Women in Civil Construction on Darlington Upgrade

Women in Civil Construction on Darlington Upgrade

Written by Michelle Grose

I’m currently working on the Darlington Upgrade Project for Gateway South, and have worked with, and am still working alongside, some very talented women.

I spoke with some of them to get their impressions on how things have evolved over the years and how they feel about working in the industry.

Of the ladies spoken to, our times in the industry varied from 1 year to 27 years. They all indicated that they weren’t going anywhere, and were happy to continue their careers within the civil and construction industry.

Some decided to start working in civil and construction because they had family working in the industry; some wanted a change from what they were doing; and some were following a passion for the environment, mathematics, science and the broader community. As with anyone, male or female, their reasons for beginning their careers in the industry were varied.

Anneka – I love being outdoors.

Winnie – I have always wanted to have a positive impact on the community and a career that includes travel.

Tahlia – I wanted to reflect on my work at the end of the day and have something to look back on to say “I did that”.

Kacie – I was looking for a change of scenery and a new challenge.

Michelle – It’s a good mix of working outdoors and in the office.

Anneka Schwarz – Trade Assistant/Plant Operator with Hully.

3½ years in civil.

Within civil and construction, there are so many entry points for women. Some have trained to be here and some have learnt on the job. Many get specific training for their roles.

Anneka – For labouring, the education you receive is out in the field doing the job.

Winnie – In my second year of university, I started a cadetship. I really enjoy spending time in the field talking to the experts while they work, preferring to learn on the job through hearing their stories and experiences.

Tahlia – I’ve done short courses in mechanics, a Certificate II in civil construction, and am ticketed or have gained VOC to operate rollers, skid steers, EWPs and excavators.

Kacie – To work with cranes, I had to have my industry white card and dogger’s ticket as a minimum. From there I gained my basic rigger’s ticket, HR licence, CN (non-slew crane) and C6 (60T slew crane) tickets.

Michelle – I completed my degree at the University of SA… I even had the opportunity to go overseas to train students (in New Zealand) and undertake training in Germany.

Winnie Robertson – Project Engineer with Laing O’Rourke

9 years in civil/construction.

A common element seems to be keeping these women in the industry. The support networks they have, be it from their employer or workmates, provide great support, encouragement and opportunities. I believe the reason that the support is given is because these are extraordinary ladies. Every one of the supervisors of Tahlia, Anneka, Kacie and Winnie I have spoken to, had a huge amount of praise for them. I was told and have witnessed for myself how these ladies go the extra mile. They all work extremely hard and put in everything they can to make the project better.

Passionate, tenacious and enthusiastic, they have attention to detail, lots of energy, plus great analytical and problem solving skills. They are friendly, helpful, empathetic, persistent, safety-conscious, aware of cleanliness, productive, have a can-do attitude as well as good communication skills. These are many of the skills and qualities that the ladies felt they could bring to their workplace.

Anneka – Hully have been amazing to work for. They give me every opportunity to learn and upskill. Learning to operate a roller and tele-handler with ease has been positive for me.

Winnie – I’ve crossed paths with some inspirational women, through all sorts of networks and have had some great mentors as a result.

Tahlia – The support network at work and the relationships with almost all of my colleagues is amazing. They will always help if they see me struggling, and share knowledge or give advice on new subjects.

Kacie – I’ve worked with people from all walks of life, with absolute hearts of gold. My current employer (Fleurieu Cranes) is the best I have ever worked for. I have been given the chance to learn and develop my skills.

Michelle – My employer provides training and treats me as an equal. I am not judged by my gender but for my role.

Tahlia Cotton – Labourer with Zancott

4 years in civil.

When asked what changes they would like to see and what they aspired to do, the answers were pretty much the same. All wanted to see more women in the industry, more of them in senior positions, more facilities, a change of attitude, and more acceptance.

Personal goals were aimed towards furthering their experience, gaining additional tickets and training, and encouraging other women.

Anneka – More women’s toilets! More women! I would like to be more involved with cranes and dogging/rigging or operating machinery.

Winnie – I’d like to see increased numbers of women hold senior positions on projects more often. Eventually, I’d like to work overseas and one day I’d like to be involved in a tunnel and a bridge project.

Tahlia – I would like to see the ‘she’ll be right’ attitude change. More tickets and experience.

Kacie – I would love to see a more even ratio of men and women, as well as more women filling higher ranked positions. It would be nice to reach a point where ‘women in construction’ is not a topic of conversation but the norm.

Michelle – I’d like to see the industry, as a whole, be more accepting of women, particularly in more senior positions. I’d like to move up to more senior positions where I can have a positive influence on young surveyors as well as other workers.

Kacie Reynolds – Rigger/Crane Operator with Fleurieu Cranes

9 years in construction.

The industry has certainly changed since I first slipped on a pair of steel capped boots 27 years ago, but we need to keep growing and maintaining the momentum.

I spoke with some other women with their own stories to tell.

Anneka – Working in an industry of just men is a challenge in itself. Some aren’t as accepting as others but you’d grow thicker skin and learn to stand up for yourself.

Winnie – The biggest challenge is pay parity. I’ve faced assumptions about my capabilities and have come across consistent expressions of surprise that I am an engineer when I introduce myself. Another problem is lack of appropriate PPE for women.

Tahlia – I have personally faced challenges, mainly with older men not wanting to listen to my ideas or work with me. I have learnt to overcome and address these issues appropriately. Being small in stature, I have had to build more muscle to be able to do the same things and use the same tools as everyone else.

Kacie – One of my biggest challenges faced was when I was beginning to work with cranes as a young woman with no experience.

Michelle – It seems like I have to work twice as hard to get the respect that most men get with no effort at all. Years ago, I was told to “Step aside, we’ve got this,” by an older man who worked in the mines.

Stephanie – To even get a start, I had to work 10 times as hard.

Sam – I was constantly referred to as ‘little girl’ and wasn’t called Sam until I confronted my co-worker.

Nicole – My qualifications get questioned, whereas I don’t see this happen to my male colleagues.

Michelle Grose – Senior Project Surveyor with Laing O’Rourke

27 years in civil/construction.

It was a great experience, talking to Anneka, Winnie, Tahlia and Kacie about their experiences working in civil and construction. I got to know some very special women a little bit more and appreciate who they are a whole lot more.

We were unanimous with our wish to see more women join us. It can be a tough venture into the industry, but I know that every one of these ladies will be happy to be a stronger and well respected woman in her field of expertise.

Written by Michelle Grose