – be interested in many different areas/fields and try new things if opportunities arise.
Cecelia Fadipe: Young women can begin by recognising the value they already bring; exuding confidence, showing interest, displaying critical thinking, and willingness to learn are powerful assets in this field where women are the minority. You do not need to have all the technical answers at the outset; what matters is your mindset and your drive to develop professionally. Civil engineering surveying is increasingly interdisciplinary, blending data, strategy, and systems thinking. If your interest is in commercial assurance or geospatial analysis, embrace opportunities to develop both in depth and breadth, seek for hands-on project experience, look for environments with opportunities for access to professional training, and lean into environments that stretch you. Surround yourself with mentors and champions who support your professional development and challenge you to become a leader.
This is a profession where precision, problem-solving, and resilience are just as important as fieldwork, and women are extremely capable of excelling here. As infrastructure becomes more data, AI enabled and strategically driven, increasingly there is the opportunity for more women leaders to reshape the future and trajectory of complex projects more sustainably.
Nina Young: Your voice matters, even if you’re starting out. You don’t need all the answers to make a difference. This industry needs new ideas, and your perspective can shape its future.
Don’t let titles or traditions deter you. There’s more variety and flexibility here than many realise. Ask questions, build your network, and don’t wait until you feel ready to start. Follow those leading in this space (LinkedIn is a good source); talk to those in the roles firsthand to find out what they truly involve.
Nicole Metje: I think that many students/apprentices don’t appreciate what is involved in civil engineering surveying. The profession and CICES could provide some informal lectures at universities/colleges, offer placements and information material.
Cecelia Fadipe: Data, AI and digitisation is reshaping the profession and creating opportunities to resolve the complex challenges this sector faces. Advances in automation, artificial intelligence, and remote data processing are reducing dependence on physical site work and increasing the demand for analytical thinking, risk modelling, and strategic oversight. These shifts create more inclusive pathways for women, particularly those with strengths in commercial thinking, systems analysis, and project governance. The growing convergence of digital tools, risks-based commercial decision means that women can shape critical aspects of infrastructure delivery without being confined to traditional roles.
The focus on governance, sustainability, social value, and climate resilience is creating a new wave of roles that prioritise collaboration, stakeholder engagement, and long-term planning, areas where women often bring unique insight and leadership.
Government procurement is also evolving, with greater emphasis on inclusive teams and equitable outcomes. Combined with more flexible work models and intentional talent development, these changes are helping to minimise systemic barriers and open up impactful opportunities for women across the civil engineering and surveying landscape.
Nicole Metje: Digitisation, robotics and automation is attractive to the next generation of engineers. Perhaps learning how to fly drones should be embedded in the school curriculum as is done in e.g. Singapore.
Cecelia Fadipe: Commercial and geospatial professionals can inspire the next generation by working collaboratively and intentionally as integrated teams, offering the next generation practical work experience to highlight how their collaboration leads to greater impact economic, engineering and environmental impact. Often, these roles are viewed separately, but when we highlight how spatial insights inform cost decisions or how commercial planning supports successful construction on site, we help future professionals understand the full picture. Co-delivering outreach initiatives, such as interactive workshops, industry talks, or mentoring programmes, demonstrates that civil engineering surveying is not only collaborative but also innovative and essential to building resilient sustainable communities.
Representation and collaboration are equally important. When young people see professionals from different disciplines working side by side across genders, backgrounds, and career stages, they are more likely to envision themselves in those spaces. Shared mentoring, joint storytelling, and inclusive engagement can break down misconceptions and show that engineering is not just about numbers or for a particular gender but about collaboration, purpose, and impact.
Cecelia Fadipe: I see diversity as a critical driver and enabler of innovation. At CFBL Consulting, I have embedded inclusive practices into how we recruit, train, and assign team members, ensuring that early-career professionals, especially women and those from underrepresented backgrounds, are actively supported through mentoring, meaningful project exposure, and leadership development. I make it a priority to involve them in critical discussions, from client briefings to governance reviews, so that inclusion starts with a culture of open communication, access to opportunities and visibility.
I use my role as Chair of the Multi-Disciplinary Steering Group for Cost Assurance and Audit on Infrastructure Projects and my audit and advisory roles to strongly advocate for diverse professional and multi-disciplinary representation across the infrastructure, engineering and construction ecosystems. I achieve this by championing and actively recommending diverse audit and commercial assurance delivery teams, discussion panels and though leadership key outputs. In addition, by embedding inclusive standards when I have been involved in procurement frameworks or when advising clients on how to embed sustainability governance and assurance in contracts. Finally, from data and lessons learned on past projects, government, clients and organisations must do more to govern this to ensure that controls being implemented in contracts are working as intended.
Nicole Metje: I always try and act as a role model showcasing the many different routes and career paths.
CICES SummaryIndustry and institutions need to continue working collaboratively to ensure that we're addressing key areas of improvement as well as reviewing current practices to ensure they stay up-to-date.
CICES is keen on recognising the importance of the actions and contributions of the Women's Network, chaired by Genna Rourke alongside the committee, the work of CICES HQ staff and CICES members to continue driving the industry forward in a way that is inclusive, equitable, diverse and fair.
For those looking to make a difference, reach out to Women's Network Chair, Genna Rourke, to get involved.
Submit your interest in participating in future campaigns directly to the CICES communications team by contacting Tehya Bruce-Allen in the first instance.
Interested in a broader view from the CEO of RIBA, Head of People at Lanes Group and Recruitment Director of Russell Taylor Group? Subscribe to our YouTube channel and keep an eye out for our webinar from today on equal pay, what organisations can do to become more inclusive and address areas of discussion around equitable pay.