Eng. Tarsha Simon, BSc, MSc., MBA, LLB, LPC, PMP, R.Eng., MCIArb, DRBF, FCCM
A Chat with Engineer Tarsha Simon, on the occasion of International Women in Engineering Day
International Women in Engineering Day celebrated on 23rd June each year is an opportune time for the BOETT to celebrate this occasion with an interview of one of its outstanding registered female Engineers. Engineer Tarsha Simon is a Civil Engineer whose career reflects a bold fusion of technical excellence, business leadership, legal acumen, and a strong commitment to lifelong learning and professional development. She holds a Bachelor of Science (BSc) in Civil Engineering, a Master of Science (MSc), an MBA, a Bachelor of Laws (LLB) and her Legal Practice Certificate (LPC)—a unique academic combination that empowers her to lead with versatility across engineering, business, and legal domains.
Eng. Simon is a certified Project Management Professional (PMP) and a Registered Engineer (R.Eng.) with the Board of Engineering of Trinidad and Tobago (BOETT). As a Member of the Association of Professional Engineers of Trinidad and Tobago (APETT), she has served as Treasurer and Secretary on the Executive Council of APETT and currently holds the position Vice President. Her technical and managerial credentials are further complemented by her status as a FIDIC Certified Contract Manager (FCCM), giving her a strong foundation in international best practices in infrastructure project delivery and contract administration.
In addition to her engineering leadership, Tarsha has cultivated expertise in dispute resolution. She is a certified mediator with mediation board of Trinidad and Tobago, a member of the Chartered Institute of Arbitrators (MCIArb) and an active member of the Dispute Resolution Board Foundation (DRBF)—highlighting her dedication to promoting fair, timely, and effective resolution of construction and engineering-related disputes.
Throughout her career, Eng. Simon has broken new ground as a trailblazing woman in engineering, a role model for emerging professionals, and an advocate for gender equity and ethics in the built environment. Her work exemplifies a strong belief in collaboration, capacity building, and sustainable development—both locally in Trinidad and Tobago and across the wider Caribbean.
On this International Women in Engineering Day, Engineer Tarsha Simon stands as a shining example of what it means to lead with knowledge, purpose, and integrity—inspiring the next generation of engineers to innovate, advocate, and elevate the profession.
Q1 What first inspired you to pursue a career in Civil Engineering, and how did that early passion evolve over time?
Truth be told my early passion involved a desire to draw. At secondary school, I pursued technical subjects like technical drawing, building technology and electrical technology, eventually going on to Technical College to pursue building studies. After Technical College, my goal was to pursue a degree in architecture, however after assessing my options, primarily my finances, I felt it was not something I could manage at the time, so I began looking around for an alternative. After attending a university fair held in St Lucia, I came across the brochure for the Engineering Department at UWI. Once I perused the information on the various disciplines, I decided on Civil Engineering. It seemed the next best option as it was the discipline more closely related to my skills and training at the time. And frankly, coming from a non – manufacturing/or oil producing country, I knew very little about the scope of opportunities of the other disciplines. Access to information and the internet is not what we know it to be now. So, I guess I was fortunate to have attended that fair. Thus, it wasn’t really my dream, but certainly an evolution on a journey to which I have absolutely no regrets. I believe strongly that it was definitely the right path for me. My love for drawing to this day remains one of my main hobbies – where instead of house plans, I produce portraits/landscapes etc. in either charcoal or graphite as a means of destressing from the pressures of work.
Q2. Growing up, did you have any role models in engineering or the broader STEM fields who influenced your journey?
Certainly, I did. At Technical College, there was a teacher who became a mentor and influenced my educational pursuits. I am forever grateful for the guidance and motivation. In addition, throughout my journey I have met persons in the STEM field whose attitude and character inspired me and challenged me to continue to grow.
Q3. Your academic and professional journey has been nothing short of inspiring—MSc., MBA, LLB, LPC, PMP, and FIDIC Certification. What drives your passion for continuous learning?
