Seneca College RED 2020 - 30

Julia Zahreddine constructs untraditional career

I want to inspire
the girls and the
women out there
to not give up

RED

2020

WHEN JULIA ZAHREDDINE DESCRIBES her typical day at work,
the passion she feels for it is obvious.
" I usually arrive at the construction site at 6:30 a.m.
and often stay until 5 p.m., " she says. " Even though
some days can be tiring, I look forward to them. There
is always something new for me to learn, and I find
that exciting. "
As a site supervisor at Bridgecon Construction Ltd.,
Ms. Zahreddine's main priority is to ensure each
project is built to a client's specifications, timeline
and in accordance with the Occupational Health and
Safety Act.
While the projects she oversees always have a blueprint, when it comes to her career, Ms. Zahreddine has
had to map out her own path.
Like many women, it never crossed her mind to
consider a male-dominated profession like construction
as a viable career choice.
After high school, guided by an interest in the

PHOTO: IAN PATTERSON

Building a better tomorrow

natural environment, Ms. Zahreddine decided to enrol
in the Environmental Studies program at York
University. As she continued to assess her options, she
became aware of the Civil Engineering Technology
dual credential program at Seneca.
" It would allow me to finish my degree from York
and graduate with a diploma from Seneca in less time
than taking the programs separately, " Ms. Zahreddine
says. " I decided to go for it, and my parents were very
supportive. "
She excelled during her first year and was encouraged by June Lewis, her student adviser, to apply for
the Heavy Construction Association of Toronto/Seneca
Student Federation Endowed Scholarship. Ms. Zahreddine was rewarded with $2,000 and became the first
female recipient of the award. The scholarship also
came with two paid summer internships that gave her
an insider's view of the industry.
She was hired upon graduating in 2018.
" My experience at Seneca was great, " she says. " The
curriculum was very hands-on, and the smaller class
size meant that I didn't have to compete against
hundreds of other students to receive personal attention
from my professors. "
Ms. Zahreddine still stays in touch with her classmates and hopes to be eventually promoted to management. In the meantime, she plans to continue gaining
experience and dispelling gender-based misconceptions
that are often associated with her industry.
" I want to inspire the girls and the women out there
to not give up on pursuing the career that they want, to
be a voice that tells them that they don't have to follow
in the steps of tradition, " she says.

Seneca College RED 2020

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