Creating pathways for women in construction
Fifteen women are set to launch their careers in construction after graduating from the Ignite HER Pathway Program at Bank Street Park, a project being delivered by BESIX Watpac.
The pre-employment program is designed to provide women with practical training, industry exposure and direct connections to employers. Participants completed four weeks of training to develop job-ready skills in landscape and civil construction, along with mentoring to support long-term career pathways in the industry.
BESIX Watpac CEO Mark Baker said the program demonstrates the role industry can play in creating meaningful pathways for women into construction.
“At BESIX Watpac, we are committed to increasing opportunities for women in construction and are proud to partner with the NSW Government and Infrastructure NSW on the pre-employment program at Bank Street Park,” he said.
“The BESIX Watpac project team, which comprises more than 85% females, has done an outstanding job supporting this program and working closely with our subcontractors to create more opportunities for women on site. Their leadership is helping drive meaningful and lasting change across our industry.”
Participants who successfully completed the pre-employment program will now look to enter the industry with 15 placements available with subcontractors to work on the new Bank Street Park and other projects.
Bank Street Park is the first project in NSW to proactively work towards 50 per cent female participation and is part of the NSW Government Women in Construction (WIC) program.
To support this ambition, the project has embedded workforce participation targets, incorporated inclusive site design, delivering skills and employment pathways and culture-building initiatives, and tracking participation across the entire project lifecycle.
The program is part of a broader strategy by the NSW Government to increase the number of women working in the sector, with a focus on trades and site-based roles.
Over 85 women applied for the pre-employment program at Bank Street Park, highlighting the demand and interest women have in entering the construction industry.
All images submitted by Infrastructure NSW
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