Last week we kicked off our four-part series for International Women’s Month, which features a few of the many amazing women in the BIM industry. This week, we feature Belinda Thompson, a BIM Lead from GHD, based in Australia.
When we started the interview, Belinda, who has over ten years of industry experience, talked about why she loves the AECO industry and what initially attracted her to it. She stated that an interest in architecture and technology drove her to the industry and has kept her passionate throughout the years.
The Women in BIM Global Executive Leadership Team
Belinda does more than just work in the industry; she goes the extra mile to help women in the BIM industry. She is a part of the Women in BIM Global Executive Leadership Team. The Founder and Global Chair, Rebecca De Cicco, is an inspiration of hers due to “her energy and passion for supporting women.” The whole Women in BIM team is comprised of digital-built environment experts with specialties in BIM and emerging technology worldwide. They make it their mission to empower women across the globe to make game-changing contributions to the digital development of the built environment. To this day, she considers this one of her highest accomplishments and is very proud of herself for it.
Belinda’s Advice
A piece of advice she tells every woman entering the BIM industry is to “accept every challenge” since in an industry that is dominantly male, you must show that you can do whatever they can. She talks about the job hunt as a woman in the industry and how she “utilizes her connected network to evaluate a company’s culture” to ensure it is the right opportunity for her.
A Culture That is Dedicated to Diversity and Inclusion
This brought her to the topic of her current company GHD and how they have a culture dedicated to diversity and inclusion. That they are “committed to creating a culture of belonging at GHD through focused and sustained actions, a readiness to listen and value the experience of others, ongoing education, applying an inclusion and diversity lens to how their business and talent processes operate, and most importantly, by fostering accountability.” Their commitment to a culture full of diversity and inclusion has kept Belinda at GHD for over eight years.
Conclusion
Belinda’s advice can help women in the AECO industry to have the drive and insight they need to have success in the industry. UNIFI thanks her for contributing to the Women in BIM blog series.
Are you a woman in the BIM field too? How has your experience been similar or different to Belinda’s? Please let us know in the comments.
