1st PART: Woman’s history comprehension/understanding
Can you present yourself in a few words?
My name is Vichika Than. Now I study at the university, I study IT of engineering. Next year I’m going to study Civil engineering. If I’m engineer in civil, I will earn a lot of money. If I have high capacities people will need me to build for example a big building. I don’t think that construction field is not good for women because I think that the women can do all the things that the men can do. If I’m an engineer I will be able to give money to my brothers and sisters and children.
How did you come to civil engineering?
Nobody told me, it’s my own idea. As a daughter, I wanted to make my family happy with my job. My parents and my brothers depend on me so I have to do something strong for my family. I have two brothers, I need to sponsor my brothers, I want my parents to relax. Engineering is good because the studies are not too long, for example to be a doctor you need 8 years, but for engineering you just need 4 years and after you earn a lot of money! I did not choose business because you earn less money than an engineer and even if now it’s easy to find a job in business, in a few years it will be more difficult. Normally business and accounting are for women and engineering and medicine are for men, but for me it’s not like that. Nowadays, we all depend on the money, so you should choose the way which makes you earn the more money. I choose civil engineering and not mechanic or electricity because nowadays, Cambodia needs engineers in civil, we don’t need that much engineers in electronic for example. I also choose civil because I like buildings and if one day I want to build a house, I won’t have to pay for some guy to do it, I will be able to do it by myself.
If I need to work on the construction site I will go there, If I need to work in theoffice I will go there, I will follow what the company needs from me.
Do you think that you will have to face difficulties as a woman in your studies/in your job? Or do you think being a women facilitated it?
Next year, I think that the number of women in civil engineering will increase because I have some friends who want to do this too. Now there is something like 5% of women, but next year we will maybe be 20%. I convinced many friends, I don’t want to have only boys in my class, I would like to have the same number of men and women in my class. I think that for the studies it’s not more difficult for girls, boys and girls can do the same. I think that worker is a job for guys, but as a manager on the site I don’t have to carry anything. I now a few women working on sites, nowadays it’s a bit difficult but in the future it’s not going to be difficult. Women want to work in the office because outside it’s too hot but girls will change that.
It’s easier to find a job for a girl in civil engineering because nowadays for all of the jobs, the companies have to have one boy and one girl. For example if they receive one boy and one girl who did the same studies, they will choose the girl. It’s because the governments said “Ladies first!” The companies have to improve the number of women.
How do you conciliate professional and personal life?
If I get married and have children, there will be another woman at home to help me with the children, she will take care of them. I think I can be a manager even if I need to leave the office before the men because I have to take care of the children. Now in Cambodia there are women manager, not a lot but the number is increasing every year. I also would like to have my own company because I don’t want to loose my free time, because normally in the free time you have no benefits. I want to do everything that I can do with my capacities to help my family.
Could you tell us about realizations you are proud of?
When I was in high school, I was studying in Kompong Cham province and I was the best student of the class in philosophy and biology. My teacher had to select a student for a national test. I had 3 tests in Phnom Penh, at the first one we were 220 students and they selected 3, at the second exam we were 55 students and they selected 2 and for the last one we were 120 students and they selected one and it’s me! My mum and my teacher organized a party for me! I could get 200$ for the government, books and a free trip to Angkor! I will go there when I complete my final exam. I study 10 to 12 hours a day, I don’t eat a lot so I’m very slim and my mother is afraid because of that. She always say me “I know that you want to be the first student in the class but you should not do that to your body”. My mum tell me to watch TV, comedies.. to relax. But I have not been watching TV for the last 4 years.
2nd PART: General debate on woman engineer: differences and new things a woman can bring in a male team
Do you think men and women work differently? Could you give us concrete examples (personal works, project works)?
If you give a project to a boy and a girl, I don’t think that there is a difference between the results of the boys and the girls. Sometimes the boys are more clever, but the girls are more patient, the girls try more than the boys. The girls have a good way to spend their time, they organize their time better than the boys. The girls are more confident. Boys have capacities but they are sometimes lazy, they like to spend time on the games or on the internet. In my class I’m the best student unless some boys are very clever, but I don’t know why at the exams they have lower marks. I don’t like to spend my time on the internet.
For presentations in front of a class, it really depends on the person and the topic. But most of the girls like to talk.
Do you think that a mixed team is helpful for working atmosphere and/or is linked to team performance?
I would like a team with more girls than boys, for example 7 girls for 3 boys. Because I want the boys to know the capacities of the girls. I don’t want them to think that the girls are slow, I want them to think that we can do everything. I don’t think that the girls gossip when they are together. But I would not want to have only girls in my team, we would need a few boys if for example in marketing we needed to know what a boy would think about a product.
The government want the women to work in the companies and doesn’t wantt them to stay at home and have nothing to do. Traditionally, the women are cooker at home in Cambodia, the government wants to change this.
3rd PART: Vidéo
Short representation
Hello everybody! My name is Vichika Than. Now I’m an IT student at the university. Next year I’m going to study Civil engineering. I think that the women can earn a lot of money in engineering, can show their high capacities and can do everything that they want to do. We need to have a target for the future: be successful! I want to be a women engineer in civil because then I can build everything for my relatives, my family and even for me and then I won’t have to spend money outside. Sometimes it’s difficult to study engineering but I try all my best to do it until I get successful. I’m a women but I can do everything as the men. I will do everything that I want to!
Which advice would you give to any young women who hesitate to start engineering studies?
If you can do something that nobody can do you will be really happy! You family will be very happy too, your parents will think that you are strong.
What has been your biggest difficulty as a women engineer?
All the works are difficult, but you must try! Until it’s easy for you. As a woman, you should try more than men. If you have high capacities it will be easier for you to find a job than men.
What has been your best satisfaction as a women engineer?
I wan’t to have my own civil engineer company, then I will have a high salary to support my family. I have 2 younger brothers who need me to help them. My parents are tired, I want them to relax. I need to support all of them.
What is your next challenge?
Even if I am a woman, my mind is stronger than a man.
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