Julija Gruden – A Woman In a Construction World

Civil engineer Julija Gruden about her work: “It is important to be on the construction site, to work alongside them and to be strict enough. Otherwise, they don’t take you into account – both women and men.” Photo: Patrik Vašl

Already in high school, Julija Gruden was interested in technical work and she also worked in a facade company during the summer. When she enrolled in college, the decision to build was not a difficult one. “I was also thinking about law, but I found that my days would be more interesting if I worked on construction sites. I’d rather be outside and see what we’ve done at the end of the day.”

A few months of practice have lasted for more than six years

Since 2015 Julija has been living in the United Arab Emirates when she received an internship in Sharjah at the end of her studies. Although Sharjah is near Dubai, Julija says the Emirates is quite a different country. “It’s more conservative and a little cheaper. For the internship, they sent me a sheet of paper in the mail with information about which company it was and where to go. They didn’t even have a website, “she recalls. “I did not have high expectations, but I was immediately sent to work as an operational engineer on a new island as part of the Palm Deira Islands project, which was being built in Dubai. It was a great project. “

She remained with the company for just under two years, then got a job with one of Dubai’s high-rise construction builders and then with the multinational Hilti, where she worked as a field engineer. “Hilti sells not only tools but also engineering solutions. Among other things, I calculated how to properly re-install reinforcement in concrete, and worked on fire safety projects. In less than a year, I participated in about 250 projects in Dubai, including one of the most beautiful in the world, the newly opened Museum of the Future. “

Julija coordinated work on a third of the world exhibition

For several months, Julija also worked as a supervisor on the project of renovating the premises of the Slovenian Embassy in Abu Dhabi, and soon after came a call from the Expo. “Like probably most of the engineers here, I also needed to apply for this project. Initially, I got a job as a construction site coordinator and had control of a sixth of the Expo. Some countries just rented pavilions built by the Expo here, while others did their proper design and built it by themselves. I took care of the last ones, which means that each project was different and was built by a different team. Another ministry, other contractors, other supervisors.”

As Julia explains, she first gave introductory lectures to the teams, helped them obtain the necessary permits and then supervised the construction. “They gave us constructions schedules and we were obliged to stick to them and that the construction will be completed by the planned opening date. In construction, projects are often delayed, and the whole world was watching to see if everything will be built on time. We monitored progress on construction sites every day and solved problems on an ongoing basis. There was a lot of coordination and logistical challenges – hundreds of buses arrived in the morning, and then deliveries, containers, machines – when to deliver everything, where to place it, so as not to hinder the construction of neighbouring pavilions.”

Now, Julija is promoting Slovenian green solutions in the Emirates 

At the Expo, Julija also met representatives of the company Knauf Insulation from Škofja Loka, which built a green wall on the Slovenian pavilion and for which she works today. She is employed as Head of Technical Sales and Specifications in the field of green solutions. “Dubai is becoming greener and there are many opportunities to participate in various projects, and we are also opening the way to Saudi Arabia. Here we are looking for new projects, together with the team in Škofja Loka we make a design and then carry out the project. It’s great that I can work with Slovenians again.”

About construction sites, work, …

“If you’re a constructor in Dubai, you have to count on changes. Usually, you don’t stay in the same place for a long time, projects and teams change quickly. We need to adapt and move,” says Julija.

Asked about working days on the construction sites in Dubai, she replayed: “The working days are extended – we worked six days a week on the first construction sites, usually 10 hours, but usually more. We had five workdays at the Expo, nevertheless, we had to be always available. They used to have a weekend in Dubai on Friday and Saturday, but now they have fortunately moved it to Saturday and Sunday.”

Delays are often in Dubai and people need to be motivated otherwise, things can stop quickly, she explains. “It’s important to be on a construction site, to work alongside the workers and to be strict enough. Otherwise, they don’t take you seriously – both women and men.”

She also points out that there is usually nothing at the remote construction sites on islands or in the desert. It is necessary to prepare well, bring sufficient food and, especially, water. “In summer, you can’t find yourself outside without water. Here, temperatures can be above 50 degrees for several months. When you step outside, it’s like opening the oven. However, the body slowly gets used to it, and if you drink a lot, it is easier to survive.”

… And life in Dubai

The summer heat is one of the few things that bothers her in Dubai, as she loves living there, she says. “What I like most is the proximity to the sea and the fact that there is never a shortage of activity here. We have good restaurants, water parks, ziplines and other adrenaline adventures. My family and friends also visit me regularly, as air connections with Slovenia are getting better. ”That is why he remains, at least for now. “I didn’t think I would be in Dubai for that long. I always know that I will stay until the end of the project, and decide about the further steps later.”

Source: Finance. The complete article in Slovene is available here.