Sometimes on programs like Constructionarium Australia, there are moments that take your breath away. On Day 4, our lunch and learn session was one of those. We will get to that soon, but first up a quick recap of the day.
Matt and Hayley warmed the cohort up and prepared them for the first day of construction with an all-important safety pre-start and toolbox session. Next up was training in the various power tools our cohort will be using for their build. In every build, we have a mix of experience across the cohort, from members who have never held or used a power tool to experienced operators who know exactly what they are doing, but the key to success is ensuring everyone has the opportunity to use the tools, to gain experience of what it would be like to do a certain role for a day and to understand the realities of what teams go through working on a major project.
It was then time for construction to begin. As our team worked through their schedule, allocated roles, checked their methodologies and got to work, we were joined by the team from Johnson and Young Cranes, who are on site for the next two days supporting the team as they assemble and lift their bridge spans into place. One area of the program where our cohort cannot take full responsibility is for the crane lifts – they undertake the lift calculation and plan the lifts, but we have experienced operators and riggers who support the cohort and thanks to Johnson and Young for their team’s fabulous support.
As the cohort hit their stride, sections were assembled, decks installed, and the first lifts took place as the Victorian Big Build Bridge took shape. After a morning of great progress, it was time for a break and our lunch and learn session. Due to unforeseen circumstances, we had to change the topic of the session from Sustainability and decided to hold an impromptu panel discussion on the realities of being involved in the construction sector as a woman. Moderated by Matt, our three participants, Purna, Hayley and Amy, told their stories, shared their experiences and outlined their realities with an honesty and openness that was incredibly powerful.
Purna Neupane from Seymour Whyte is a Site Engineer, and current program participant 3 years of experience in the sector, joining straight from university. Hayley Brown from Seymour Whyte is a supervisor and is supervising this build, joining the industry 6 years ago from a background in education and insurance underwriting. Amy Trimboli is a Dog ‘woman’ from Johnson and Young Cranes and is part of the crane crew assisting in the build. She joined the industry 6 years ago and has a background in sales and retail. Three different careers, different backgrounds and different stories of how they became part of the industry and their experiences so far. Our three speakers are true female trailblazers in the industry, reshaping the perception of females in the industry and paving the way for this new generation of young female professionals entering the sector. Here are the big takeaways from their insights and experiences:
- The industry is changing for the better, they are starting to see the change and acknowledge the support of younger males in the industry who are assisting in driving change, promoting the positives and welcoming more females into the industry
- “Be Confident” and, more importantly, “BE BRAVE” was a key message and one that was extremely powerful and resonated strongly with the other young females
- Female camaraderie is vital. Women must be supportive of each other rather than knocking each other down
- Speaking up matters, outdated, poor male behaviours must be called out when they are seen see it, but also negativity between females must also be called out
- Never be too scared to ask for help; never be the smartest person in the room, and never stop learning
For everyone fortunate enough to hear Purna, Hayley and Amy speak, it was remarkable. A session that resonated with our cohort but, more importantly, inspired them, reinforced the opportunities and realities ahead of them and gave them the confidence to be part of the positive changes in our industry and the role that everyone has in ensuring we work in safe, diverse, respectful and inclusive environments that use. Thank you Purna, Hayley and Amy.
After lunch, it was back onto the site to continue with the build before our all-important cost and project control sessions with Bentley as our team attempted to stay on track ahead of Friday’s all-important Bridge opening.
