Florence Magazine March 2021

FLORENCE CONSTRUCTING A NEW PERSPECTIVE

CLAIRE JEFFREY

BUILDING A SUCCESSFUL CAREER

THIS IS AN INDUSTRY FOR HER Construction is the most male dominated industry in the Australian economy, and it is well overdue for change.

Laing O’Rourke has implemented a robust Gender Diversity Action Plan to guide us in creating a workplace where our people can thrive, regardless of gender.

Earlier this year we were proud to receive the Workplace Gender Equality Agency’s (WGEA) Employer of Choice for Gender Equality (EOCGE) citation.

We also know that role models are important in breaking through the false perception that construction is not an industry for women. Laing O’Rourke set a target to increase the number of senior roles on projects filled by women from 11% to 15%. Having reached it we are lifting the bar again to 25%. Our strategy beginning to show promise for young women starting their careers, with our 2020 graduate cohort achieving a 50% gender balance for the second year in a row.

I have worked in the construction industry for more than 20 years and today I am still amazed with the capacity of our sector to overcome challenges we face.

I am confident that if we work together we can transform construction to be the inclusive sector it should be.

Cathal O’Rourke Managing Director, Australia

Phoenix Central Park • Winner - National MBA Excellence in Construction Award, 2020 • Winner - 3 NSW MBA Excellence in Construction Awards, 2020 National Commercial/Industrial Construction Award - $20M–$50M Commercial Buildings up to $50M, Excellence in Use of Bricks, Excellence in Use of Timber

Phoenix Central Park was developed with Judith Neilson, Colliers International, TTW - Taylor Thomson Whitting, Durbach Block Jaggers and John Wardle Architects.

We measure our success by our clients’ satisfaction.

But 90+ MBA awards is always nice.

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Construction

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Fitout

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Refurbishment

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Mechanical Services

At FDC we are about quality, teamwork and getting the job done right. We are experts in construction, fitout, refurbishment and mechanical services with national strength and a local focus.

fdcbuilding.com.au

Our Cover: FDC Construction Project Manager Claire Jeffrey and her award-winning work on Phoenix Central Park.

Photography by Neil Bailey.

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Features

Executive Director’s Welcome.......................................... 09

Johanna Griggs ........................................................................ 10

Finance ........................................................................................49 Business Matters ..................................................................... 38 Mental Health.............................................................................48 Tools and Tech........................................................................... 52 Events............................................................................................54 Insta Sisters.................................................................................58

Johanna at home Claire Jeffrey...............................................................................18 FDC Construction and Fit Out Women at Work........................................................................ 33 Incredible women in the industry Elizabeth Cummings ............................................................ 44 Writer, poet, world changer

Editor: Josie Adams; Editorial Coordinator: Amanda Kelly; Design Concept: Angela Carroll; Designer: Jessica Kramer; Jeff Brown; Alyssa Welke Cover image: Neil Bailey. Custom Publishing Manager: Emily Bosman Advertising inquiries: 07 4690 9303. Editorial Enquiries: 0437 819 696 Email: josie.adams@news.com.au Subscriptions: 07 4690 9360. News Corp Australia is the exclusive Publishing Partner of Florence magazine, in conjunction with the Master Builders Association of New South Wales. ABN: 63 009 820 035. Phone: (07) 4690 9309; Website: www.newscorpaustralia.com. PRINTED BY: Greenridge Group 4 Freighter Ave Toowoomba QLD 4350. This publication is copyright. No part of it may be reproduced, stored in a retrieval system or transmitted in any form or by any means including electronic, mechanical, microcopying, photocopying, recording or otherwise without the permission of Master Builders Association of NSW or News Corp Australia. Disclaimer: The information contained within Florence magazine is given in good faith and obtained from sources believed to be accurate. The views expressed are not necessarily those of the publisher. News Corp and the Master Builders Association of New South Wales will not be held liable for any opinion or advice contained herein.

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FLORENCE Let’s make gender equality the new normal Welcome to the latest edition of Florence magazine.

This issue, Amanda Kelly and Sophie Abbott catch up with Florence-favourite Johanna Griggs for a tour around her new digs, reflecting on the year that has been and looking towards the future.

We discover the incredible work of FDC Project Manager, Claire Jeffrey, who recently completed the award-winning Phoenix Central Park. Read how she is forging her own path to a stellar career in the industry on page 18.

Then, Master Builders NSW’s Omesh Jethawani sits down with Libby Lyons, CEO of Workplace Gender Equality Agency, to talk about the latest Australian Gender Equality Scorecard on page 24.

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The research shows that employers’ action on gender equality has stalled, particularly when it comes to the gender pay gap and the percentage of female leaders holding executive positions.

The building and construction industry has not been immune to a tumultous 2020. While the industry was considered essential, many rigid workplace practices and cultures had to change.

There are things that we can take from the experince to move forward. For example, we now know flexible work hours for both women and men are achievable - and this happens to be one of Libby’s key components to moving towards a gender equitable workplace.

Despite the difficult times we have all faced over the past year, I feel hopeful that our new normal will include a more equitible future for women in this incredibly important industry.

Josie Adams Editor

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INDUSTRY LEAPS FROM STRENGTH TO STRENGTH BRIAN SEIDLER, EXECUTIVE DIRECTOR, MBA NSW

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eedless to say, 2020 presented very challenging conditions for the nation.

Our industry, however, responded extraordinarily well. The Federal Government deemed the building and construction industry an “essential service industry”, and with a strong and concerted effort, our sector remained open, we worked safely and followed protocols decreed by the medical and health authorities — it was, and is, a great credit to the industry to have continued working during these unprecedented times.

NSW. This project has been acknowledged for excellence by several organisations, and was project managed by Claire Jeffrey from FDC Construction and Fit Out. Florence congratulates Claire and the FDC team.

IT WAS, AND IS, A GREAT CREDIT TO THE INDUSTRY TO HAVE CONTINUED WORKING DURING THESE UNPRECEDENTED TIMES.”

Toward the latter part of 2020, the building industry acknowledged and celebrated excellence in building and construction. The industry showcased unprecedented quality of construction which ultimately contributes to our built environment.

Florence continues to grow and is receiving great support from all sectors of the industry.

One such project is highlighted in this edition of Florence, — “Phoenix Central Park”, in Chippendale

Thank you for your positive contribution, engaging with Florence and sharing your stories.

