Women have taken part in behind-the-scenes tours of the $330 million Eurobodalla Regional Hospital and the $658 million Sydney Children’s Hospital Stage 1 and Minderoo Children’s Comprehensive Cancer Centre project in Randwick, as part of a drive to attract more women to roles in the construction industry.
Funded by the NSW Government’s Women in Construction Industry Innovation Program, the tours are part of the It’s Possible campaign from the Australian Constructors Association which highlights the diverse career opportunities available for women in an industry that is evolving to become more inclusive.
The grants program was established to fund innovative ideas in industry to support the creation of inclusive workplace cultures, attract and retain women to the construction sector, support female employees and women in leadership roles.
The tour of the Sydney Children’s Hospital Stage 1 and Minderoo Children’s Comprehensive Cancer Centre project was hosted by principal contractor John Holland. The push for greater diversity in construction is backed by the NSW Government, with the project one of eight Health Infrastructure projects participating in the NSW Government’s Women in Construction (WiC) focused Infrastructure Skills Legacy Program (ISLP), which is trialling increased targets for women in construction to boost skills, capability and capacity in the industry.
Acting Chief Executive of Health Infrastructure, Leisa Rathborne, said the Sydney Children’s Hospital redevelopment is the perfect setting to showcase what it’s like to work in construction with women contributing to a wide range of roles, including as Project Director.
“Health Infrastructure is proud to support initiatives like ACA’s ‘It’s Possible’ campaign which showcase the opportunities for women to build careers working on large-scale infrastructure projects,” Ms Rathborne said.
“To date, women in non-traditional roles represent almost nine per cent of the project’s workforce, exceeding the NSW Government’s trial target of seven per cent.
“By opening our doors to women considering a career change, we’re hoping to build a stronger, more inclusive and sustainable industry with our industry partners that reflects the communities we serve.”
Health Infrastructure Executive Director, Rural and Regional, Amanda Bock attended the Eurobodalla Regional Hospital tour, a project which is being delivered by Health Infrastructure in Partnership with building contractor Multiplex.
“The campaign provides an opportunity for women considering a career in construction to experience firsthand what is involved through touring major infrastructure projects and meeting the people working to deliver them. It was great to speak to the women who attended the tour and discuss the different roles for women that are available in the industry,” Ms Bock said.
Among those sharing their experiences during the Eurobodalla Regional Hospital tour was Meggan Pritchard, who works as the Eurobodalla Regional Hospital’s Heath, Safety and Environment Coordinator. Her career first began in construction as a labourer on the Batemans Bay bridge project in 2018 and her broad experience shows the multiple career pathways are available for women in construction.
The Industry Innovation Program is one of four priority actions for the NSW Government’s $20.2 million Women in Construction Program.