For Suraya Wahab, given the tumultuous year that everyone had due to the pandemic and having to adjust to online learning, she did not expect to achieve such results. The 23-year-old lass will be graduating Cum laude for her degree in Quantity Surveying (BTech) at the Durban University of Technology’s (DUT’s) Autumn Graduation, which is taking place online on Thursday, 27 May 2021.

“I simply focused on putting in maximum effort despite all the difficulties presented at the time and I’m pleased with the reward that it has given me,” she said.

Quantity Surveying was Wahab’s first choice of study, and the idea of being in the construction industry as a female and having the opportunity to break the orthodox barriers and viewpoints on gender roles appealed to her.

Speaking about her case study, she indicated that her topic was founded on the evaluation of South African Government Department/Agencies readiness for the fourth industrial revolution economy.

“This choice was based on concerns of rapidly expansive new generation technologies and infrastructure coupled with South African demographic statistics,” she said.

Going forward, she aims to create a positive impact in the construction industry.
“Such an impact that is innovative, professional and more importantly an impact that sets an example for other young females hoping to thrive in a so called ‘male-dominated’ construction industry,” she said.

Wahab currently works for Vox Telecommunications as a project manager, who oversees fibre installation and related projects through from start to finish.

Pictured: Suraya Wahab

Waheeda Peters