We met Aline Danner, a foreman in the Track Construction department. We wanted to know how she got into track construction, whether there are any particular challenges as a woman on the construction site and how she balances family and career.
Aline, could you briefly introduce yourself?
My name is Aline Danner and I'm a foreman in the track construction department at Walo Bertschinger.
What does a site manager do?
My tasks range from acquisition, i.e. processing offers, to organising, executing and managing construction sites, right through to the financial management of a project. It's a very varied job that covers everything from planning to realisation.
How do you become a site manager?
I studied civil engineering at the ZHAW. After graduating, I was faced with the decision of whether to go straight into execution at a construction company or into planning, i.e. an engineering office. As I had done an internship in an engineering office during my studies and was already familiar with this side of things, I decided to familiarise myself with the contractor side as well.
And what do you like better?
Since I stayed on the entrepreneur side ... (laughs)
How did you get into track construction?
It was actually a coincidence. There were two vacancies at WALO at the time: one in embankment and landfill construction and one in track construction. When my application process started, the position in embankment and landfill construction had already been filled and only the one in track construction remained. I sat down with the track construction team leader, who told me what the job entailed. I thought to myself: why not, let's give it a try. I had no idea about track construction. But I got to grips with the subject and found my place in the team. It's exciting, intensive and varied.
What does track construction involve? What does it involve?
I started in track civil engineering. This includes everything that is next to the track and goes deep, such as foundations and railway embankment support systems, i.e. large stone baskets on the sides of the tracks, or drainage pipes. Then I switched to the slab track. These are all tracks that are set in concrete. What I don't cover are classic ballast tracks and the entire SBB track system. I have not yet worked in these areas.
What does a ‘typical’ working day look like for you?
A working day usually starts with a plan of what needs to be done. But usually something comes up and I have to reorganise or solve an urgent problem. I then usually go to the construction site and check with the foreman on site what is working, what is not going well and where adjustments still need to be made. The entire documentation of the construction site and the billing of the project are also important.
And what is the relationship between the office and the construction site?
Of course, I like being out on the construction site. But a lot of things are digital nowadays. You have to document and file more. I would say the ratio is about 30% out on the construction site and 70% in the office.
What do you particularly like about your job?
You just never know what's coming. I really appreciate that, but sometimes it's also a particular challenge. A simple small construction site can turn into a huge problem or you're faced with a huge mountain and think: Oh no, how are we going to do this? And in the end it's quite simple. I also particularly enjoy working with so many different people. From the construction worker to the foreman and all the specialised professions in between to the foreman, site manager and client - that's where great connections can be made and it's fun to work with people.
Would you like to share a highlight with us? A moment when you think: This is why I like doing my job
The best moments are when you have successfully completed a project and everyone is happy and grateful. We recently received a farewell gift from the client himself, which was really nice. My personal highlight was, of course, when I was pregnant and travelling around the construction site. Everyone was happy, congratulated me and gave me tips. It was a great experience to see how people support each other, even in special situations.
You have a family and work part-time. How do you divide it up?
I currently work 60% and have three fixed days on which I work. Occasionally, something may come up, in which case I try to organise myself.
How does that work on your days off? I still continue to work on the construction site.
I've been working part-time for five years. At the beginning, I was on a large construction site with several foremen, so it was easy to cover the days when I wasn't working. On smaller construction sites, we were also able to co-ordinate well with other departments. Otherwise, of course, I'm available at home. I've also been to the construction site with the children to discuss something briefly. That can work really well or be very nerve-wracking.
That sounds very intense; how would you describe your work-life balance?
A lot of flexibility at work means a lot of flexibility at home. On the other hand, you can also demand this flexibility at work. If I need more at home, I have the option of postponing certain things at work, compensating for night shifts, and so on. That works for me at the moment. But it also requires a flexible partner.
What challenges do you face in your day-to-day work?
There is no handbook, no job specification. You have to organise yourself, but you can also try things out and implement your own ideas.
Of course, we also want to ask you the classic question: What's it like being a woman on a construction site?
I always say it has one small advantage: you're a bit special, you stand out a bit. It's probably similar to being a man in a female-dominated profession. If you're not technically competent, it doesn't matter whether you're a man or a woman, you won't be accepted.
You told us that you ended up in track construction by chance. Why should a future foreman work in track construction?
Track construction is an exciting and broad field. You can see a lot and because it's a niche, people know each other. It's a tough start, but it's worth it.
You joined WALO because it was one of the companies involved in construction. What do you like about WALO?
You can tell that WALO is a family business. There are a lot of long-serving employees and that gives you a feeling of security and stability. And then WALO covers a very broad spectrum of services. This means that you can always find someone who can help you outside your own area of expertise.
How would you describe WALO in 3 words?
Yellow, family business, diversified
Thank you Aline for the interesting interview and the insights into your day-to-day work! You can find out more about our Track Construction department here. Are you looking for a new professional challenge? You can find our vacancies here.
