Federal Minister for Skills and Training Andrew Giles (centre) and NAWIC CEO Cathryn Greville (centre left) at the launch hosted by ADCO Constructions at its Loganlea State High School project site.
Image credit: Fotofox Photography.
The National Association of Women in Construction Australia (NAWIC) has officially launched the Allyship in Action: Transforming Culture to Attract and Retain Women project’s Male Allies Training Course.
The three-year Allyship in Action project received $5 million in funding from the Australian Government’s Building Women’s Careers (BWC) Program and is being delivered with sector partners including ADCO Constructions, CPB Contractors and the Holmesglen Institute.
Minister for Skills and Training, Andrew Giles attended the March 16 launch event hosted by ADCO Constructions at its Loganlea State High School project site.
The BWC, delivered through the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations, supports practical action to improve training and job opportunities for women in industries where men make up most of the workforce, including construction, clean energy, advanced manufacturing and digital and technology.
Women make up approximately 13% of Australia’s building and construction workforce, with only about 3% working on the tools. Allyship in Action is designed to specifically engage with men in the sector, placing them at the centre of cultural transformation by engaging them as active partners in change.
Where businesses and the community fully capitalise on the many benefits that equitable and inclusive environments bring, they reap the benefits including improved financial returns, greater innovation, positive reputation, achievement of work health and safety imperatives, better compliance and ways of working, reduced workforce shortages and lower risk.
Research consistently shows that men who participate in structured allyship programs are more likely to challenge bias, intervene constructively and support women’s advancement, contributing to safer, more inclusive and higher-performing teams.
The Male Allies Training Course is free, online and self‑paced, with five short modules that can be completed on a phone, tablet or computer. It is available nationally and open to men working across the construction and built environment. Individuals and organisations can register online to take part.
The initiative expands NAWIC’s existing offering into a multi-pronged national framework that will:
• Tackle harmful attitudes and behaviours
• Empower men to sponsor women into leadership
• Activate cultural ambassadors to embed change onsite
• Apply best-practice cultural reform approaches across all market segments
The Male Allies Training Program is central to the initiative designed specifically for the construction and built sector.
Unlike generic diversity training, the program uses realistic site-based and office-based scenarios, focuses on practical everyday behaviours, builds confidence to intervene and call out disrespect and reinforces that respectful culture is everyone’s responsibility.
The training is accompanied by a National Industry Challenge, inviting organisations to publicly commit to participation and demonstrate cultural leadership.
Quotes attributable to Minister for Skills and Training, Andrew Giles:
“The need for change is clear. Women remain significantly under represented in construction, particularly on the tools, and we cannot change those outcomes unless we change workplace culture.
“This training is about engaging men as allies and giving them the skills to challenge poor behaviour, support their colleagues and help make construction a place where women are encouraged to pick up the tools, build careers and stay for the long term.
“When men step up as allies, workplaces become safer, stronger and more productive, and women are far more likely to enter the industry, remain in it and progress.”
Quotes attributable to NAWIC CEO Cathryn Greville:
“NAWIC’s Allyship in Action project is about giving individuals and businesses the tools to be part of the solution to positively address gender bias through culture change, and it’s exciting to see the rollout of the Male Allies Training Course.
“This project would not be possible without the significant grant from the Building Women’s Careers (BWC) Program and the support of our project partners. True progress on gender equity in construction requires engaging men not just as supporters but as stakeholders who benefit from, and are essential to, creating equitable workplaces.
“The Male Allies Training Course gives men practical, evidence-based tools to handle real workplace situations with confidence, helping them to speak up early, respond to inappropriate behaviour and set the standard.
“When we prioritise a culture of fairness, inclusion and respect, we create an environment where everyone feels valued and able to succeed. This is critical to attract more women into the industry, retain them, and foster a strong pipeline of future leaders. We have billions of dollars of construction projects to deliver and we have an untapped pool of women available to help build it.”
Individuals can register for the free training through the National Association of Women in Construction website.
Further information on the Building Women’s Careers Program.
Media Enquiries:
Christine Callinan
[email protected]
0413601506