Interview with Zhao Xiao (14/02/2012)

1st PART: Woman’s history comprehension/understanding

• Can you present yourself in a few words and explain us what is your job/responsibilities?

My name is Zhao Xiao. Actually I have joined this company for 10 years and this is my second job. Before I joined Tipco Asphalt, I also worked as a test woman in another company also related to chemical engineering because my major is chemical engineering. When I joined Tipco I had a technician work, I was a tester lady, I started with a very lower technic job, and I have been promoted after to quality control. Now I’m managing 4 people. I took the position of quality control of this plant more than 5 years ago.

•     How did you come to engineering and sciences?

Actually China is very different from other countries. At around 15 years old, here the students have to decide which way they should go, it’s mainly based on how were they improved already in different subjects. If you are better than other students in technical subjects, teacher will advice you to choose a technical field for your studies. It’s more or less based on their previous school results. Otherwise maybe some of them in their heart they would go to the opposite way, but they would not be able to pass the examination to enter the university. 

•     Why did you choose Tipco Asphalt?

When I applied for this job, first it’s because it was more or less related to my major in chemical engineering. After, as my friends work for similar plants or similar companies, I knew from them what the job would be like.

•     Did you have to face any difficulty as a woman in your studies/in your job? Or do you think being  a women facilitated it?

Actually yes. In general in all the chemical field of studies, the number of men is more higher than women. In my major there was 30% of women, this was not bad, it’s because we after go to testing jobs and it’s a laboratory job. My parents were supportive with the studies I choose, even if they were not in engineering field, my school was in my city but as it was far from the school, I was living in the campus. Studies are more and more expensive in China, 10 years ago, the universities didn’t charge for the studies, but now it’s the double each year. But we have more and more universities, and to enter a university it’s more and mor hard. It is not easy to find a job in my field but I was lucky, I did not had any difficulty.

•     What are the specific qualities required by your job?

The essencial for the people who do this job is to have some ideas about chemical industry. As a manager of this department, I should know really well how to asign job to my supportives. Another important thing for me is to be able to communicate well with other departments in order to get the best support from them, like production department, sales department, because mostly we need to know the feedback of our costumers, so we need to coordinate with the sales very frequently, and also with the production, we need to know when they will start to produce in order to organise testings. 

•     What are your everyday motivations?

First: the working environment, it’s a good motivation! Second: doing what I’m interested in. Third: this job is stable, so good for my family.

•     Did you have any experiences of mobility?

A part of tourism, no.

•     How do you conciliate professional and personal life?

I think there is no contradiction between the job, the professional development and the family life. Sometimes, because of your job, you have to reduce your time with your family, but in that case, the family can understand and we can find solutions. But to me one of the major reason to stay so long in this company is because this job offers me the perfect opportunity to conciliate the needs of my family and of my personal professional development. I have a son of 10 years old. My husband is engineer too, we were classmates. He works with an other company but is also in charge of quality control, so we have a very similar job. I take care of my son more than my husband, this is the responsibility of the mother.

•     Could you tell us professional realizations you are proud of?

In many occasions, I feel really proud. When we encounter any problem in the production, when we have quality problem, we have to do analysis and find the cause of the problem, when I can find a solution that makes me really proud. I’m also proud when I find a new formulation, then I create a new product. Here in this plant we try to be able to produce a new product, the PMA (Polymer Modified Asphalt), our customer needs it but the head office of Colas doesn’t know it. So we have to find ourselves how to produce it.



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)?

Yes, there are of course some differences between men and women, even for the same type of job, specially in quality control. I have one boy in my team. For instance for routine tests, there is no difference between men and women. Girls are maybe more careful, but men to do this job have to be very careful, finally  for our job there is no real difference between men and women. Frequently we have to go out to the job site, depending to the client requirements. Sometimes the job site is very far and remote, there we have to stay in a very simple residence and this is easier for men. As girls, we sometimes don’t feel really safe staying in a remote area for a few days.

• Another difference is when we test products. For some tests we have to climb up to the very big tank to take asphalt and this is easier for the men, they are stronger.

As a manager, when I arrange the job with my subordinates, I pay attention to give to the boy the work which necessities to stay late at night or sometimes all the night. My female subordinates have to take care of their children.

For me there is not so much differences by gender, it depends on the people.

•     Do you think that a mixed team is helpful for working atmosphere and/or is linked to team performance?

Of course, it’s quite helpful to have gender diversity in a team. Men and women can be complement. Men have some advantages and disadvantages and women also. So when they work together they show more advantages than disadvantages. In our tests the results would be better if they are made by men and women, women have a sharper eye, they can be more careful, more concentrated. But the boys are easier to deal with, to talk to.

3rd PART:  Vidéo

Hello everyone, may I have your attention please! I’m too glad to have the chance to speak here ! I’d like to share with you my feelings. My name is Zhao Xiao, I’m working in Tipco Asphalt limited company. I’m manager. I have been working in this company for more than 10 years. During my college, I choose my own profession interest, then according to it I choose to work in this company. Working with my own interest, I feel very content with my present situation. This job brings me happiness and satisfaction as a woman. This job also brings me certain courage, and when we face difficulties it gives me a great satisfaction.

If you are a girl like me, you can also choose your own job according to your own interest and happiness, you will feel happy, which is how I feel inside me now.

Thank you for your listening and good luck for all of you!