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JOHANNA AT HOME

AMANDA KELLY & SOPHIE ABBOTT

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ohanna Griggs would have to be one of the most down-to-earth people you will ever meet. Johanna is passionate about what she does and adores her family, especially her grandson Jax. We were lucky enough to be shown around her new home and gain insights into her professional and private life while reflecting on an unprecedented last year and the new normal.

It’s been just over a year since we last visited Johanna and what a difference a year makes.

When we last caught up with her, the couple and their team had just finished removing 1400 tonnes of earth from their block. Now, 13 months later, they have managed to build a four-storey house on a 360sq m block. From the street it certainly doesn’t appear to be a four-storey house due the hidden, well placed fourth storey.

As we walked up the cobblestone driveway to the hidden front door, we noticed the clever choice of low maintenance plants in the front yard and a natural colour scheme.

Arriving at the front door we ring the doorbell and are met with her familiar voice casually inviting us in with a simple “Hi, door’s unlocked, come up to Level 2”. As we enter, we walk down a wooden panelled walkway leading to a convenient lift.

Once arriving at Level 2, we are met by the ever-smiling Johanna with another casual “hi ladies, come on in, would you like a drink?”. If you have not worked this out already from her years of television, after meeting Joh you quickly realise that she has no pretension or arrogance.

That’s part of her charm.

While Joh is making us a cup of tea, Sophie and I are both drawn to the amazing view overlooking Collaroy

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Johanna Griggs at home. Photos: Michael Anderson FLORENCE || 11

Beach. As we walk over to the large window (actually, the window is the size of the whole wall) that frames the stunning view, we notice the cool, polished concrete floors and how this doesn’t just feel like a house — it’s a home. Pictures of her grandson Jax are everywhere.

So we move to the interview.

Joh, let’s get COVID-19 out of the way. How did you cope during the crisis?

I feel extremely blessed as both Todd and I were able to continue working throughout the pandemic.

Oh, and I was also one of the 8 million people that took up baking… there was definitely enough sourdough bread around the house during lockdown!

How was your life affected?

Business-wise, Todd was working on a large job and was fortunate enough to have kept all his staff working during that time. Adjusting to building during COVID-19 was challenging but Todd’s building sites are always so neat, clean, and organised that this made adjusting to workplace changes much easier. The current job Todd is working on is atop a cliff looking over the beachfront, so there are always people walking past making sure they are doing the right thing.

Family-wise, I am lucky to have most of my family in Sydney with me. My youngest son, Joe, works with Todd in the company, whereas Jesse, my eldest, moved to Townsville for work so I really missed him which has been difficult.

How about your role in TV and the media?

TV-wise, it was bizarre because TV had an exemption to keep going, but there were a few stages during lockdown that you were not allowed to have more than two people together in public.

Shoots were also limited to six people. The public were being so vigilant and you couldn’t resent them for that. We would regularly have the council and police show up throughout the day and we would have to show our permits.

We also had that element where some people were nervous about letting us into their home, and we had to be really respectful of that.

Funny enough, we were even reassuring our team we work with on Better Homes and Gardens (BHG) like Dr Harry and Graham Ross who are both in the high-risk age bracket. So, we changed our schedules as much as we could to keep them working from home or close to home as possible... So with Harry, that meant I travelled to Port Macquarie constantly, and we would shoot a day with him, and then give him a day off to

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regroup.

I have also been doing a lot of regional trips because of travel restrictions.

Last year was an incredibly difficult year for a lot of people. We noticed through filming BHG how COVID-19 has made people reassess the treadmill that they are on. And they have gone back to those core things Johanna with Chewy and Teddy.

Photos: Micheal Anderson

that are important to them — which are family, things they can focus on, and themselves. You know vegetable growing; things like plant stocks around Australia were almost completely sold out because everyone all of a sudden turned their attention to their garden in their own homes.

because we really feel like if you throw anything at the show now we will be able to adapt to it.

The way the team and our production team adapted was just extraordinary. With so many people in so many industries losing their jobs and facing a really tough time, we are really proud of the fact that we managed to keep everyone on our show employed.

I think that’s amazing, absolutely amazing. You must adapt and do it quickly and safely which then enabled everything to keep rolling. You wonder what the next hits are going to be, but also there’s this amazing amount of pride; I think we’re probably closer than we’ve ever been as a production unit

Ok let’s talk about this amazing home — what are some of your favourite things?

We knew that we had great leadership, but if you want to test leadership, test it in a crisis and that has been the most extraordinary thing.

My favourite things are the kitchen, green wall in backyard garden and just generally the amount of storage we have. It’s amazing how much space we’ve managed to fit on this plot of land.

I do love the landscaping — it was really important to me that it had to suit the area, and it has to be low maintenance. When I walk into an entrance like

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that, I smile and it makes me feel happy.

We were really nervous about what trees to put in the front yard as, prior to building, there was a tree at the front that council chose to pull out. The neighbours were so angry at us even though it wasn’t our decision. It wasn’t until council actually rang us a couple of weeks later and said that they were copping a lot of flak about the tree being removed, that they asked us why we had removed it. I responded laughing and said “we didn’t pull it down, you guys did!” We asked them if they could do like a letterbox drop just to let the people in the area know that we were very happy to keep the tree. I love gardening and I love greenery; we would have kept that tree in a heartbeat, but it wasn’t our decision.

Hmm, what else do I love? I love the bathroom upstairs. Especially the bench seat next to the sinks.

When we first spoke about adding the bench, we were not sure whether it was going to make it look silly and be out of place. But we use it all the time, we love it.

It’s not a massive house but we have managed to fit in a gym, a two bedroom separate apartment on level 1, and enough parking for Todd’s trucks, which is amazing and certainly keeps our neighbours happy. I think the design of the house is clever — it has a lot of storage for such a small home, and we have such simple but practical elements like the automated garage door that hides our garbage bins.

We also have a thermal chimney which I love. We haven’t had to cool or heat the house yet.

I also really love the sheer curtains in the living area — it just softens the home. If you have a masculine house (concrete, timber, black features) softening it with sheer curtains makes a big difference. I love watching them gently blowing in the breeze, I find it soothing, it’s really lovely. The convenience of the upstairs bathroom is something else I love, it’s all on one level, so no stepping up or down into the shower or walk in wardrobe.

In hindsight, would you have done anything differently?

