Women engineers flourish in a male-dominated field
Estie van Zyl is a plant manager at the Gyproc plasters factory
What does a plant manager do?
She assumes responsibility for all operational and technical aspects of the site, leading the team to deliver continuous improvement in processes and procedures.
I also oversee personnel, so I need to motivate, train and influence others. I also need critical thinking, decision-making, time management and problem-solving skills.
What has it been like being the first female plant manager in the Saint-Gobain Sub-Saharan African delegation?
Gender lines are blurring, with new posts in male-dominated fields increasingly being filled by women.
It has been a great opportunity for me to show other women that if you have the right skills, knowledge and standards coupled with the required work experience, doors will open. There are no limits to what we can achieve. There are now many more aspiring young female engineers working towards opportunities in management roles specifically in the operations space.
What drew you to become an industrial engineer?
Industrial engineers design, test, implement and manage a wide range of machine systems for the delivery of production and services. Organisational matters that require optimisation include site selection and layout of facilities, manufacturing, inventory control, materials handling, supply chain management, quality management, cost control, financial services, maintenance, reliability, computer simulation, information systems, human resources and business law.
Thus industrial engineering has a wide range of opportunities. You can work in any industry or field and still be able to add value as an industrial engineer. It is never boring or monotonous. I enjoy challenges and working with people, so this was ideal for me.
What drew me to manufacturing was the visible safety awareness and culture at SaintGobain Gyproc and the opportunity to start my journey in world-class manufacturing practices. For me, these areas were exciting, and I wanted to develop understanding of the theory and practicalities in this sector.
Do you find your work meaningful?
Yes. Being people-oriented and fostering employee development is one of my strongest attributes. I believe in focusing on people and skills development, without which a plant cannot be successful. My role gives allows me this focus .
What did you want to be when you were a child?
I wanted to be a medical doctor. Initially, after school, I obtained a degree in diagnostic radiography from the University of Pretoria. After completing that, I weighed up the options of becoming a doctor or an engineer; I decided to pursue a career in engineering with the aim initially of combining my medical background with engineering.
Sometimes what you plan and opportunities that come your way are not the same, but I’m happy how my career has progressed.
What is the best career advice you’ve ever received, and who gave it to you?
Set the standards — then others will follow you. This valuable advice was from my previous operations manager, Donagh Nolan.