Haneem Isabirye is often mistaken for someone younger, less competent, and less qualified based purely on the way she looks.
Coupled with being a woman in a male-dominated industry, it has been one of the major obstacles she has navigated all her working life as an engineer.
But Haneem, who was recently appointed Senior Manager at the Project Portfolio Management Office at Sandock Austral Shipyards, one of Africa’s leading shipbuilding and repair companies, is on a mission to change perceptions about women working in previously male-dominated industries.
Haneem, who boasts over 15 years global consulting experience, has led a multitude of major to complex projects and has built solid knowledge and best practice principles in Project Execution, Contract Management, Technical Design and Portfolio Project Management Strategies.
Despite her impressive CV, Haneem has had to work harder than the person next to her to prove herself, as she is often mistaken for being young and less experienced.
However, Haneem, who is a Civil Project Engineer by profession and has worked on major projects in the aviation, transport and engineering industries, says that she has overcome the many obstacles by standing firm on her principles and exerting her authority in the workplace.
“I have had mostly positive experiences working in a male-dominated industry, although there have been incidents of harassment which were dealt with effectively by a supportive HR structure. One does not need to be the opposite sex to command respect. I am confident of my ability, and I know I add value to every team that I’ve ever been in, and this is affirmed by my close connections with previous mentors,” she said.
Tapping into the experience of people who have gone before her and building a network of strong women throughout her career has been the secret to her success, she says.
Outside of her work life, Haneem is a mother to two beautiful girls aged three and three months.
While she enjoys watching series on Netflix and whipping up great meals in her spare time, she considers being a single parent a full-time “side-gig”.
She says juggling a full-time job while being a parent is challenging but advises other women to never give up on their dreams.
“Go for it! But be mindful of the working hours if you have a family”.
On the philosophy that drives her, she says: “I love the quote by Robert Ingersall, ‘We rise by lifting others up’. I try to always pay it forward. We do not exist in silos, and we can learn a lot from the people around us”.
IOL