I would have liked a much smaller television in the lounge room, it would have been a lot more delicate, a bit more modernist and a screen covering the TV so that it doesn’t dominate. But as I’ve said, Todd works really hard, and his favourite thing to relax is to watch TV. When we were discussing whether or not to put a TV in the bathroom, he’d say to me, “oh Jax would love it, Jax loves a bath.” We both knew that while Jax would love it, the person who was going to love it just as much was him.

What have you learnt through this build?

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The beauty of building is learning. Every single house we have built, we have learnt something.

We’re both really surprised by just how much we have been loving living in this one.

It has a nice feel to it. As soon as you walk in, it’s stylish yet it is still feels like a home, having kids stuff around for Jax helps that as well. Initially, we were having to think how we could soften the house, so we decided

on including a lot of indoor plants, which helped enormously. I also love the little touches like being able to have all my cookbooks out on the shelf in the kitchen. It is definitely a practical, entertaining home.

Any new building products / techniques / gadgets?

I am so pleased with the door that is disguised as a mirror in the bathroom. We were trying to work out where we could put a mirror in the bathroom, as I need a full length mirror for work and Todd was concerned how we were going to fit one in without removing the bench. I suggested putting one on the back of the toilet door. So we installed a stable door that slides across and put the mirror on that.

As soon as it was done we we’re like, “that’s so awesome!” It’s also in a pretty open-plan bathroom

and I hate seeing the toilet, so to be able to hide the toilet, and have the full-length mirror is the perfect solution. Gadget wise, I love my Zip Tap, it not only has hot and cold water but also sparkling water – I just love it.

How is this year looking for you?

Work-wise, BHG is already in full swing and its promising to be another great year. I will also be hosting the Olympics and Paralympics in July and August.

Construction-wise we have booked in our first big job of the year — if we can get another one or two smaller jobs as well, it will be a good year.

I just think it will be a much harder year again for society in general. It will be really important to keep

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construction going because it is the backbone of everything.

You sit on the board of Beyond Blue, a mental health and wellbeing support organisation — how do you and Beyond Blue see the future with mental health?

At our peak stages, increase for our support services went up by 60% and overall for the year through all the services it was up about 30%. All the other mental health organisations that we work closely with have also experienced this increase.

We know anxiety has tripled, depression has doubled and we are always concerned about the suicide rates. Obviously it’s a really serious job, so we’ve had to make a point of making our staff stop and take some time out, because they’ve got this pressure that there’s such a need, they can’t not work. We’re definitely seeing it as a positive that people are actually seeking help. We just keep encouraging the public to get help before they reach crisis point. In mental health we often talk about how someone is feeling in terms of a green, orange and red zone, and there’s lots of things you can do to make sure you stay in the green zone.

Then if you get to the orange zone, there’s things you can do, decisions you can make to get back into the green zone, and if you feel you are in the red zone — how to get help. There was a time where people wouldn’t even acknowledge there was a problem and say they were fine, but we are seeing a rise in people seeking help, and that’s fantastic.

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Congratulations on being awarded your AM in the Order of Australia Awards. You must have been really honoured to receive that.

You don’t go looking for those awards and obviously you don’t know that you’ve been nominated until you get notification. You get a notification about six months before saying they’re considering you, and I just assumed it hadn’t happened, so when I got it, I was so shocked. Actually, I think my mum was more excited, she nearly self-combusted when she found out.

I was a high school drop out, hardly had any secondary education, so a few years ago I was blown away to be given an honorary doctorate, and now to receive the AM — I feel very humbled and grateful that the work I do away from the camera is being acknowledged. .....................................................................................

Although last year was challenging for everyone, Joh’s positive outlook and drive has set her up for an even more impressive year this year.

Both Sophie and I enjoyed our morning with Joh and although our offer to move into her two-bedroom apartment was declined, we look forward to catching up for tea with her again.

FOCUS ON FLORENCE Florence Taylor was a pioneer of women in the construction industry and her legacy is still being felt.

ALYSSA WELKE

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s an architect and publisher, Florence believed in the notion that “a woman to marry, get into the confines of the home and never be articulate in public affairs is a disgrace” and her achievements in the male dominated architectural industry proved that.

She was known for her energy, determination and outspoken nature, a nature which distinguished her well throughout her colourful career, first as a draftsman and ultimately as a publisher of trade journals including Master Builders publications.

She was widely known, but her questions and criticism irritated some of her professional colleagues.

She was born on December 29, 1879, at Bedminster, Somerset, England and was the eldest daughter of John and Eliza Parsons.

The family emigrated to Australia in 1884, where her father worked in the sewerage construction branch of the Department of Public Works, which gave Florence her first taste of working in the construction industry, as she assisted her father with his engineering calculations.

It was her father’s death in 1899 which pushed Florence into the architectural industry when she decided to become a draftsman to support her family.

She learnt her trade under architect Edmund Skelton Garton, and simultaneously attended night-classes at Sydney Technical College until 1904. During her time with Garton’s office she was promoted to chief draftsman.

Once she completed her training she became chief draftsman to J. B. Clamp, who nominated her in 1907 for associate membership of the Institute of Architects of New South Wales.

Despite his defence of her talent (she “could design a place while an ordinary draftsman would be sharpening his pencil”), the nomination was defeated.

It wasn’t until 1920 that Florence was eventually invited to join the Institute of Architects, which she accepted, by which time she’d built a thriving practice designing homes.

On April 3, 1907 Florence married George Augustine Taylor.

Florence and her husband were founding members of the Town Planning Association of New South

ABOVE: Architect and publisher Florence Taylor with one of the periodical’s she published during her career.

PHOTO: COLLECTIONS OF THE STATE LIBRARY OF NEW SOUTH WALES.

Wales in 1913 and she was its secretary for many years.

Through her early writing she advocated for women’s greater involvement in the process of town planning.

She firmly believed that women, as “mothers and keepers of the home” had a natural stake in how cities were planned and designed.

As an extension of her philosophy on architecture, she thought cities should be planned to “lighten the burden on motherhood” by making “healthy and happy” surroundings.

Together, George and Florence started the Building Publishing Co Ltd, which produced trade journals, three of which Florence edited: Harmony, Young Australia and the Australian (later Commonwealth) Home.

Through their journals they campaigned for urban planning, improved construction methods and better materials; they also promoted the interests of engineers, architects and builders.

When George Taylor died suddenly in 1928, Florence was determined to carry on their business and although eight of the 11 journals the business was publishing was forced to cease, she maintained Building (later Building, Lighting and Engineering) (1907-72), Construction (1908-74) and the Australasian Engineer (1915-73), and edited them herself.

