New Zealand's infrastructure industry has a skills gap when it comes to upgrading roading networks, replacing leaky water pipes, maintaining power lines or installing faster broadband technology, to name a few. These jobs are in high-demand, can be a lot of fun, and provide varied career paths…for women just as much as men.
Females only account for about 18% of employees in the Infrastructure Industries in general. This trend can be found in the statistics of many other trade sectors. Girls with Hi-Vis® (GWHV) aims to change that!
Girls with Hi-Vis® gives female students the opportunity to gain hands-on experience, hear from inspirational women in the industry and learn what a career in the infrastructure industries, as well as other important trade sectors, can offer.
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GWHV 2024
Hundreds of female secondary school students around the country have had their hands on the controls of some of New Zealand’s top infrastructure companies over the past two months through Connexis Girls with Hi-Vis® (GWHV).
The students have donned hi-vis vests and done it all from driving diggers and trucks, to climbing power poles and jointing cables. They’ve also seen the inner workings of some of New Zealand’s biggest infrastructure assets like wind farms, hydro power stations, water treatment plants and major roading projects.
Check out our video and some photos and read more here.
Why attend?
Find out about the trades sector and the career opportunities that exist. You'll get to see what jobs look like, complete fun hands-on activities, listen to inspirational stories.
This is a great event for young women in high school who:
- enjoy working with a great bunch of people
- like practical hands-on work
- like a variety of work
- like making a positive impact in their community
- may not know much about the trade sector
- not sure what to do after school or what career opportunities exist.
Why host a GWHV event?
Make a positive impact in your business and community by introducing female school students to what a career in your industry and company can offer.
Open the door to your entry-roles, internships, gateway programme or apprenticeship.
How did it begin? - the history of GWHV
Girls with Hi-Vis is an initiative by Ultimit (part of Industry Training Organisation Connexis). Developed in partnership with industry, the aim is to increase female participation in trade roles in horizontal built infrastructure. The initiative works by giving women the opportunity to spend the day with a local employer to gain some ‘hands on’ experience and find out about career opportunities in the industry.
Girls with Hi-Vis was launched with the Electricity Supply Industry in 2015 and saw over 50 women take part with the support of participating companies - Northpower, Electrix, PowerNet, Meridian Energy, Transfield Services, Genesis Energy and McConnell Dowell. Following the success of our events the initiative expanded into Civil and Water in 2016.
As well as raising awareness of career options in infrastructure trades, one of the key objectives of Girls with Hi-Vis is to build a stronger network of women in infrastructure. This in turn nurtures inclusion, success and sustainability through mentoring and support.
