Gabrielle Voyer-Corbeil, engineer

Project Manager in Engineering at Infrastructure Management, Gabrielle is currently working on the project to redevelop Canest Terminal, where containerized cereals and grains such as wheat, lentils and soybeans are handled at the Port of Montreal. Her tasks also include drafting plans and specifications, carrying out work and supervising projects.

What do you enjoy in your field?

I especially like civil engineering because of its practical side, where you turn a blueprint into a tangible reality. After graduating, I interned on a schoolyard construction project, and that’s when I fell in love with project management. I decided to make it my life’s work! I love the action on a building site. It’s so rewarding to see the final project and have the sense of accomplishment that goes with it.

Have you met any obstacles or challenges along the way?

I’ve been lucky in my career and never experienced bullying, but there are still some stereotypes. In previous jobs, I’ve been asked questions in interviews about my relationship and whether I intend to have children. And I once worked on a site where the supervisor refused to speak to me because I was a woman. To ask me questions, he would go through the foreman, who would then pass on my answers. These are injustices women experience that we know no man will ever have to face.

Did anyone make a difference along your career path?

In my experience at the Port, I learned a lot from my colleague Luc Gendron, who took me under his wing and showed me everything he knew about the job. He made it possible for me to grow and gave me the opportunity to work on the big rail capacity optimization project. Today, I look back and see how far I’ve come. It gives me confidence for the future!

Do you have any advice for women who want to take this plunge?

Go for it and go where the action is! Women have a huge range of professional and people skills to offer on construction sites. We shouldn’t underestimate our abilities. I’m convinced that we can contribute a lot in terms of teamwork, organization and project management. Women have a place, it’s just a question of taking it!