She continued to produce town planning schemes but relied on others to draw them as she was unable to spare time from publishing.

She drew inspiration from her travels to Europe, the Americas and Asia, bringing back ideas on urban and rural planning which informed her writings and speeches.

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Rising to the top Managing the construction of Phoenix Central Park was a ‘baptism of fire’ for Claire Jeffrey. And just like the iconic building, her career is taking flight.

JOSIE ADAMS

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he Phoenix rises from a site of a burntout warehouse in the Sydney suburb of Chippendale. The project, designed by Durbach Block Jaggers with John Wardle Architects, was built

by FDC Construction at the behest of Australian billionaire and arts philanthropist Judith Neilson.

Its muted brick exterior opens to a stunning, awardwinning gallery. Worth an estimated $32 million, it includes a central garden, gallery offering lightfilled space and a bell-shaped performance space used for piano recitals, poetry readings, opera and contemporary dance. The theatre is lined with timber fabricated from digital templates in a factory and assembled on site.

Claire Jeffrey worked as a project manager on the highly technical build and it remains a highlight of her career.

“Judith envisaged a space in which was ‘Gesamtkunstwerk’, or a total work of art,” Claire said.

“And that’s what it is. I always thought that the building was so eye-catching that the architecture might overwhelm the art. But every time I visit, I am amazed by how well it all works together. The architecture with the visual art. It’s immersive, and they complement each other.”

Growing up in a family of seven, Claire’s father was in steel fabrication. Her two brothers studied construction management and encouraged Claire to pursue a career in the industry. “I didn’t really know what direction I wanted to take with my career, but my brothers encouraged me to consider construction management, because I have always enjoyed problem solving and am always up for a challenge.

When I was starting in the industry, I had no idea what to expect day-to-day, but I did work experience for three months and quickly found a passion for building.” Since starting out Claire has worked on a wide range of commercial projects including industrial, education, health, aquatic, heritage and tertiary, with some amazing architecturally driven projects that inspired a passion for detailed work.

Claire had recently been promoted to Project Manager when the chance to take on Phoenix came up.

“I remember chatting with our Construction Manager and he was showing me drawings and renders of Phoenix.

“The first time I looked at them, I remember not even being able to make out the geometry of the timber bell or the white gallery ceiling and being amazed by incredibly detailed brick façade and expanses of offform concrete. I was 100 per cent in at that moment.

I knew Phoenix was a once-in-a-lifetime opportunity and I wasn’t about to miss it.”

Taking on the project was a ‘baptism of fire’ but as a

builder, Claire said it was an amazing opportunity.

“Each area presented a different set of challenges that we needed to break down and resolve individually. Then bring it all together from a construction sequence perspective, which was quite complicated.”

Onsite, a typical morning would involve several meetings as she worked, as what she describes as, an interpreter between the client, architect, engineers, and subcontractors.

“We needed to bridge the gap between what was on paper and the finished product. Any given area would take months of design development and construction planning to unravel what would be involved in achieving the right detail.”

“Quality was at the front of our minds in every single decision. We had been entrusted with delivering this building to the highest standard, and achieving that standard was the culmination of hundreds of small decisions taken every day.”

“Being able to communicate is so important in this role. Judith was an amazing client to work for in that respect. She really entrusted us with the build and was understanding of the challenges involved in delivering something as unique as Phoenix. We encountered many unexpected challenges over the course of the project, and she was very quick to grasp the issue, get to the crux of it and make the right decision for the project.

“As construction progressed you could see the excitement in her face. That all the drawings and the meetings were turning into something that she could touch and conceptualise.”

Afternoons were often spent on-site coordinating and meeting with prospective subcontractors for upcoming trades to talk through their pricing, capability, experience, and their understanding of the project.

“Having the right subcontractors was absolutely critical, as there were a lot of craftsmen and women involved who were specialised in their field and their knowledge and experience was crucial to the quality of the finished product.

“It was a very technically challenging build because every element was bespoke, from the timber bell down to the cast brass door handles. The biggest challenges were the off-form concrete, the ‘dimple’ in the brick façade, the timber bell and the white gallery ceiling. These are all exceptionally unique elements that would be the single most challenging part of a given project, so to encounter them all in one place The timber bell was made by Hess in Germany.

Photos throughout by Neil Bailey.

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EACH PANEL ON THE CEILING WAS HANDMADE, ALL HAD DIFFERENT DIMENSIONS, SHAPES AND CRITICAL POINTS. IT WAS LIKE PUTTING A JIGSAW PUZZLE TOGETHER.”

as a builder was amazing.

“Nearly every finish was custom made. The timber bell was made by Hess in Germany, brass hand basins made by a local atelier, timber balustrades from Denmark which were milled locally into scalloped panels, and an enormous amount of architectural steelwork framing windows and doorways.

“We had the Krause ‘Phoenix’ bricks which were hand made in Victoria and pre-cut and mitred from the architects Revit model. Every individual brick was drawn with bond and course intricately aligned with windows, folds, twists and corbels in the facade. Even the brick ties were custom designed, engineered and tested for Phoenix.”

“Following the bespoke roof structure, the white gallery ceiling was constructed with 33 rhomboid

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The Gallery ceiling was constructed with 33 rhomboid skylights, each with different geometry.

skylights, each with slightly different geometry to reflect the shape of the roof above. We made the decision early in the project to build the skylights in glass reinforced polymer for its smooth, flat finish and ability to mould the pointed panels to a very tight radius, creating the sharp lines defining the bottom of the ceiling. The skylights are 3m deep and just wide enough to fit a person inside to install and finish them, so it was a slow and painstaking process but an amazing result.

Challenges aside, Claire said the project has been the highlight of her career so far, with the successful build winning multiple architectural and construction awards.

“From the drawings and working through so many design and construction challenges, to deliver uncompromised quality on such a difficult building is something I am so proud of our team for achieving.”

PHOENIX WAS DESIGNED FOR A SPECIFIC PURPOSE AND FUNCTION, TO BE A PLACE WHERE ART AND PERFORMANCE WERE HONOURED AND TO STAND FOR AT LEAST 100 YEARS. BECAUSE OF THE DESIGN, PHOENIX CAN NEVER BE ANYTHING OTHER THAN WHAT IT WAS BUILT TO BE. The carefully selected architects and builders involved in my projects are given artistic freedom, however the floor plan from inception never changes.

