For Women’s History Month, we are introducing you to some phenomenal women working at the Philadelphia Water Department, making a difference every day and doing extraordinary things in their careers.

Khadija Tadimi

Division Engineer
Construction

13 years at PWD
What do you do at PWD and what is something that people would find interesting about the job?

I oversee capital construction contracts, mainly for green stormwater infrastructure.

What advice would you give to a younger version of yourself looking to work in your career field?

Know your potential and follow the path that allows you to reach it, even if outside your comfort zone.

Do you think there are any barriers for women wanting to do your job? If so, how did you overcome them?

Definitely, construction is still a male dominated field. Being taken seriously by contractors was a challenge at the start. Persistence and demonstrating my knowledge and authority over time helped. I think in this field, women have to push for the respect that is naturally given to others.

Here’s your chance to give a special shout out to a woman in your own life, at work, or in your community who has served as a role model or mentor – who’s getting your praise?

My grandmothers and mother. My grandmothers were illiterate and my mother was not allowed to continue her education past elementary school, all because they were females. They experienced limits to being a female and limits from a lack of education, so they made sure to push the next generation of females in our family to pursue what they couldn’t, with education being the most important.

Share your favorite inspirational quote by a woman…

I don’t have a quote by a woman, but one of my favorite sayings is a Moroccan proverb that translates to “If one wants honey, they must endure the sting of the bee”.