Unity in Diversity

Growth Beyond the Job Title

By Segakweng Khutlapye | Sector Manager: Construction, Bridges & Buildings

I joined Naidu Consulting in 2023 as a Resident Engineer, coming in with a solid grounding as an Assistant Resident Engineer; managing projects under supervision and learning the discipline of construction oversight and contract administration on the ground. That foundation, paired with generic management studies I pursued alongside my engineering work, carried me into being elected Sector Manager in June 2025. My growth at Naidu has been far more exponential than most, and I remain deeply grateful for the opportunity, granted under leaders who have genuinely poured into my career, taken the time to mentor me through complex contractual and technical decisions, and trusted me with responsibility ahead of where I might have placed myself. I've been privileged to work alongside CEOs, project managers and directors, to run projects worth millions of rand, among them the Kokstad Interchange and Traffic Control Centre, a R590 million SANRAL project on National Route 2 that remains one of the proudest milestones of my career; and to be exposed to different provinces, different project types and different challenges, all of which have shaped who I am as much as any qualification has.

One of the things I value most about this journey is that I haven't allowed myself to be confined to one sphere. Engineering is broad, and I've deliberately moved across it, from structures to water infrastructure, to roads, and now into project management, while concurrently functioning as Sector Manager. Switching between these disciplines keeps me sharp and keeps me fit for the long game. It exposes me to a wide range of influences, the good, that pull me forward, and the not-so-great, that toughen and propel me further still. Either way, I come out more capable than before.

My professional registration has walked alongside that growth, from my first ECSA registration as a Professional Engineering Technologist in 2018 to my second registration as a Professional Technologist in 2023; each one a marker of technical credibility earned, not assumed.

My Masters in Sustainable Urban Planning and Development was a deliberate choice to diversify myself, reading where the world is heading and positioning myself within sustainability engineering, town planning, and urban engineering rather than staying narrowly technical. That decision continues to inform how I approach infrastructure today.

Engineering is a tough environment. It's a technical and contractual jungle that has to be navigated with skill, and it demands strength, fortitude, mental capacity, boundaries, and a voice. Yes, men have predominantly occupied these spaces, and the reality is that you often have to work harder than your average counterpart. But that's the way of the world, and if we limit ourselves by how the world is currently shaped, we stop being pioneers. Women are strong. Women are capable. Women are intelligent. They are masters at reading environments and adapting. There's no need to prove yourself when your work, character and integrity speak for themselves. Greatness does not need to defend itself and truth always prevails.

Granted that you will face opposition. You will face challenges that stretch beyond what feels like your capacity to bear. Some of those challenges have brought me close to breaking, but every single one has turned out to be more of a growth journey than a setback, and each has left me discovering that I am stronger than I knew. That's exactly where solutions are found, where innovation happens, and where real growth takes root, especially under the right environment, leadership and guidance.

My advice to young women entering this space: growth doesn't look linear, and it shouldn't have to. Believe in something beyond the job. Build your own stance, your own personality, your own framework for life outside of work. You are what contributes to the work, not the other way around. It's part of your life, not your entire life, and you are defined by so much more than your title. For me, what grounds and motivates me beyond every opportunity I've been given is family, people, and above all, God. Life is meant to be lived and every so often we have the privilege to express it through our careers!

To me, empowerment isn't being handed a seat at the table; it's walking into the room already knowing your identity, your personhood realized through your work and output has earned you the right to be there, and choosing to hold the door open for the next woman behind you.