There are no surprises when I walk into Phoenix other than being overwhelmed by the final beauty that I am able to share with all who live near it. The teams I have worked with are exceptional and we share the same values when it comes to architecture and build.

The building was to be an icon and the best of its kind in the world. Completely unique and timeless. Success. The brief was understood and executed to perfection.

— JUDITH NEILSON

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Workplace Gender Equality In The Construction Industry On November 26, 2020, Ms Libby Lyons, CEO of Workplace Gender Equality Agency, released Australia’s Gender Equality Scorecard, showing employers’ action on gender equality had stalled. Libby recently spoke to Omesh Jethwani, Government Projects & Programs Manager.

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What is WGEA, and what does the agency do?

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he Workplace Gender Equality Agency (the Agency, WGEA) was established in 2012 to improve and promote equality for both women and men in the workplace. Under the Workplace Gender Equality Act, the Agency collects data from all non-public sector organisations with over 100 employees on six gender equality indicators: • workforce composition (jobs women and men do); • gender composition of boards; • equal pay; • support for flexible work and caring; • the consultation employers have with employees on gender equality; and • sex-based harassment and discrimination.

The Agency has been collecting and reporting data for seven years and our dataset comprises just over 4.3 million Australian employees, or more than 40% of the workforce.

However, WGEA is not just a regulator. We are also an educator and influencer and we work in partnership with employers. The insights from our data are used to advise and educate business on gender equality strategies and actions that deliver positive results.

By working together with the business community, we have gained their support. It is now accepted practice for Australian employers to annually submit their information and data. In previous years, we have had a compliance rate of about 99%.

Last year, even with the devastating impact of COVID-19 on our economy, we maintained a 98% compliance rate.

Why is gender equality in the workplace important?

Workplace gender equality is both the right thing to do and the smart thing to do. We know from a growing body of research over the last decade or so that gender equality and diversity is good for organisations and good for employees. When leadership groups are balanced and diverse, they are stronger, more productive and can improve the bottom line of the organisations they govern.

The release of last year’s BCEC/WGEA 2020 Gender Equity Insights Report proved beyond all doubt that the business case for gender equality is clear and compelling.

This report analysed our world-leading dataset to provide tangible proof of something we have always suspected: a more gender-balanced leadership in an organisation delivers better company performance, greater productivity and greater profitability. It revealed a strong and convincing causal relationship between increasing the number of women in senior leadership and subsequent improvements in company performance.

Appointing a female CEO, increasing the share of female key management personnel and increasing female representation on its board all led to increases in the market value of Australian ASX-listed companies. A company is also more likely to outperform its sector on three or more key profitability and performance metrics by taking the same actions. The findings

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of this BCEC report prove that gender equality is a commercial imperative and provides organisations with a competitive edge over their business rivals.

However, workplace gender equality is not just about the business case. While the business case is essential, gender equality is also an issue of basic human rights as it affects 50% of the world’s population. When women are structurally disadvantaged in the workforce, or excluded from employment opportunities through occupational and industrial segregation, we are ignoring half the talent, ideas and potential of the workforce.

Workplace gender inequality also has a flow-on effect throughout all of society. As long as women earn less than men, their work is undervalued and women are dramatically underrepresented on boards and at CEO level, women’s position in our society is not equal to men’s.

On 26 November 2020, WGEA released Australia’s Gender Equality Scorecard. Care to share the results with our readers?

First of all, it is important to mention that last year’s dataset paints a comprehensive picture of Australia’s private sector workforce just prior to the impact of the COVID-19 pandemic.

This will provide us with a strong baseline for comparison with this year’s dataset, which will capture the impact of COVID-19 on workplace gender equality.

Overall, the 2019-20 data showed a concerning decline in employer action on gender equality prior to the impact of COVID-19.

The worst result was the reversal in action on pay equity. There was a decrease of 6.1 percentage points (pp) in the percentage of employers that took action to close their gender pay gaps.

Just 54.4% of employers who did a gender pay gap analysis took action to close the identified gaps.

I am also troubled by the ongoing lack of women at CEO and board level. Although there were slight increases in the number of female CEOs and board directors, we are still decades away from achieving gender balance at the top levels of leadership.

Progress on this issue remains glacial.

There were some positive developments. The gender pay gap continued to close, with the total remuneration gap dropping by 0.7pp to 20.1%. Access to flexible work and paid parental leave for employees has increased. For the first time since we started collecting data, over 50% of employers now offer paid primary carer’s leave to their employees. Women’s promotions and appointments to managerial roles continues to rise with women now comprising almost four in 10 managers in our dataset. I was also pleased to see another strong increase in employer action on family and domestic violence.

The 2019-2020 report showed employers action on gender equality had stalled. What are the factors that may have contributed to this outcome?

I have been concerned for some time that Australian employers might have become complacent. The modest rate of change that we saw in the 2018-19 results suggested they were in the

Libby Lyons CEO — Workplace Gender Equality Agency

grip of what I call “gender equality fatigue”.

I was very disappointed that almost nothing changed in the results of last year’s dataset. It seems to me that Australian employers are on autopilot when it comes to improving gender equality. The issue is clearly not receiving the necessary attention to drive further change. Many organisations appear to believe that having gender equality strategies and policies is all they need do. Policies and strategies are not very useful unless they are implemented across a workplace.

Thoroughout 2020, Australian businesses faced challenges and upheaval of a kind that has not been seen for many generations.

I also know and appreciate that employers are likely to encounter more disruptions in 2021. However, I am concerned that if we do not see increased employer action on gender equality, we will go backwards. Employers have to keep their foot firmly planted on the pedal to continue to drive better gender equality outcomes.

Results from the WGEA’s 2019-20 report show the construction industry is now rated to have

the second-highest pay gap. In your opinion, why do you think the male-dominated industry struggles to close the gap?

The main reason is that the industry remains so maledominated and employers have made little effort to change this. Men dominate the upper echelons, thereby having more access to additional discretionary payments such as bonuses which contributes significantly to the construction industry’s remuneration gender pay gap of 26.1%.

The construction industry also has to step up the action on pay equity. Just 41.3% have conducted a pay gap analysis in the last 12 months. Of those, 14.4% created a pay equity strategy or action plan, 19.5% reported pay equity metrics to the executive and 16.9% reported pay equity metrics to the board. All of these results have barely kept pace with the national average.

