An innovative training program aimed at encouraging more women to consider a career in Civil Construction will see nine local woman offered full-time jobs in the sector following their graduation last week.

The ‘Women in Civil’ program was delivered by Ginninderry’s SPARK in partnership with Master Builders ACT. The ten-week program commenced in April and included seven units of a Certificate III in Civil Construction Plant Operations along with workshops on health and wellbeing and a four-week work placement.

Several major civil construction contractors in the ACT partnered with the program including Huon Contractors, Woden Contractors, Base Contractors and Guideline ACT with all nine women completing the program offered ongoing employment in the sector.

SPARK Program Manager Emma Sckrabei was recently named ACT Woman of the Year, in part for her role in opening up pathways for women to enter the construction sector. She says this program is a natural next step on that journey.

“The civil construction sector has been actively exploring ways to encourage more women to take up jobs within the industry and this program is the first step in making that happen”

“This is a genuine commitment from the sector with several major civil contractors in the ACT coming together to provide industry work placements for training participants, and ultimately ongoing roles the nine women who successfully completed the program”.

Sckrabei says that these women will play a role in changing the face of the city given the civil construction sector’s focus on large, game changing projects.

“Civil construction is an exciting part of the sector with interesting roles across the planning, design and creation of major infrastructure projects. I’m confident that the women who participated in our first program will see plenty of opportunities for a bright future”

Anisha Sachdeva, a Director with Huon Contractors and Deputy Chair of the Civil Contractors Federation of the ACT said, “we are all very committed to recruiting more women into the civil sector, and this program has allowed the candidates to see and hear firsthand from women already working in civil construction.”

Jess Shute, Project Manager with Woden Contractors has always found the civil sector in Canberra to be a close knit, supportive and inclusive community. “Unfortunately, there are not many women working in Civil in the Canberra region and I don’t understand why. All the women I speak to only have positive things to say and this program has been the boost we’ve needed to get more women involved.”