Cristina Manteca works within the development sector, one of the crucial masculinized. She walks the streets of Vigo engaged on highway upkeep, laying tiles. At 28, she assures that she loves her job: “I can not think about dedicating myself to the rest”
Cristina is a part of a gang of employees who walks the streets of Vigo (Pontevedra) day by day. She works on the development of roads, repairing these tiles that stay unfastened or break on the sidewalks.
This 28-year-old is a bricklayer and fairly an exception in a sector that’s dominated by males. “I can not think about dedicating myself to the rest,” says Cristina, whereas she admits that, as a baby, she by no means imagined that her work instruments can be the mortar, chisel or trowel.
His first contact with the world of works occurred when he was 18 years previous. She has simply grow to be a mom, she wanted to work and, via an employment plan, she had the chance to enter the development sector.
“For six months I labored forming sidewalks, making channels and retaining partitions. I cherished the job, ”she maintains. However, the next job alternatives led her in different instructions.
He labored in a bakery, in a flower store, in an workplace and likewise in a grocery store. But he preferred nothing greater than being within the play.
Two years working as a bricklayer
The development sector as soon as once more knocked in your door after the outbreak of the coronavirus. The pandemic, like many different folks, additionally modified the lifetime of this younger lady from Vigo.
“I used to be unemployed and the chance arose to take a masonry course via the Fundación Laboral de la Construcción,” he says. In that formation there have been about twenty college students and solely two had been ladies. “Yes, it is true, ladies on this world are an exception,” she admits.
Cristina, engaged on a road in Vigo.NIUS
After ending that course, he had to decide on between working in a grocery store and placing on his overalls once more. And he didn’t hesitate. “In June I shall be a bricklayer for 2 years,” he says. That is the time that she has been employed within the development firm that’s devoted to the upkeep of the roads in Vigo.
And so blissful. He begins his day at eight within the morning and, after loading the trailer of the van with mortar, cement and instruments, he goes via the neighborhoods of Vigo repairing sidewalks. “I could not be happier, with work and with my colleagues”, she affirms. Those companions are males.
A small proportion of girls
Cristina acknowledges that some passers-by cease earlier than her once they see her working. Seeing a girl digging trenches and drilling into the pavement with a hammer is putting to them. “So that later they are saying that girls can’t work on this,” she assures that they’ve advised her.
The presence of girls on the development website is putting as a result of it’s minimal. It is essentially the most masculinized sector. According to a report from the Construction Industrial Observatory, solely 5,514 ladies labored in that sector in 2021 in Galicia. That is 7.6% of the entire, however it must be famous that almost all of those ladies work in administrative positions.
“I’ve by no means felt inferior to a person and, fortunately, nobody has ever made me really feel that means,” says Cristina. She acknowledges that hers is difficult work and that it requires power as a result of it’s a must to carry weights, however she would not see a limitation in that. “We transfer rubble, we transfer heavy tiles, however I’ve all the time been capable of do it. We can do it completely ”, she sentences her in relation to ladies.
He assures that the development sector has allowed him, lastly, to have a secure job and to have a greater conciliation, since he works from Monday to Friday. Also, flee from closed locations, even supposing that is inconvenient on wet days. “Working on the road and day by day in a unique place, for me, is the very best. It makes me be at liberty,” she asserts.
Cristina desires to proceed coaching on this planet of masonry. She wish to work within the development of buildings, making loos and kitchens. “I might like to tile, tile and ground,” she explains. She desires to retire within the sector.