The National Association of Women in Construction NSW (NAWIC NSW) has awarded two prestigious government sponsored scholarships worth a total of $45,000 to TTW Director Nishmin Hallam and Northrop Principal Structural Engineer Isabel Duffy.
Announced at the NAWIC NSW International Women’s Day lunch in Sydney on Friday 6 March, the 2026 Executive Women’s Leadership Scholarship ($30,000) and inaugural 2026 Emerging Women’s Leader Scholarship ($15,000) are proudly funded by the NSW Government’s Women in Construction program.
The scholarships offer executive-level further education to equip senior women in the construction sector with the leadership skills to drive industry change.
They were created to recognise women who are making a significant impact on the construction industry and who demonstrate potential as future leaders while advancing diversity, championing positive change, and actively contributing to NAWIC and the wider construction industry.
2026 NAWIC NSW Executive Women’s Leadership Scholarship winner TTW (Taylor Thomson Whitting) Director Nishmin Hallam. Image credit: Nic Smith.
2026 NAWIC NSW Executive Women’s Leadership Scholarship winner - TTW (Taylor Thomson Whitting) Director Nishmin Hallam
Ms Hallam has more than 20 years of experience in the construction and consulting industry, progressing from her role as a cadet with TTW to become the organisation’s first female director in a technical role.
In addition to a demonstrated ability to lead multidisciplinary teams and large-scale projects, Ms Hallam has a strong track record of mentoring and nurturing talent, particularly women, including involvement in the Emerging Leaders Mentoring Program and leading the organisation’s Young Engineers training group.
The scholarship will allow her to undertake the Advanced Management Program at Melbourne Business School, an intensive residential course designed for senior executives seeking to elevate their leadership capability and strategic influence.
2026 Emerging Women’s Leader Scholarship winner Northrop Principal Structural Engineer Isabel Duffy. Image Credit: Nic Smith
2026 Emerging Women’s Leader Scholarship winner - Northrop Principal Structural Engineer Isabel Duffy
Ms Duffy has shown strong leadership within Northrop, driving initiatives that support women and stepping confidently into broader organisational growth responsibilities. Having recently moved into a larger leadership role, she is clearly focused on developing the strategic and influence skills required for executive-level impact.
As co-founder of Tomorrow’s Women in Construction (TWIC), she has created measurable industry change, including placing 85 female students into built environment work experience roles in 2025.
The scholarship will allow Ms Duffy to undertake locally-based courses focusing on leadership and social impact through the University of New South Wales Graduate School of Management.
Minister for Women Jodie Harrison said:
“The NSW Government is proud to sponsor the NAWIC scholarships as part of our ongoing work to empower and create opportunities for women in the building and construction industry.
“Through our Women in Construction program, we are working towards creating a more diverse and robust sector. Part of that is attracting and retaining women in the industry, as well as making sure they have pathways to leadership, which is what these scholarships are all about.
“Congratulations to Nishmin and Isabel. You’re both an inspiration to up-and-coming women in the industry – and I look forward to seeing where these scholarships can take you in your career.”
Infrastructure NSW Chief Executive, Tom Gellibrand said:
“Congratulations to Nishmin Hallam, recipient of the 2026 NAWIC NSW Executive Women’s Leadership Scholarship and Isabel Duffy, recipient of the Emerging Leader Scholarship. Both accomplished women exemplify the leadership, capability and commitment these scholarships are designed to support, at different but equally important stages of their careers.
“Nishmin’s progression from cadet to Director at Taylor Thomson Whitting, alongside her long standing commitment to mentoring and industry leadership, and Isabel’s work as a Principal Structural Engineer at Northrop and co founder of Tomorrow’s Women in Construction, demonstrate the impact women are having across the sector.
“Through the NSW Women in Construction program, we are proud to partner with NAWIC to support initiatives that strengthen leadership pathways and build a more diverse, inclusive and future ready construction industry.”
NAWIC NSW Co-President, Taleah Stofka said:
“NAWIC NSW is committed to collaboratively driving gender equity through culture change and we are proud to offer two scholarships this year to support women in leadership roles to strengthen their capability, influence, and industry impact.
“Congratulations to our 2026 recipients Nishmin Hall and Isabel Duffy, we look forward to seeing your careers develop further through your studies funded with these scholarships. Having women represented at decision-making levels helps to create inclusive, productive, and high-performing workplaces and we thank the NSW Government for their support.
“The Executive Women’s Leadership Scholarship and the inaugural Emerging Women’s Leader Scholarship enable further study for these two amazing leaders who are already making a significant difference in the construction sector with strong ongoing support from their employers.”
Previous Executive Women’s Leadership Scholarship recipients include 2023 winner Talia Keyes, General Manager for Design with Scentre Group, 2024 winner Jua Cilliers, Head of the School of Built Environment at UTS and 2025 winner Nicole Waterman, Project Leader at Laing O’Rourke.
To find out more visit NAWIC NSW Scholarships and Women in Construction | NSW Government.
Media contact:
NAWIC Communications and Media Manager Claudine Murphy
[email protected] | 0417 938 542