Tevunga Ungounga - NAWIC Excellence Awards Spotlight #4
Winner of the Rising star award - Site based
Recently off the back of our annual excellence awards in May 2021, we asked all of our award winners if they would like to share more of their story, to inspire and encourage others in their own journeys. A few were keen to do so. One of the ones shared was from;
Tevunga Ungounga
Leading Hand
Piritahi
Winner of the Rising star award - Site based
We asked Tevunga to answer a few questions about her journey so far, here are her answers.
What inspired you to get into construction?
I wanted to get into a job that required manual handling and I got the opportunity to try out in civil construction, I grabbed the opportunity, gave it a go and have not looked back since.
What are you most passionate about in the industry? or what drives you to be involved?
The fact that I have a voice for those who don't think they have a voice, where I can speak for them when they feel like they can't speak to higher management.
Being able to speak up when I feel like it's not safe and make sure that the guys on the ground know that they have someone who's going to keep them safe.
What would you like to see for the future of women in construction?
To be able to see more women give construction a go because it's not just for males, girls can be just as good as them.
The males may have the strength advantage but girls can be more smart and able to get things done.
Words of wisdom or tips for women at the start of or considering a career in construction
- You will never know what you're missing out till you give it a try.
- May be hard to start off but can be all worth it at the end !
- It's not just a male industry
What is your favourite thing to do for fun?
Spend time with my three boys & family as well as just chill and watch Netflix
What has winning this award meant to you?
It has meant a lot to me, to be honest I never thought I would win. Just being a finalist I was really grateful, hearing all the amazing things all the women have accomplished throughout their years of being in construction was a lot.
But actually winning, I'm still shocked, and it has slowly started opening up more opportunities for me to learn and grow to be able to better myself and be able to inspire more women and girls to come and join in this industry.
To read other inspiring stories please visit our news page here
To keep in touch about the awards in 2022 check our awards page here
