Challenge and Growth

This year, the theme of International Women’s Day is Choose to Challenge, something that Christiana relates to. “One of the things that inspired my interest in the industry was challenging stereotypes. I feel like it shouldn’t matter where you work, what you do for work, or what your gender is; there should always be balance in the workplace, because all perspectives are important,” she says.

It’s a sentiment that FDC strongly agrees with, actively employing women across a variety of roles, from cadets through to senior management, in both operational project and office-based capacities. FDC Client Relationship Manager, Courtney Grose was recently appointed Vice President of NAWIC [National Association of Women in Construction] in South Australia, and while there’s still a long way to go, FDC has been committed to playing its part in empowering women in construction from the beginning.

Support and sponsorship

Not only is FDC an annual sponsor of the Property Council Australia’s Award for Diversity and a platinum sponsor of the Giants Netball team (championing the success of female athletes), they’re also committed to sponsorships aimed at providing opportunities and education for women in construction.

This includes NAWIC’s National Education Sponsorship in VIC, NSW, QLD and SA and Western Sydney University’s Women in Construction Scholarship and Cadet Program (which aims to inspire female students to graduate and apply for positions in construction), through which many of FDC’s female staff have found rewarding careers. Brittany Wells, a fourth-year Construction Cadet with FDC is one of those women. It was the ever-changing nature of construction that attracted her to the industry. “There are so many different things to learn, and no two days are ever the same. When you start working in construction, it can be surprising how few women there are, but I love that there are so many opportunities available to us now,” she says.

A changing landscape

National data from Construction Skills Queensland (CSQ) found that Australian female construction apprentices more than doubled in the last decade. The overall number of women in construction roles increased by 34 per cent in five years, from 44,583 in 2015 to 59,587 in 2020. While it still represents only a fraction of the million-strong male workforce, it suggests that women are becoming an increasing presence on construction sites and the tide is slowly turning.

“As a woman in construction it’s easy for people to dwell on the fact that it’s a male-dominated industry. But if it’s something that interests you, jump in and have a go. If it’s what you want to do, you’ll make it work, and if you discover that it isn’t, you don’t have to have any regrets,” says Brittany. “I’ve always been made to feel really comfortable, learning everything I need to know so I always feel in control. At FDC, we all look out for each other, whether male or female. It’s like being part of a big family.”

For FDC Site Engineer, Karina Agius, (who joined as a cadet in 2019 and was promoted within 12 months), construction runs in her family. “My dad was a labourer in construction and my three brothers are all apprentice tradies. I have a civil engineering degree from the University of Wollongong and a lot of my friends are in engineering too,” she says.

“I studied civil engineering because I was interested in design and construction. Seeing a whole project transform from an idea into reality is incredible. It’s a tangible structure that serves a purpose and makes a real contribution to other people’s lives. I really look up to FDC Project Manager, Claire Jeffrey. She’s one of the only female project managers in construction that I know of in NSW. She’s definitely the sort of person I want to strive to be like. Construction may be a male-dominated industry, but I’m pleased to work with people who are such great advocates for women.”