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There are plenty of like-minded individuals within the IET Women's Network that may be able to help you with a query so, feel free to add to this thread.
Your colleagues are correct, however that issue mainly depends upon the specific construction company, the phase during the construction that you enter, the scope of the project, whether there are other types of construction activities occurring on the same site (or other sites being operated by the same company) and if the company is operating as a main general contractor or one of the sub-contractors responsible for a specific activity.
I was fortunate in that on a construction project they had involved a few sub-contractors that were involved in many different activities and the project was not a large one (in terms of time and infrastructure so there was enough time to understand specific processes as well as see the project take shape during a few months). It may not always be the same and some companies may specialise in certain aspects, thus repeat the same action in different locations.
Unfortunately, only discussing your specific goal with the employer (or if you can find out first from someone who works in that company) would help you to know what to expect on that particular job site(s). Just to be aware, you could also face the same type of repetition in the design company, especially if they focus on the same part of the job as a sub-contractor or if the design work is divided and your department is only doing a specific design or calculation.
I am not sure if you would be able to do this in your country, but it may not hurt to ask. Whilst on the job site, ask to be able to shadow the project engineer, safety engineer or lead architect (someone who has the ability to move around the entire site and view all of the parts of the process as part of their responsibility) and ask them and the workers questions. Even ask to be allowed to stay in a certain section for a few days just to understand the relationship between the different parts.
I will still pick the latter and try to at least "see" different processes taking place. As you are still in University, the aim is get a wider exposure of the industry that you will enter.
Your colleagues are correct, however that issue mainly depends upon the specific construction company, the phase during the construction that you enter, the scope of the project, whether there are other types of construction activities occurring on the same site (or other sites being operated by the same company) and if the company is operating as a main general contractor or one of the sub-contractors responsible for a specific activity.
I was fortunate in that on a construction project they had involved a few sub-contractors that were involved in many different activities and the project was not a large one (in terms of time and infrastructure so there was enough time to understand specific processes as well as see the project take shape during a few months). It may not always be the same and some companies may specialise in certain aspects, thus repeat the same action in different locations.
Unfortunately, only discussing your specific goal with the employer (or if you can find out first from someone who works in that company) would help you to know what to expect on that particular job site(s). Just to be aware, you could also face the same type of repetition in the design company, especially if they focus on the same part of the job as a sub-contractor or if the design work is divided and your department is only doing a specific design or calculation.
I am not sure if you would be able to do this in your country, but it may not hurt to ask. Whilst on the job site, ask to be able to shadow the project engineer, safety engineer or lead architect (someone who has the ability to move around the entire site and view all of the parts of the process as part of their responsibility) and ask them and the workers questions. Even ask to be allowed to stay in a certain section for a few days just to understand the relationship between the different parts.
I will still pick the latter and try to at least "see" different processes taking place. As you are still in University, the aim is get a wider exposure of the industry that you will enter.
