DC PRO Engineering, a UAE-based consultancy, has marked the International Women’s Day by encouraging more women to take the lead in the region’s construction and engineering sector, insisting the booming industry needs them.

According to recent findings of the Pinsent Masons’ GCC Construction Survey, overall sentiment in the region’s construction sector has improved by approximately seven per cent. The findings show that the UAE is still the GCC’s leading market and expected to record growth in 2018, with 38 per cent of respondents forecasting new opportunities this year, compared with 35 per cent in 2016.

And with Expo 2020, Dubai just over two years away, the sector is set to continuing growing, opening new opportunities for both graduates and experienced industry professionals. However, while the UAE is leading the way with female empowerment, there remains a shortage of women in the engineering and construction sector.

Karen Saliba, mechanical engineer at DC PRO and chair of the Young Engineers in ASHRAE (YEA) Committee for the ASHRAE Falcon Chapter in UAE, said women should take advantage of the opportunities available to play a crucial role in helping to build and engineer the future.

“The industry is evolving and there are numerous opportunities available for women to get ahead and have a significant positive impact on the future of engineering and construction. The more women we have across the full spectrum of the industry (the more the industry) will benefit and encourage more women to pursue a career in construction and engineering,” said Saliba.

“With ASHRAE establishing a training centre in Dubai in 2017, the first ASHRAE training centre outside of Society Headquarters in Atlanta, Georgia, USA, we see the UAE as a hub for engineers to excel.

“The UAE government is making great strides in female empowerment across industry and society and we see women having a supremely bright future in shaping the construction industry, in line with the country’s goals.

“At DC PRO, we strive to encourage more women into the profession. Currently 20 per cent of our operations team is female, and that will continue to grow,” she added.

The latest BNC UAE Construction Analysis report, published in November 2017, highlights the opportunities available in the industry, with findings showing the value of active construction projects in the UAE standing at $818.2 billion (Dh3 trillion). This accounts for 33 per cent of the total value and 52 per cent of all construction activity in the GCC. All active construction projects in the GCC amount to a staggering $2.43 trillion (Dh8.91 trillion).

DC PRO Engineering is a world leader in the fields of district energy, co-generation and tri-generation. The firm is also a renowned sustainability leader in green building MEP (mechanical, electrial and plumbing) designs. – TradeArabia News Service