Being a certified teacher and having taught at the primary, secondary, undergraduate and graduate levels, this fuels my passion for learning and being able to share knowledge. I feel very passionate about this, it is, essentially a part of who I am at my core. I come from a family of educators, so I would say from a very early age I discovered the wonderous world that books can open. There is just so much to learn in this world, for me it could be nothing less than a lifetime pursuit, I simply can’t get enough. Some of my later qualifications are simply a side effect of that desire to understand and learn more. I have completed several courses that do not lead to qualifications per se, but are solely for the purpose of personal growth and development. Life is a journey of becoming our best selves, how else can we continue to grow if we do not continuously learn and improve ourselves? To me there is always room to improve myself, and as long as I am able, I will continue to do so.
Q4. How have your multidisciplinary qualifications (Engineering, Business, and Law, Education) enriched your approach to engineering projects and leadership?
I would say it has given me a unique perspective. It allows me to have significant input into every aspect of a project. From the minutiae details of scheduling and claims analysis to more holistic strategic insights, diving into areas such as risk and contract management. The most glaring issue that I experienced in our industry as it relates to managing projects is the imbalance between technical competence and the softer skills required to manage resources. I am not sure if it is cultural, but earlier in my career I was exposed to an overly antagonistic approach to project management, which had an adverse effect on my health. The sense that we all have a stake in the successful outcome of a project was somehow lost. My training has completely changed my perspective, as I now see the benefit of a more collaborative approach to project management.
Q5. Was there a pivotal moment when you realized the importance of lifelong learning in your career?
I would say that it was graduation day at secondary school. It was an anomaly for a female student to have completed technical subjects. I remember my grandmother being somewhat shocked at my choice of subjects so when I succeeded in all subject areas, she gave me a card which had this quote:
“The heights that great men reached and kept were not attained by sudden flight but they while their companions slept, were toiling upward in the night” I remember asking her what does it mean?… her answer was…research it!
Much later I learnt that the quote was by a poet Henry Wadsworth Longfellow from the poem “A Psalm of Life”. It is a statement that emphasizes that to achieve anything worthwhile in this life requires perseverance, dedication, and commitment. It suggests that to be our best in any area we achieve this by diligently and continuously striving to learn more.
Q6. How has your PMP Certification shaped your project management capabilities, especially in multidisciplinary and high-stakes environments?
Project management has always come naturally to me. As far back as I can remember – primary school, I was always involved in organizing events and other school activities. Prior to attaining the certification, I had managed several large-scale projects and was generally self-taught for a number of years. However, as I progressed in the field, I began to understand it was an area of specialized knowledge with its own jargon, and if I am to call myself a project management professional, then I need to acquire that requisite certification. In obtaining the certification, I pursued no additional course of study but rather relied on my previous experience and the study of the project management bible from the Project Management Institute. Going through the process I was able to fill in the gaps in my knowledge and strengthen my understanding of the entire project cycle. Often my focus had been on the implementation phase of the project, as that was the stage where I usually got involved. The PMP certification broadened my perspective of all aspects of the project cycle, developing a strong appreciation for the devastating effects that poor planning has on a project life cycle, especially in high value project environments.
Q7. What does it mean to you to be a Registered Engineer with the Board of Engineering of Trinidad and Tobago (BOETT)?
Being a registered engineer with the Board of Engineering of Trinidad and Tobago means I hold myself accountable to a specific set of ethical and professional standards, characterized by a code of conduct and behavior in my business and personal life, which encapsulates competence, integrity and honesty. Although the current framework for continuing registration doesn’t require one to undertake continuing professional development training, the world is ever changing, and so I believe I have a duty to keep learning and staying abreast with recent developments.
Q8. Tell us about your journey toward becoming a FIDIC Certified Contract Manager. How has this credential impacted your career on an international level?
I have found that in the construction industry we often equate project management and contract management as one in the same. While some of the skill sets are certainly transferable, these in my mind remain distinct areas of specialization. As I developed in the industry as a project manager, I was placed into positions which required much more than project management. They required knowledge of the fundamentals of law and in particular contract interpretation and legal drafting. While I was a competent project manager, I did not consider myself a competent contract manager, thus my decision to pursue law and training in the FIDIC suite of contracts. I wanted to be ready for the day I would be called upon to function as the FIDIC Engineer on a project. Being a FIDIC Certified Contract Manager is the culmination of all the training I had done before, and a way of measuring myself against a specific standard. I needed to feel satisfied that I have a sound grasp of the fundamentals of the FIDIC suite of contracts. Though there have been opportunities to expand my business due to the certification, the greatest impact for me is that through the conferences and resource material, I now have access to a network which enables me to find solutions to troubling contractual problems. The body of law and legal technicalities is never ending, so regardless of any certification, you have to understand that this is only a drop a wide ocean. Having a fraternity of likeminded professionals to ventilate ideas is an invaluable resource that cannot be understated.
