Oana Duta is a graduate architectural technologist with Ardmac since 2022.
Where are you from & now based:
Bucharest, Romania. I grew up in Toronto Canada and am now working in Dublin.
Tell us about your first job in the industry?
This is my first job in the industry as I only graduated about 1.5 years ago. There have proven to be a lot of learning experiences which I hope to implement to become better in my current role.
Best advice you’ve received to date?
The only limitation to your success is yourself. My mother instilled that in me from early childhood. I consider it the best advice as through out life there are many challenges, some of which, at times, you feel you can’t overcome. It is in those moments that my mother’s advice helped me to find a solution by looking at the issue at hand from a different perspective.
Your advice to women considering a career in the construction industry?
The industry can be challenging, but also rewarding. At times, when overwhelmed, or stressed, it helps to take a breather and look at how far you’ve come already, and how far you can still go if you wish it. It is an industry with lots of room for growth and learning opportunities, so for anyone who is willing and wanting to keep learning outside of a school setting, it is a good industry to join.
What’s the biggest change you think would benefit women in the industry?
The biggest change that I think would benefit women in the industry is rather then it being presented as male dominant all the time, to have it presented as gender neutral as anyone can join the industry and have a fulfilling career within.
What projects are you most excited by?
The smaller ones as there is never any time to get bored of them because its done and you can move on to the next project fairly quickly.
What digital tools or technology are you embracing to get work done?
Revit, Navisworks, Word, Excel, Bluebeam, and AutoCad.
What did you learn from your biggest mistake?
To slow down and double check my own work. It is better to be a day late with a deadline rather then on time with something done wrong.
Who’s your role model and why?
My mother. She is a project manager in an engineering firm back in Canada and she has always been a positive example of what hard work and motivation can achieve.
Proudest moment to date?
When one of the first projects I worked on was completed and all the information sent to site was done well enough that there were no questions that came my way.
What’s your passion when you’re not at work?
Spending time with my family and friends. As I grow older, I no longer find passion in things I do but in the people I decide to share my life with.
What do you enjoy most about your job?
That I work on cleanrooms which aid in the production of medicines which can help many people.
How does Ardmac support you in your career?
Ardmac is the start of my career and I can see myself growing within the company to have a long and fulfilling career.
Is the construction industry changing, are there more roles opening up to women?
I’m not sure if it is the industry that is changing or that there are more women willing to do the jobs within the industry. There are plenty of jobs available to both men and women in the industry, but I think most women tend to not want to enter the construction industry as it is thought of as a male dominated industry, which it is, but it doesn’t have to be.
