Whilst much is known about the difficulties women face attaining leadership positions in the corporate world, little is known about women in non-traditional trades such as in construction.
Starting with their schooling, females are given career advice which reinforces stereotypes depicting the construction industry as a dirty and harsh work environment. Girls are overlooked for school based or full time apprenticeships. When women do engage with the industry, as mature age women, they additionally face childcare and flexibility issues. Female apprentices experience a lack of structured support to deal with career development and a lack of networking opportunities due to the large number of job sites and the industry culture. Professional women in construction are overlooked for leadership roles by a management structure predominantly made up of males supporting a mateship culture that discourages the few senior women to support other women.
For 2010 International Women’s Day, the inaugural Advancement of Women in the Workplace Award (AWWA) recognises the outstanding initiatives of Radmila Desic from Construction Skills Queensland to attract, recruit, retain and train women in the construction industry. AWWA run by the Australian Centre for Leadership for Women (CLW) in association with Diversity Council Australia and Avril Henry Pty Ltd commends Ms Desic for establishing the Women In Construction initiative to develop industry pathways for women, repositioning them as employees of first-choice and advancing the construction industry’s commitment to gender equity and accessibility of the trades. Such policy changes will enhance the work life balance for men also, in an industry where males struggle with the working hours and its inflexible structure.
AWWA also recognised ground-breaking initiatives of women in other sectors. Winning the Silver AWWA is Louise Perram-Fisk whose Inspiring Women Series, designed to support women to develop their careers and empower their lives within the Queensland Public sector is now an ongoing program for the Queensland Government.
Commander Jennifer Wittwer from the Royal Australian Navy won the Bronze Award for her Navy Women’s Leadership Program, designed to provide Navy female leaders with the opportunity to attend, and participate in, various external leadership development events in support of the Navy’s Leadership and Values Cultural Reform Strategy now named, New Generation Navy.
Commander Michelle Fyfe and Acting Sergeant Erica Silwood from Western Australia Police receive the Highly Commended Award for establishing the Western Australian Police Executive Committee for Women (ECW) and its Women in Leadership Strategy that aims to make changes to professional development programs so that women in the Force can build their capacity to take on senior leadership roles in WA Police.
Inspector Nada McDonald of New South Wales Police Force also receives the Highly Commended Award for supporting and developing women within the Force through implementation of strategies aligned to achieving workplace goals.
AWWA was proudly Gold Sponsored by Australia Post, PepsiCo ANZ and Silver sponsored by Living Now Magazine. Judges for the Award were Dr Diann Rodgers-Healey, Founder of the Australian Centre for Leadership for Women (CLW), Nareen Young, CEO of Diversity Council Australia, and Avril Henry, Principal of Avril Henry Pty Ltd.
Further info about the winners and their projects will be online from 8 March 2010 at aclw.org
International Women’s Day Awards for Leading Australian Women
On International Women’s Day the inaugural Advancement of Women in the Workplace Award will be presented to Radmila Desic from Construction Skills Queensland for her outstanding initiatives to attract, recruit, retain and train women in the construction industry.
The Advancement of Women in the Workplace Award (AWWA) has been created to recognise women and men who are leading the way in reducing gender disparity, promoting equity and women’s advancement in the workplace.
The Australian Centre for Leadership for Women in association with Diversity Council Australia and Avril Henry Pty Ltd will award Radmila Desic with $1600 and a Certificate thanks to Gold Sponsors, Australia Post and PepsiCo ANZ.
Whilst much is known about the difficulties women face attaining leadership positions in the corporate world, little is known about women in non-traditional trades such as in construction.
Starting with their schooling, females are given career advice which reinforces stereotypes depicting the construction industry as a dirty and harsh work environment. Girls are overlooked for school based or full time apprenticeships. When women do engage with the industry, as mature age women, they additionally face childcare and flexibility issues. Female apprentices experience a lack of structured support to deal with career development and a lack of networking opportunities due to the large number of job sites and the industry culture. Professional women in construction are overlooked for leadership roles by a management structure predominantly made up of males supporting a mateship culture that discourages the few senior women to support other women.
The Australian Centre for Leadership for Women commends Ms Desic for establishing the Women in Construction initiative to develop industry pathways for women, repositioning them as employees of first-choice and advancing the construction industry’s commitment to gender equity and accessibility of the trades. Such policy changes will enhance the work life balance for men also, in an industry where males struggle with the working hours and its inflexible structure.
Women in other non-traditional sectors have also been recognised for their ground-breaking initiatives to advance women in the workplace. Winning the Silver AWWA is Louise Perram-Fisk whose Inspiring Women Series, designed to support women to develop their careers and empower their lives within the Queensland Public sector is now an ongoing program for the Queensland Government.
Commander Jennifer Wittwer from the Royal Australian Navy won the Bronze Award for her Navy Women’s Leadership Program, designed to provide Navy female leaders with the opportunity to attend, and participate in, various external leadership development events in support of the Navy’s Leadership and Values Cultural Reform Strategy now named, New Generation Navy.
Commander Michelle Fyfe and Acting Senior Sergeant Erica Silwood from Western Australia Police receive the Highly Commended Award for establishing the Western Australian Police Executive Committee for Women (ECW) and its Women in Leadership Strategy that aims to make changes to professional development programs so that women in the Force can build their capacity to take on senior leadership roles in WA Police.
Inspector Nada McDonald of New South Wales Police Force also receives the Highly Commended Award for supporting and developing women within the Force through implementation of strategies aligned to achieving workplace goals.
Judges for the Award were Dr Diann Rodgers-Healey, Founder of the Australian Centre for Leadership for Women (CLW), Nareen Young, CEO of Diversity Council Australia, and Avril Henry, Principal of Avril Henry Pty Ltd.
Further info about the winners and their projects will be online from 8 March 2010 at aclw.org