Across BALFIN’s diverse industries, every day has different rhythm of work, challenges, and achievements. Yet behind every finished project, there are stories of the reality of what it takes to bring ideas to life.
This is one of those stories. Today, we step into the construction site, with Klaudia Jatagani, Civil Engineer at Balfin Construction.
What exactly does your role as an engineer on this site involve?
My role as a site engineer involves supervising construction works, ensuring quality and timelines are met, coordinating teams, and implementing safety measures at all times.
How does your day typically start on site?
A typical day starts with checking emails to see if there are any updates or changes in priorities. Then we have a short meeting with colleagues to align and share information. After that, I do a walkthrough across the entire site and work fronts to monitor progress.
What is the first thing you check when you arrive on site?
It depends on the day, but the main focus is always on safety-related processes, ensuring the safety of people and equipment. After that, I verify the presence of the workforce scheduled for that day.
How many important decisions do you make in a typical day?
From the outside, it might seem like decisions on site are big and spontaneous, but in reality, most key decisions are planned and go through several stages of discussion. On site, it’s more about following processes, managing day-to-day situations, and avoiding rushed decisions. The success of a project depends more on planning, consistency, and prevention than on quick decision-making. That said, there are always unexpected situations where quick judgment and fast decisions are essential.
Have you faced any challenging situations on site that tested you as a professional?
Challenging situations happen almost every day, and I believe this applies to every profession. What matters most is how we face them. In those moments, I ask myself two questions:
- What is the way forward?
- Is this a decision that will make me proud later?
What is something about this profession that people usually don’t know?
Before becoming an engineer, I found it interesting that the word “engineer” comes from the Latin word ingenium, which means someone intelligent, talented, and creative. I like to summarize it in one word: “genius.”
What has your experience been like as a woman in a construction site environment? Have you ever felt the need to prove yourself more?
I really like this question because I’ve reflected on it a lot. At different stages, I’ve had different thoughts about it. But today, after nearly five years of experience on site, I can say that if you find a way to turn your “disadvantages” into advantages, you’ve found the key to success.
What keeps you motivated every day in this job?
The fact that every day I learn something new.
That no two days are the same, there’s no monotony.
That each day is a new opportunity to improve myself and my work.
But above all, the team I work with. Even on the days when I feel down, they are my biggest source of motivation.
In one sentence: how would you describe your life on site?
A roller coaster.
At the end of the day, when you leave the site, what do you think about yourself and the work you’ve done?
“Continuous effort , not strength or intelligence, is the key to unlocking our potential.”
– Winston S. Churchill
This is the thought that often comes to mind at the end of the day, especially on the most demanding ones.
