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For UF BCN senior Jessica Barandiaran, being hard-
hatted is part of the job.(Photo by Daniela Aguilera)

“Sometimes I feel like they have to verify that I did my job right. I’m not sure if it’s because I’m a girl or because I don’t have any experience,” says Jessica Barandiaran, 22. “Most of the workers feel more comfortable asking me questions. They see me more as a motherly figure. I’m easier to confront or approach.” Barandiaran is used to being surrounded by men. At UF’s School of Building and Construction enrollment, each female student could almost have her own private bathroom. Women only make up 15 percent of undergraduate enrollment and 25 percent of graduate enrollment. “My education at UF has helped me to better understand the necessity of building construction and its role in our society,” she says. “I’ve gained invaluable knowledge through my internship that will help me as a student and future professional in the industry.”

Still, the unequal gender ratio has presented some challenges. In her internship, Barandiaran fired seven construction workers because of inappropriate comments or gestures made towards her. “At first it was just a couple of guys saying, ‘What are you doing out there in the work field?’ But then a lot of workers began whistling or saying things in Spanish," Barandiaran says. "One time I was walking with my boss when someone yelled something out of a car. They were asked to leave. It's all business out in the field."

by Allison Adair