Q9. As a woman in a traditionally male-dominated field, what have been some of your biggest challenges and how have you overcome them?
Early in my life, I learnt not to be afraid to speak up – I think I got that confidence from my brother, when he taught me how to draw. I generally ignored the male undertones, the side comments and just got on with doing the task/my job. Having always been in the technical classes I had been dealing with this since I was 13-14 years old, I got to be pretty comfortable being the sole female in a sea of males. So, I simply heard what I needed to hear and ignored the rest, tried not to take everything personally. Let my work speak for itself. Unless of course the behavior is directly or openly insulting and or discriminatory.
Q10. How do you view your role as a mentor or role model for young women entering the engineering profession?
Mentoring is very important to me. I have been a part of the UWI Alumni Mentorship Programme for quite a number of years. It is one of the areas of need in our profession that we can improve. As a young engineer, I was often discouraged as I faced very egocentric environments, which didn’t allow for alternative thinking or different ways of doing things. Engineering is a dynamic field, where we need to encourage younger people to be innovative and creative. We need to truly accept that we don’t live forever and realize that the greatest gift we can give to this world is to pass on the knowledge we have acquired. What I would hope to convey to younger women is that your only limits are the ones you place on yourself. I didn’t study physics, or any of the other core sciences, nor any of the subjects a typical law student would pursue, like literature or history. So why did I come away with the prize for civil litigation in my final year of law school? I have never considered myself an exceptional student. In the end, I believe what mattered was perseverance, determination, patience and what I call stick-to-itiveness. Your willingness to delay immediate gratification and make the necessary sacrifices for future goals cultivates a level of endurance. We live in ‘now’, ‘instant’ world where a lot of what we do is driven by comparing ourselves to others. While there is nothing wrong with extrinsic motivation, the greatest gift one can have is to be intrinsically motivated. The level of access to information that exists now is unprecedented, grab hold of it and become the best version of yourself.
Q11. What does “International Women in Engineering Day” mean to you personally and professionally?
My take is that we can’t have women leaders in the industry, if they’re not joining the industry or are ignorant of STEM itself. I believe diversity breeds creative solutions and is important in any industry – including STEM. As each of us develop in the industry, we have a duty to engage, inform and connect the next generation of engineers by showcasing a diversity of people working in Science, Technology, Engineering, and Math – simply put diversity of thought leads to innovation. In the Caribbean, both male and females have equal access to education and there now seems to be an equal number of female and male graduates in the STEM field, despite this in the higher levels of academia and the profession women are the minority. As we celebrate this day, the onus is on those of us currently in the industry to inspire and support future generations and hereby seek to increase the number of women taking leading roles in the field.
Q12. What’s next on your learning or professional journey—any new goals or areas you’re passionate about exploring?
There are far too many disputes in the construction industry and for small island states, this can be detrimental to our economic progress and sustainability. Countries including the UK, Malaysia, Australia, Singapore recognizing this, have seen it fit to craft solutions particular to the construction industry, recognizing the need for more efficient, cost-effective methods of resolving disputes. In line with this, I continue to seek further training in construction adjudication with the hope of shortly becoming a chartered adjudicator.
Q13. What advice would you give to your younger self at the start of your engineering career?
It can be a challenging industry, but we are uniquely placed to succeed at the highest levels, in the industry. From a very early age, most of us are socialized to multi-task, be problem solvers, and to somehow make the best of the bare minimum. We generally possess a high level of emotional intelligence, and intuition, sometimes thought of as a weakness, but we can cultivate these skills into becoming exceptional leaders.
Q14. Finally, if you could summarize your journey in one sentence for International Women in Engineering Day, what would it be?
My journey is far from over; I still have a long way to go as I continue to develop my expertise and practice in dispute resolution. For now, I would say:
“Every trial, every disappointment is a lesson that you can learn from; never stop, never give up, planning even when you don’t understand how all the pieces will come together is one the greatest acts of faith you can take in the step to materializing your dreams.”