Why construction ceased to be only a male occupation, learned from the machinist of the tower crane Natalia Marmysh

The stereotype that construction is not a woman's occupation is confidently destroyed by the Minsk master Natalia Marmysh, who has been managing tower cranes for more than 22 years. She climbed to a height of 100 m, erecting a high-rise building in Minsk-World, and worked on the site of the Minsk-Arena under construction. Details - in the material of the correspondent of the agency "Minsk-Novosti".

According to tradition, on the eve of the City Day, the winners of the Minsk Master city competition of professional skills were honored in the capital, which has been held for the 22nd year in a row. In 2026, more than 1,800 employees of capital enterprises fought for the right to be called the best, and 48 specialists became winners in their nominations.

Among the drivers of tower cranes, this year’s competition turned out to be special: only women came to the site. On June 16, 15 participants of the race eventually moved through the air a barrel weighing 500 kg in the center of the target, trying not to drop a single control chip installed on it. Any slip, shift of cargo or drop of a marker was punished with penalty points.

The victory in the competition was won by the driver of the 5th category of the Minsk site of operation of the Mechanization Department No. 79 Natalia Marmysh. The next day at the republican stage of the competition, she consolidated her success - she entered the top three, taking third place.

Way up

N. Marmysh has been operating cranes for over 22 years. She entered the profession where she was used to seeing men in 2003.

- I come from the village of Gavrilchitsa of Soligorsk district. My family was looking for where to go to study after school, shared his memories. The criteria were simple: to immediately give a hostel, a Minsk residence permit and a guaranteed distribution. Found the capital's PTU No. 31. That's how I chose the crane specialty. In 2004, she started her first construction.

The stereotype that the construction site is purely male space, N. Marmysh refutes many years of practice.

- On the ground, below – yes, there is a heavy male element, says the winner. And at height, women often work more attentively, more carefully and calmly.

The first steps in the profession helped to make mentors. In the cabin next to the student was always assigned to the object experienced driver.

- He allowed me to put the panels myself, but at any time he could insure, recalls N. Marmysh. And when, after graduation, she came to her first working facility and slammed the cockpit door, rolled up a real fear: there is no one else behind her, you need to make decisions yourself. The builders below helped: the house was already being completed, there was no emergency room, and the installers treated me patiently, calmly prompted me on the radio.

Being above ground

Over two decades of work, N. Marmysh has replaced dozens of construction sites throughout Minsk. She built schools in Lošice and the village of Priluki, built an underground shopping center on the square. Independence and shopping complex in the Nemiga area, built residential buildings in Minsk-World and Minsk-Arena. Now he is working on the construction of a kindergarten in Senica.

Each change of the crane operator begins in the same way: changing into workwear, inspecting metal structures, checking the end switches and load limiter, recording in the logbook. Only after that, the driver climbs the arrow.

- From below it seems that the crane is the conductor of the construction, the main one on the site. In fact, this is an obedient machine: where the slingers and installers tell you to move the cargo, there you will deliver it. There are four controllers on old cranes, two joystick on new cars: the right hand is responsible for lifting, descent and movement, the left hand is responsible for turning the arrow and moving the cargo carriage.

Work requires extreme concentration of attention. The view from the cabin is panoramic: everything that happens under the base of the tower is clearly visible through the glazed floor, so that the cargo does not accidentally touch people or communication. If a squally wind rises or a blizzard begins, work is immediately stopped according to safety regulations: the crane is turned off, and the driver descends to the ground.

The highest height to which she had to climb a narrow metal staircase - 100 m, at the construction of a high-rise in the residential complex "Minsk-Mir".

- Ascent to such a top takes ten minutes depending on the mood and weather, Marmysh noted with a smile. In the summer, if it is stuffy, you open the window and the door so that it blows through the draft. In winter, the stairs freeze, so you need to go down and climb extremely carefully. The cabin of the tower crane is a compact workplace. But here, too, a life is created. I come to a new arrow - first of all I hang curtains from the sun on the cloves, which are adjusted to the size of the cabin windows. Be sure to bring a thermos with tea or coffee and a snack: getting down and up again during the day to eat takes too long. You can lightly turn on the radio, but so that you can clearly hear commands on the radio.

Word for word

Marmysh met her future husband 17 years ago at the main sports facility of the country.

- I worked on the construction of the Minsk Arena complex, and my construction machine suddenly broke down, the winner said. - Local specialists drove the day, but could not repair. We have an electrical engineer from our office. A young specialist arrived, fixed the malfunction, we talked, started calling. It's been 17 years.

Two daughters grow up in the family - the eldest is in the eleventh grade, and the youngest is in the fifth. N. Marmysh admits: long-term work at height leaves an imprint on character.

- In her youth she was very sociable, and in the cockpit you sit alone all day long. You'll have a couple of service words on the radio, and silence. You get used to being silent, you become less talkative. But there is no time left for disturbing thoughts, the interlocutor stressed.

Photo by Irina Malinovskaya