When it came time to decide what career to pursue, Khadeeja Wahabzadah toyed with becoming a pharmacist.

But after delving into a pharmaceutical career, including job prospects, she decided it was not for her.

Khadeeja always had a voracious interest in building, which included watching hours of YouTube videos on every aspect of construction while still at school.

“For years I had been watching videos including the different phases of building, from the design phase to the pouring of the concrete slab and what stakeholders were involved in the project,” she said.

“I remember I was also interested in (mega) high rise projects in Dubai and Qatar.’’

Only after an exhaustive process, Khadeeja decided the construction industry was for her and she commenced a Bachelor of Construction Management at the University of Western Sydney.

“I did a lot of research, attending networking nights and talking to everyone I could who was in the industry,” she said.

According to the Australia Bureau of Statistics, in 2018, women made up just 12 per cent of the workforce in the construction industry.

And according to a CSQ 2018 Women in Construction Survey, the job figures for tradespeople is worse, with just 3 per cent of women filling positions.

For Khadeeja, she has never let those figures concern her.

And for her employer, Paynter Dixon, it is a priority to not only employ women but promote them.

Thanks to her outstanding university grades and passion for the job, Khadeeja was offered a scholarship at Paynter Dixon, working as a cadet, and gaining valuable experience in the different construction processes and projects.