‘Girls with Hi-Vis’ campaign aims to recruit more women
The Infrastructure Industry is in dire need of more quality staff with a predicted 25,000 more workers required to meet industry demand over the next 3 years and Connexis sees women as the answer.
Connexis – the Infrastructure Industry Training Organisation (ITO) – is working to fill this void by attracting women to the Industry via its annual ‘Girls with Hi-Vis®’ initiative, which sees high school students and the sisters, daughters, friends, cousins and wives of staff already working in the Infrastructure Industry invited to work for a day for a ‘hands on experience’ to showcase the many career options.
Girls with Hi-Vis® runs throughout June and yesterday a group of Franklin women sampled a day’s work in the electricity supply industry at Counties Power.
Connexis Interim-Chief Executive David Worsnop says, “Franklin like many regions around the country will struggle to staff its infrastructure developments over the coming years unless the workforce grows. It’s a real issue, because as we all know maintaining and growing our infrastructure is vital to keep the country moving efficiently and growing our economy.
The initiative is very timely following the Government’s recent announcement of an $11 billion investment into infrastructure, which highlights the need to recruit more quality workers. “Connexis sees diversity as key to filling these roles and Girls with Hi-Vis is one of our key strategies to increase diversity by encouraging women to consider a career in the Infrastructure Industry,” David says.
“While women make up 50 percent of the country’s population, less than 4 percent of women are trade and technical trainees with Connexis. A ‘hands on’ taste of the job and hearing from women who have successful infrastructure careers is a perfect way to show women exactly what a usual day’s work entails and hopefully it will inspire them to join a growing infrastructure industry that offers a wide variety of roles with good pay and a new career.”
Counties Power Chief Executive Sheridan Broadbent says the company strongly supports encouraging more women into infrastructure roles and on their own team.
“Diversity and equality is an area Counties Power takes seriously, and one I’m proud we have extended through our active promotion of women in our workforce and through our community involvement with our new sponsorship of the Counties Manukau women’s representative rugby team – now known as the Counties Power Heat.
“It’s exciting to see so many of the Counties Power Heat players and students from local high schools and learning institutions here today at our Girls with Hi – Vis event, learning more about working in Infrastructure roles and for Counties Power in particular. We would love to see more women actively engaging in this industry.
“From my own experience as a female leader in the energy and infrastructure sectors, the environment is supportive of talent regardless of gender, the sector full of opportunity and I encourage women to get involved and seek employment in this growth area. Those considering a career or study change and who want to work for an innovative, growing local company with a diverse range of roles should keep an eye on the Counties Power website for future roles.”
Girls with Hi-Vis® is lead by Connexis, the Infrastructure Industry Training Organization in partnership with Civil, Energy, 3Waters and Telecommunications companies.
Industry partners for Girls with Hi-Vis® 2017 are Visionstream, Auckland; WaterCare, Auckland; Counties Power, Pukekohe; Horizon Energy Group, Whakatane; Mainpower, Rangiora; Meridian, Wellington, Twizel and Manapouri; Genesis Energy, Turangi and Vector, Taranaki. They will all be welcoming women to experience their company and industry during the month of June.
“It’s great to see infrastructure companies working together to increase visibility of career opportunities across our industries through this campaign and supporting women to join our workforce. They are all very keen to recruit quality staff and view women as key to helping fill these roles moving forward and see Girls with Hi-Vis key to help achieve this,” David says.
This year Girls with Hi-Vis® has teamed up with Auckland Tourism Events and Economic Development (ATEED) to cross promote the #BuildAKL campaign across the region.
See ultimit.co.nz for more details
