Women Breaking Barriers in Andorra's Male-Dominated Engineering and Construction Sectors

Women are steadily increasing their presence in Andorra's engineering, construction, operations, environmental services, and technology sectors, long dominated by men, as evidenced by professionals at Heracles Group and elsewhere.

At Heracles' Unitas division, civil engineer Marian Fernández, with 26 years in construction and four in the Principality, reports a shift: women now outnumber men among technicians, a first in her experience. She recalls being one of six women among 700 university students. "I'm a very sensitive woman. If I need to cry, I cry. But that doesn't undermine my ability to think or execute," she said. Fernández notes fewer women in truck driving and scrap metal work, both at Heracles and across the industry.

Echoing this, Soledad Prieto, operations head at Eco Grup, manages overnight cardboard collections and worker coordination. In 2025, the firm hired two women for plant duties; one stayed, the other joined Pirinenca. "It's challenging at first, but they can do it. They perform the same work as their male colleagues," Prieto observed.

Elena Manteiga, overseeing night shifts at Pirinenca de Serveis, encourages others: "You are capable," she said, pointing to rising female involvement.

In construction safety, Pia Smith was one of four women in a university class of 40 but sees more female preventionists now. "It's a tough world, but more women are working in it," she noted.

Environmental technician Clara Reguant stresses collaboration in the male-heavy field. "The key is getting everyone on board with the project and working together for environmental improvement," she said, praising Heracles' female hires and advocating gender balance for mutual benefit.

Programmer Coral Garcia, drawn to computers, motorcycles, and cars since childhood, insists on merit-based hiring. "Talent and capabilities matter, regardless of whether someone is a man or a woman. We shouldn't prioritize women just for being women," she stated.

Beyond Heracles, Patricia Duarte stands out as Andorra's only female construction truck driver at Copsa, a role she's held for nearly two years after six years driving buses. Seeking stable hours post-motherhood, she now hauls earth, gravel, and stone across sites and landfills. Site driving differs from roads, with slippery terrain like "driving always with snow or ice," plus slopes, noise, and heavy machinery. Short loops frustrate her—"some days it's 40 times 100 meters"—and early mishaps like getting stuck in mud tested her. In the male environment, character is essential: colleagues accept and assist her, though crude jokes abound. She once firmly halted an offensive nickname. Past bus rider prejudice hurt more, questioning her motherhood. Now, she's "the princess of all" with ready help. On International Women's Day, Duarte urged: "We have the same capacity as men. If we can drive a car or motorcycle, we can drive a bus or truck." Her advice: prove doubters wrong through work. "If someone says you can't because you're a woman, show them with your job that they're mistaken."

These accounts underscore that professional skill transcends gender, challenging stereotypes in Andorra's technical fields.