If you’ve ever wondered what empowerment looks like in real time, it’s this: eleven individuals, boots on ground, standing on the factory floor at CSR, eyes wide, soaking in the manufacturing process behind every sheet of gyprock.
As part of the Freestyle Program in collaboration with North Melbourne Football Club, Empowered Women in Trades (EWIT) recently teamed up with the CSR team at their Yarraville manufacturing facility to go beyond the walls to deliver a hands-on Discovery Day that did more than just inform; it ignited something.
Image: Joni Anderson
Always moving forward
We’re all about breaking barriers at EWIT. Not just the physical kind, but the invisible ones — fear of not belonging, not being “trade material”, or thinking you’re too old to start.
This day shattered all of that and that was all before lunch!
Participants toured CSR’s manufacturing facility, getting a rare, behind-the-scenes look at how gyprock is made, from raw materials to finished product.
Then we rolled up our sleeves and learned how to patch small holes in gyprock, giving attendees practical, transferable skills they can take with them.
But it wasn’t just about the tools. It was about connection.
Through interactive sessions, participants explored real career pathways into manufacturing and construction.
Apprenticeship Support Australia unpacked entry points into trades via apprenticeships, and the team at Brick and Block Careers inspired us with pathways in the bricklaying space. At every turn, people were met with possibility, and more importantly, with people who believed in them. As our favourite saying goes; it takes a village.
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One participant said, “I would just like to congratulate you on your uplifting and enjoyable educational day. You have inspired me now more than ever to move onward and upward.” Another shared, “I learnt you’re never too old to take up an apprenticeship.”
That’s the impact we live for.
We heard repeatedly how welcomed and seen participants felt. That speaks volumes not just about EWIT’s approach, but about our incredible partners. A huge thank you to the CSR team, whose warmth, passion, and willingness to share their expertise made this day so impactful.
Real empowerment
When industry opens its doors, magic happens.
People discover new versions of themselves.
They make informed career choices.
They go home knowing they belong and there are a whole lot of good humans who want nothing more than to see them succeed.
That’s what empowerment really is.
This Discovery Day was more than just a program- it was a reminder of what’s possible when we show up, share knowledge, and reimagine who the trades are for. And trust me, if this group is any indication, the future is bright, skilled, and powered by purpose.