By contrast, the Mining industry, which is the most maledominated industry in our dataset, has made a more concerned effort to improve workplace gender equality and close its gender pay gap.

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The total remuneration gender pay gap in the Mining industry is 13.6%. Although it is still too high, it is lower than the national gender pay gap of 20.1% and less than half of Construction industry’s pay gap. Mining is also doing well on other indicators.

Over 58% have conducted a pay gap analysis in the last 12 months. Of these, 28.7% have created a pay equity strategy or action plan, 46.5% reported pay equity metrics to the executive and 33.7% reported pay equity metrics to the board. These results are all much higher than the national average.

The best way to close the pay gap in the contruction industry is for employers to follow the mining industry’s lead and take targeted action on pay equity.

What has been the impact of COVID-19 on women’s employment?

Previous recessions (1982-83, 1989-93) and downturns (200709) have predominantly hit men’s jobs and male-dominated industries harder. By contrast, the COVID-19 recession has had an equally detrimental impact on women.

In the early stages of the pandemic, more women than men lost their jobs. Female-dominated industries such as the hospitality, retail and service sectors were heavily affected. Although women’s employment figures have improved in recent months, I still have concerns about the long-term impact of the COVID-19 crisis on women’s workforce participation and their economic and financial security.

As we move into the post-COVID recovery phase, we must make sure that women’s workforce participation is not sidelined.

Our economic recovery depends on women having equal access to secure full-time jobs. Women and men must have an equal opportunity to re-engage and participate in the workforce.

Employers have an important role to play in making this happen by ensuring the momentum towards gender equality is sustained. It is good for business and integral to our economic recovery.

The latest annual snapshot from the WGEA showed access to flexible work arrangements was improving before the pandemic hit. Did that trend continue during the COVID-19 pandemic?

Do you think the trend will continue after the COVID-19 pandemic?

Access to flexible work has improved every year since we started collecting data. More than three-quarters (75.9%) of employers now have policies or strategies to promote flexible working which is great to see. However, our data has also identified a key problem – the flexible work action gap. Not enough employers are implementing their strategies and policies through action plans for engagement. Only 5.7% have set targets for employee engagement in flexible working and only 2.2% have set targets for men’s engagement in flexible working.

To change a workplace, you have to change its culture. Flexible working strategies and policies have to become the lived reality of employees.

I do believe the trend toward increased access to flexible work arrangements will continue. The COVID-19 crisis has proved to Australian employers that they can trust their employees to

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work flexibly and still be productive. Employees now have an expectation that they can and should be able to work flexibly.

The onus is now on employers to make flexible work an essential, mainstream practice in their workplaces.

The basis of any successful flexible work arrangement is the trust between employer and employee. As we gradually move into a post-COVID-19 environment, most employers now know they can trust their employees. Equally, employees feel more empowered to negotiate flexible working arrangements that fulfil both the employer’s requirements and the employee’s responsibilities outside work.

Have Australian workplaces gone forward or backwards on actions to close gender gaps in the workplace?

In some ways, both. On the positive side, there has been a strong increase over the last seven years in the number of employers that have analysing their remuneration data for pay gaps. It rose by 22.4pp from 24.0% in 2013-14 to to 46.4% in last year’s dataset.

Unfortunately, we have also identified an action gap in this area.

Although more employers have been analysing their pay data, over 45% of those who did took no action. Even worse, there was a decrease of 6.1pp in the percentage of employers that took action to close their gender pay gaps. Last year’s data shows that employer action on pay equity went backwards and the action gap widened.

We cannot allow this trend to continue. Experience tells us that when employers measure their data, identify their problem areas and make a plan to address it, the pay gap closes. Our research shows that actions to close pay gaps are three times more effective when the results are reported to the executive or Board.

Do you think more or fewer men are taking paid parental leave as a primary carer? Why? There has been some slow progress in this area. In last year’s dataset, there was an increase in the number of men taking primary carer’s leave (up 1.4pp) to 6.5%. There was also an increase in the number of employers offering paid parental leave to both women and men (up 3.0pp to 52.4%).

Normalising access to paid parental leave for women and men is a key action area for employers. Aboloshing the labels of ‘primary’ and ‘secondary’ carers is important. Employers have a crucial role to play in making it a mainstream working practice and allowing men to access the same leave entitlements as women is imperative.

Having a paid parental leave scheme is an important first step.

As I mentioned earlier, just over half of the employers in our dataset offer paid parental leave. Of those that do offer it, they need to support and encourage men as well as women to use it. In particular, they have to ensure their male employees can use their parental leave entitlements without it having a negative impact on their career or being adversely judged by their managers and peers. Organisations have to move towards gender-neutral parental leave policies, offering equitable parental leave for all parents.

How diverse is the construction industry when it

comes to gender?

The Construction industry is the second most male-dominated industry in our dataset after the Mining industry. Only 18.1% of its employees are female. Women comprise just 2.7% of chief executive officers, 15.1% of key management personnel and 13.0% of all managers. These figures are all far lower than the national average. The industry also has a low representation of women in management compared with representation across the industry: 13.0% compared to 18.1%.

The traditionally masculine roles in the industry have continued to remain this way. Women comprise 4.0% of machinery operators and drivers, 15.3% of labourers and 3.1% of technicians and trades. By contrast, they dominate the clerical positions, with women comprising 77.7% of clerical and administrative workers.

In short, our data paints a stark picture which shows that the construction industry lacks gender diversity across all of its manager categories and non-manager occupations.

What can construction companies do to improve gender equality?

The four key action areas for employers in the construction industry are the same as they are across all other industries: • Normalising flexible work for women and men • Normalising equal access to paid parental leave for women and men • Closing the action gaps by taking action on issues such as pay equity • Implementing accountability at all levels of an organisation.

Accountability is crucial as it generates action to improve gender diversity We also have to ensure that change is both real and lasting.

Progress towards gender equality in our workplaces does not happen on its own. Change happens when organisations set targets, measure their progress, make people accountable for the outcomes and report the results to their boards and senior executive teams.

The construction industry also has some specific cultural and structural issues standing in the way of progress. The UNSW Australian Human Rights Institute Demolishing Gender Structures report identified some barriers for the progression of women. These included rigid work practices, toxic cultures and hostile attitudes towards flexibility, parental leave and employees’ work-life balance. The report also revealed how construction sites work to exclude women. It found evidence of tolerance and acceptance of sexism, sexist language, sexual harassment and sex discrimination.

