Architecture firms sign up to support women in construction

A new initiative designed to support young women to explore careers in construction has launched with the backing of more than 50 Australian property, construction and design practices.

A media communique from the initiative, which is titled "Tomorrow's Women in Construction" (TWIC), notes that their aim is to tackle "one of the key barriers to female participation in the industry: the 'you can't be what you can't see' phenomenon."

For interested year-10 female students, TWIC guarantees a one-week work experience placement with professional support and mentoring at a matched construction industry organisation.

The program aims to counter common beliefs about the construction industry, such as jobs being exclusively on-site, by introducing female students to the stories of women working in a diverse range of construction-related professions, including feasibility, planning, design, law, engineering and sustainability. According to the media release, "These stories are designed to engage young women at a critical point in their career decision-making journey, encouraging them to see themselves in roles they may not have previously considered."

"This initiative is about visibility and access," said TWIC co-founder Kat Kister. "The desire to create a more gender-equitable workforce is stronger than ever. We've gone from symbolic gestures on International Women's Day to real, tangible action - nearly 50 companies signed up in the first week alone."

According to the media communique, companies that sign up to host placements "are guided on how to create a positive, empowering experience for students - from planning age-relevant tasks to preparing their teams to mentor effectively."

The initiative, which was founded by a group of women working in architecture, engineering, building and project management in Sydney, has received support from founding partners including AJC Architects, Architectus, Group GSA and FJC Studio.

TWIC co-founder and structural engineer at Northrop Isabel Duffy commented, "This is a collective industry movement. We're showing young women that they don't have to change who they are to belong in construction - there is a place for everyone."

Organisations interested in joining the initiative can apply online.