NAWIC has boots on the ground in every State and Territory and continues to be at the forefront of driving positive change to benefit women and underrepresented groups in the construction sector… writes NAWIC CEO Cathryn Greville
Driving change
We were excited to partner once again on the Women in Construction, Engineering & Infrastructure Summit in Melbourne in August.
Along with endorsing partner National Women in Transport, NAWIC’s nominated charity partner for the event was the Tradeswomen Australia Group.
The summit provided an opportunity to network and hear from an impressive list of speakers across the two days.
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It was a pleasure to emcee the event and moderate some fantastic sessions, present the opening address and share findings from NAWIC’s “Not So Little Things Affecting Women in Construction” microaggressions research report.
Session topics included fostering inclusive leadership, career advancement, CEOs driving the culture change, cultivating networks, rising together through allyship, inclusive and respectful workplaces, an inclusive supply chain showcase, and the critical need to focus on issues impacting retention.
Shifting the dial for women in construction means tackling the difficult issues with people at all levels from those working on the tools and all the way up to senior leadership.
Building membership and community
As the peak membership body for women working in the construction sector we are committed to creating fair, inclusive and respectful workplaces where everyone can thrive.
At the end of the financial year, we had 360 organisational members, more than 16,000 members and about 400 volunteers with membership renewals now well underway and new members are always welcome.
Membership is open to all – women, men, non-binary people, apprentices and organisations – and provides access to a range of member benefits like discounted event tickets, mentoring programs, professional development, awards, resources and much more.
Cultural transformation
We are also preparing to roll out our innovative Allyship in Action: Transforming Culture to Attract and Retain Women project, which was awarded $5 million in funding from the Federal Government’s flagship Building Women’s Careers (BWC) Program.
The three-year long project will engage men as partners and tackle poor attitudes and behaviours; empower men to sponsor women into leadership; and utilise the power of cultural ambassadors of all genders to embed positive change on the ground.
Each of us can make a difference in our workplace.
Culture change starts with understanding and sharing what is working, what is not and what opportunities we have to explore.
Celebrating milestones
I was truly honoured to be named the Construction Sector Gender Equity Champion of the Year 2025 in APAC Insider’s Australian CEO Excellence Awards in August.
The awards celebrate the exceptional leadership and innovation that has positioned Australia as a global powerhouse in a rapidly evolving world.
They recognise the contributions of CEOs who are not just steering their companies to success but are also shaping Australia’s economic and societal landscape.
This award is a reflection on the work of the entire NAWIC team past and present, including our staff, board members, members and volunteers across the country. In our 30th Anniversary year, we have been considering what’s been achieved so far and our vision for the future of women in construction.
We have big plans for the coming years, and I thank everyone for their ongoing support. Our theme in our anniversary year is ‘Individually We Inspire, Together We Rise’ and this was one of our key messages at our 30 CEOs for 30 Years Roundtable on National Equal Pay Day in Melbourne.
The day marked the end of the 50 additional days into the new financial year that women in Australia needed to work to earn the same pay, on average, as men.
The Roundtable was an integral part of implementing our new organisational strategy as we reflect on the current state of the construction industry and what is needed to ensure we attract, retain and advance women plus see the entire sector reach its full potential.
The session provided a unique opportunity for us to discuss common challenges with CEOs and leaders in the construction sector to explore ways in which we can collaborate to drive meaningful change and collective impact. It was wonderful to have support and representation from across the sector.
CEOs and leaders have an important role to play in driving gender equity. The insights from the Roundtable will be pivotal in helping help us build our collateral, our resources and our training for members to ensure we meet the needs of the sector. And we need your insights and experiences too to support us in our advocacy work – so join us as we work to create a fair, inclusive and respectful industry.
Our membership year runs through to 30 June 2026 but it’s not too late to sign up or renew if you haven’t done so yet