The industry needs to re-consider its approach to gender equality. Organisations must examine their own data alongside the overall industry data and use this as the basis for a genuine discussion about the barriers women face and the issues men face in the industry. The construction industry has to challenge some of its long-standing assumptions about how and when work gets done – If you keep doing things the same way, change cannot happen.

What are some of the actions organisation can

adopt to increase the number of women in leadership roles?

Our data shows that we do not have enough female leaders in Australia and women are not moving into senior management roles at a fast enough rate. Dedicated employer action is one of the keys to changing this situation.

Traditionally, the leadership culture in Australian workplaces has been developed around the needs and circumstances of men.

The Women in Leadership Report we produced in collaboration with McKinsey + Co and the Business Council of Australia in 2017 clearly shows that organisations must take a systematic approach to increase the number of women in leadership.

The research showed a clear correlation between the representation of women in senior roles and the availability of more flexible working options, including part-time roles for managers. Agency data reveals that currently only 6.4% of manager roles are worked part-time. Considering that women are three times as likely as men to work part-time, this is a real barrier to women’s career progression into senior leadership roles.

The Women in Leadership Report demonstrates that organisations which succeeded in boosting women’s representation in senior leadership roles used a suite of 10 practices. As well as normalising flexibility, these include a meaningful internal business case for gender equality, leadership accountability, opportunities for women to gain experience in key operational roles and access to the active sponsorship that men have long benefited from.

The findings of 2019 BCEC WGEA Gender Equity Insights Report back up the Women in Leadership Report which identified the normalisation of flexibility as a key driver of improving the representation of women in management. It shows that implementing formal flexible work arrangements and reporting this to the board significantly increased the number of part-time female managers.

Another key finding of the report shows that access to paid parental leave also improved the representation of women in management. Female managers are twice as likely to return to work if their employer provides 13 or more weeks of paid parental leave. We had always suspected that the normalisation of flexible work and access to paid parental leave was crucial in getting women into management roles and keeping them there.

Now we have some solid evidence to support this.

Finally, the report identified that companies with a female CEO reported an increased number of women managers, as did those organisations who moved from all-male to gender-equal company boards.

What these findings reveal is that if you change the working conditions available to all employees, the choices women make change too. Access to paid parental leave and flexible work arrangements actually enables more women to choose to return to work, stay in the workforce and move into senior leadership and management roles. *Note: The WEGA data is based on 4,943 reports submitted in accordance with the Workplace Gender Equality Act 2012 for the reporting period 1 April 2019 to 31 March 2020. The data covers over four million Australian employees.

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FOCUS ON YOUR ACHIEVEMNTS Recruitment specialist Louise Clinton on getting the resumé right.

I

t is interesting to reflect on ‘the good old days’ when hiding behind text messages and emails wasn’t an option. Talking was still fashionable with only mail or fax machines available to send information, including resumes. If a candidate was suitable for a job it was as simple call, “Do you have free time to meet a potential new employee?” On occasion (shock horror) there was no time to even create a resume, yet the process still ran smoothly.

Some people believe resumes aren’t relevant anymore — no one reads them — people’s profiles are only a couple of Google searches away. However, not everyone has an online presence and most employers today consider a resume an essential hiring tool.

The events of the last year have meant that suddenly many have been faced with the daunting task of consolidating their entire careers on to two pages. It’s stressful. With so much conflicting advice about what should and should not be included it is hard to know what to believe.

‘Keep it brief’ is normally recommended but

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surely a senior candidate should be granted more than two pages — in the construction industry experience counts.

Before hitting send, double check spelling and grammar, check dates, stick with a simple font and avoid the overuse of photos. Including a headshot photo is a personal decision but surely what you have accomplished is more important than what you look like. If you are determined to use a photo make sure it’s professional and looks like you now, not ten years ago when you still had hair!

HONESTY IS THE BEST POLICY. EXAGGERATING WHAT YOU HAVE ACHIEVED WILL MOST LIKELY BACKFIRE...

If there are large gaps it is appropriate to say why. Everyone needs time out sometimes; to have children, travel, care for a family member, build a house or recover from an illness. If an

employer judges time out negatively then do you really want to work for them?

Focus on what you have achieved and don’t re-hash duties and responsibilities.

Instead of wasting half a page of the resume with clichés about your personality and time management skills focus on your key achievements. Do not list a project on your resume if you were only on the project for a couple of months — it is misleading.

Tailoring your resume for a position is time well spent. At the very least tailor your cover letter or introduction to reflect the role you are applying for. Highlight what you can bring to the role and the organisation, helping your details to stand out. Make sure you address the person you are sending the resume to correctly.

Some things are never appropriate; writing your resume in the third person, including salary details, using an inappropriate email address or

expressing political views. If you include links to social media platforms ensure they are suitable viewing for a potential employer.

Dates on your resume should be identical to those on your LinkedIn profile.

Accurate information about qualifications is essential.

Honesty is always the best policy. Exaggerating what you have achieved will most likely backfire — especially in construction; there are only three degrees of separation between people in the industry.

Including personal information about hobbies, sporting achievements and other pursuits such as charity work is a positive inclusion, especially when you are at the start of your career and don’t have lots of work experience.

Lastly, if you are going to include names and numbers of references make sure that you have their permission to do so.

Clinton Recruitment is a boutique Recruitment Agency based in Sydney that specialises in the recruitment of Building and Construction professionals throughout Australia.

At Clinton Recruitment the focus has always been on quality rather than quantity. Clinton Recruitment is the preferred Recruitment Agency of the Master Builders Association of New South Wales and is proud to be a sponsor of the annual Construction Awards in Sydney.

Managing Director, Louise Clinton has over 24 years’ experience of recruitment within the Building and Construction sector and is a passionate advocate of women working in construction.

If you are seeking a new career opportunity within the Construction Industry or looking for key members of staff to join your team, let’s talk.

T: 02 9664 8653 E: louise@clintonrecruitment.com.au W: www.clintonrecruitment.com.au FLORENCE || 31

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WOMEN AT WORK Meet some incredible women powering on in the industry

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“I really enjoy the diversity in my role”

“I am very proud and passionate of all we do”

NAME: Jodie Stevens COMPANY: Favetti Pty Ltd

02 9426 3400 www.favetti.com.au JOB DESCRIPTION: Human Resources / Payroll Manager What do you like most about your job?: I really enjoy the diversity of functions in my role.

