WOMEN IN CIVIL MENTEES GRADUATE

CLASS OF 2022 WOMEN IN CIVIL MENTEES GRADUATE!

CCF NSW 50 by 50

The CCF NSW 2022 Women in Civil Mentoring Program has concluded, with 20 Mentees Graduating from our fifth-year class. And what a spot to do it – overlooking Bondi Beach.

CCF NSW’s Women in Civil (WiC) Program commenced in 2017. Its goal is very clear – to encourage more women to join and remain in the civil construction industry.

The Program was constructed by women in the industry, some from outside who had been involved in similar reforms, and employers. The message we received is that to encourage women to remain, we should create a community of connected women… women who enjoy being in the industry but confront significant challenges of being in a male-dominated industry.

The Mentee Program is one of the elements we use to facilitate this community, and it’s a cracker. Formal in nature, CCF NSW matches mentees with mentors based on the mentee’s skills, experience, goals and preferences. Training and goal-setting occurs at the induction Class, then meetings occur monthly. Normally nine months in duration, 2022 was cut a little short due to COVID.

Making Waves for Women

Among the Class of 2022 graduating we had Site Hands, Leading Hands, Engineers, Project Managers and Business Owners. This diverse group reflected what the Mentoring element of our Women in Civil Program is all about – supporting ALL women at ANY level in the civil industry.

The Blue Room Bondi, with its grand views overlooking the world-famous beach, was where we watched our 20 Women in Civil Mentees graduate as the Class of 2022. It was a truly magical day, even if some were absent due to the latest COVID outbreak.

Grace McGlinchey, a Project Administrator from Coastwide Civil who was interviewed with two other Mentees during the obligatory ‘Reflection Panel’, summed it up pretty well. “…The Women in Civil program is a great experience, and I am very thankful that Coastwide Civil threw me in and got me involved in the program! Meeting new people in similar fields is always great!” We now have an alumnus of 100-plus pairs, but it is so important that our Mentees do not stop there. As Kim Liddell, Vice President of CCF NSW and Chair of the WiC Sub-Committee, says: “This is not the end of your journey in our CCF NSW Women in Civil community, it is the beginning. Stay connected. Use the strength and support that is so obviously present in this room to enhance your career in civil.”

Go, Regional NSW!

As the Program only has two face-to-face sessions (induction and graduation), it is very well set up to support regional women. This year we were thrilled to be able to welcome Kerin O’Connor (O’Connor Earthmoving – Riverina), Kylie Hinton (Divalls – South East) and Grace McGlinchey, who we mentioned above.

The Graduation Day is above all a celebration of achievement, but also about networking. After the Graduation Certificates were issued, the group settled down to lunch and a little learn and development from the team at Henry Clive…on how to make mocktails.

A super thank-you to all the Mentors, who so selflessly give their time to their Mentees. And a big shout-out to the employers championing women in the civil industry – you are demonstrating what the term ‘employer of choice’ is all about. Be an Employer of Choice for Women!

Nominate for 2023 CCF NSW Women in Civil Mentoring! The Commencement Class occurs on 8 March 2023. The Classes are FREE for CCF NSW Contractor Members. To learn more, please email womenincivil@ccfnsw.com