Rossella Martino, coordinator of the Icaro project, interviewed Michela Favari, a restorer trained in a recognised regional course who currently works on construction sites by restoring ancient plasterwork and painting decorations.
Rossella Martino: What is your academic and professional background? How old are you? And how many years of work experience do you have?
Michela Favari: I was trained at the Regional School of Restoration for two and a half years, but before that, I attended the Art High School (“Liceo Artistico” in Italian) and two years at the Faculty of Cultural Heritage. I am 44 years old, and I have been working in restoration for 20 years.
RM: Why did you decide to study something related to the construction sector?
MF: I always wanted to work in restoration on painting.
RM: Do you think the career path in construction is different for men and women? If so, why?
MF: The two paths are different, because of prejudices related to women’s skills.
RM: Are there professional profiles that are more suitable for men and/or women?
MF: To be a bricklayer maybe a man is more suitable for strength.
RM: Do you think that the media (or society in general) has some sort of influence on the choice of career path?
MF: Yes, in our mentality construction work is considered only suitable for men
RM: Have you experienced incidents of discrimination based on your gender, age, or other reasons?
MF: Yes, we women are always told that we should do something else.
RM: What advice would you give to construction companies to make a more inclusive workplace? And to women looking for a job in this field?
MF: If you have a strong and determined character you can overcome prejudices and achieve higher results at work.