Bayley Smith, a construction surveyor and drone pilot from Fletchers Construction, with Te Puke High School students (from left) Ngapera Ronaki, Karli Russell and Bella Ngawhika.
Bayley Smith, a construction surveyor and drone pilot from Fletchers Construction, with Te Puke High School students (from left) Ngapera Ronaki, Karli Russell and Bella Ngawhika.
The Rangiuru Business Park construction site became a classroom for a morning last week.
Girls with Hi-Vis, an initiative that aims to boost the numbers of females working in the infrastructure industry, came to the district, and female students from Pāpāmoa College and Te Puke High School heard about the possibilities first-hand.
The infrastructure industry keeps New Zealand moving - roads need replacing, leaky water pipes need upgrading, power lines maintaining and faster broadband technology needs installing – and the skills required to deliver the future face of infrastructure continue to grow.
These skill sets are in high demand, particularly with the current challenges to help get the country back on track after the recent storms and flooding that has hit nationwide.
Neither Bella Ngawhika nor Ngapera Ronaki, from Te Puke High School, knew much about civil engineering before the event.
Bella said she went along because she thought the experience might open some doors for future career options.
“I didn’t realise there were so many opportunities,” she said.
After hearing from other females working in infrastructure at the event, Ngapera said she thought there would be some cool opportunities for her in engineering.
Pare Rota gets a taste of what it's like at the controls of a grader.
Karli Russell said she was keen to attend to find out more about what she needed if she was to look at a trades career.
“I’m learning what’s out there and in the trades industries, what the different jobs are.”
Bayley Smith, a construction engineer and drone pilot with Fletchers Construction, demonstrated how a drone might be used, and the principles behind setting out drain lines.
Petite Martin, an apprentice drain layer with Brian Perry Civil, said she loves working in the industry.
“The industry needs more females in it.”
She said she is accepted and gets along with everybody.
“Maybe being a little bit outspoken as a female helps,” she said.
“I was told it’s not so easy to get in since it’s a male-dominated industry, but once you have got your feet under the table and are comfortable with everything, with time you will be climbing the ladder.”
The series of Girls with Hi-Vis (GWHV) events will see close to 800 students from 80 schools – including 35 schools involved for the first time – experiencing what the infrastructure industry has to offer as a career.
Girls with Hi-Vis is an initiative of Connexis Infrastructure Training Te Pukenga.
“If we are to effectively address critical skills shortages within infrastructure industries, and meet the future needs of our communities, it is clear we must be more visible precisely where and when young people are making crucial career decisions,” said executive director Kaarin Gaukrodger. “And that’s where Girls with Hi-Vis comes in.”
There will be more than 30 events hosted by different companies throughout New Zealand.
Petite Martin, an apprentice civil drain layer from Brian Perry Civil, talks to students from Te Puke High School at the Girls with High Vis event.
“That represents an impressive mobilisation within our industry to engage with women, who still make up only a small percentage of the infrastructure workforce, as a means of addressing skills shortages.
“At these events, students hear directly from inspirational women already working in the sector, and are given hands-on experience at skills needed in infrastructure jobs, such as working with specialised tools and operating heavy vehicles or machinery.
“But perhaps most importantly, GWHV opens their minds to the possibility and helps them build relationships with key, often large, employers in their own local area.”
GWHV showcases the day-to-day roles of those tradespeople keeping our communities connected and provides an understanding of the career opportunities within their local community within infrastructure’s civil, energy, telecommunications and water industries.
“There are many opportunities available. Women can begin their career in infrastructure ‘hands-on’ out in the field and progress from there, or if they have suitable skills and experience they can start at management level straight away or gain onsite experience while progressing through their university training. The options and possibilities are endless,” Kaarin says.
The infrastructure industry is leading the way when it comes to employing women in what has traditionally been a male-dominated sector, last year reaching a target figure of 10 per cent of women trainees in the industry. Eleven yes ago 3 per cent of trainees were women.
