Shini Somara: What is it like being one of very few women in civil engineering?
Mimi Nwosu: When I started studying civil engineering at university, there were women on the course but nowhere near the number of men and I had a strong feeling this would be a reflection of the industry. I wasn’t wrong. I felt the university environment was very diverse, my class had students from all walks of life! I was shocked when I went into industry, to find that this was not the same. As a new graduate, this knocked my confidence. Completing pre-university education and living in London, I had become so comfortable with such diverse environments and inclusive peers. Not seeing that directly reflected in the industry was very strange to me.
To blend in at work, I held back certain aspects of myself, but eventually I got tired of not being myself. It’s emotionally draining having to put on a different facade to come into the office. Pretending to be somebody else is...