I gives me the ability to contribute to the business across a wide range of areas. I also have the opportunity to work closely with members on the frontline and in the boardroom equally.

What have been the challenges of 2020?: 2020 will always be remembered by the impact of COVID on our economy. In Australia, and our industry, we have been lucky to be able to somewhat continue building the future. However, a lot of work has been done behind the scenes to keep our staff and business running.

Do you have any advice for other women thinking about a career in a male-dominated industry?: Focus on building your own competence and skillset and bring your whole self to work. You don’t need to “be one of the boys”. Don’t be afraid to inject yourself into situations where you feel you can add value, and be prepared to compete and demand to be heard.

What do you look forward to in 2021?: I am hoping to see a rebounding economy and government assistance in helping our industry get ahead. It would be great to see further red tape cut, and increased incentives for people to get back to work.

NAME: Kate Lainson COMPANY: Cronulla Pools

1300 373 706 / www.cronullapools.com JOB DESCRIPTION: Owner What do you like most about your job?: I love building pools for clients who have worked really hard for them and to see the pure joy they bring. There is nothing better. I also really love marketing, and pools are a beautifully easy product to write about. I am very proud and passionate of all that we do, so it makes my job very easy.

What’s a career highlight you’re proud of?: Everyone loves a little recognition for their work; to have been awarded NSW’s Concrete Pool Builder of the Year in 2020 was incredibly rewarding.

How have you personally found working in a male-dominated industry?: I’ve always worked amongst men. Before Cronulla Pools, I worked in marketing for a consulting engineering firm. I haven’t experienced bias nor have I ever felt disadvantaged as a female but I know it’s out there. It’s been a product of the forward-thinking people I have always been surrounded with that judged me on my skills and contribution, and not my sex. And I can most certainly hold my own on a building site.

What do you look forward to in 2021?: We are due to have our third baby in January so I’m looking forward to that the most. But a very close second is all that we have planned for Cronulla Pools. We have been fortunate to be surrounded by some pretty amazing people who have enabled us to build the bones of our business — 2021 will be a big year for us. Strengthening existing relationships, building new ones and on top of that delivering plenty of very pretty pools.

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“If you’re passionate about it, go for it”

“We each contribute something different”

NAME: Kim Taylor COMPANY: TCM Construction Group

0405 451 880 www.tcmconstructiongroup.com.au JOB DESCRIPTION: Apprentice Carpenter What do you like most about your job?: What I like most about my job is that every day is different! I love that there’s a variety of challenging tasks every day, I get to learn new skills and problem solve. It keeps me active and is very rewarding seeing the results of the finished product.

How have you personally found working in a male-dominated industry?: I found my first year was my hardest. I was full of self-doubt and felt quite insecure being the only girl onsite and at TAFE and if I was even capable of doing the work. But I am so glad I stuck it out, I absolutely love my job now and I don’t even notice that I am the only female!

Do you have any advice for other woman thinking about a career in a male dominated industry?: My advice is if you are passionate about it then go for it! It’s definitely not easy but it’s so so worth it and very rewarding. I know so many other tradie ladies now and we are totally capable of doing any trade!

What do you look forward to in 2021?: What I look forward to the most in 2021 is completing my apprenticeship and finally being a qualified carpenter. I can’t even imagine how good that’s going to feel!

And my next challenge will be to start Cert 4 in building.

NAME: Linda Chami COMPANY: Green Formwork Group Pty Ltd

02 9743 7005 www.greenformwork.com.au JOB DESCRIPTION: Office Manager What do you like most about your job?: I like that I am constantly encouraged and motivated knowing that every day is different and dynamic and presents its own challenges. I feel driven to learn and improve my awareness and understanding in such a fast-paced, crucial and predominant industry.

What have been the challenges of 2020?: 2020 has been a challenge in itself. It has impacted the world in so many ways but in particular we have had our own fair share of struggle. We have been lucky though that our team has been quite resilient and persevered through it all, and we can only hope that the perseverance pays off in 2021.

How have you personally found working in a male-dominated industry?: I feel we each contribute something different to the business and together we have been successful in encouraging a positive workplace culture.

Do you have any advice for other women thinking about a career in a male-dominated industry?: Honestly, if it is something you are good at and passionate about, just go for it. Even if you are sceptical about the possibility of scuffles along the way, embrace them and your strengths will break any barriers.

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“Be confident and open-minded” NAME: Wanjia (Dana) Chen COMPANY: Alliance Project Group

02 8746 0122 www.allianceprojectgroup.com.au JOB DESCRIPTION: Junior Contracts Administrator What do you like most about your job?: I like the experience of working with different people and I really appreciate witnessing the team efforts put forward when delivering a project. It is also a rewarding feeling to see the satisfaction in our client’s faces when we present them the finished product.

What are you most proud of in your career?

Career highlight?: The proudest I have been in my career to date was when I was part of the team that delivered 231 units in a previous project. In my position as cadet I was given the opportunity to learn a great amount about the construction industry.

Do you have any advice for other women thinking about a career in a male-dominated industry?: Be confident and open-minded. Take all opportunities to further your career and learn as much as you can through being exposed to as many experiences as possible.

What do you look forward to in 2021?: Having been recently placed on a team to deliver a project of 317 units, I look forward to experiencing more of both the corporate and site-based side of construction.

36 || FLORENCE

“It’s important to look at people as individuals” NAME: Luna COMPANY: Tall Trees

03 5983 0166 www.talltrees.com.au JOB DESCRIPTION: Head Propagator What do you like most about your job?: I like the dynamic environment of Tall Trees; it’s always great to see everyone in action and reach desired outcomes. It’s rewarding to have ownership over my role, being self-motivated and being creative and producing new stock.

What are you most proud of in your career?

Career highlight?: Having the trust and respect of the professional team around me is definitely one of my career highlights. I’m proud of being able to work to a high standard using the knowledge and skills I’ve honed over the past 15 years.

Do you have any advice for other women thinking about a career in a male-dominated industry?: To be honest, I don’t notice it very often. My gender is irrelevant to my job and I am treated according to competency and merit. I think it’s important to look at people as individuals rather than gender. Society is evolving; if someone behaves inappropriately, they should be called out on it.

What do you look forward to in 2021?: I think reaching for one’s personal best is something to look forward to and from a wider perspective, I look forward to positive changes being made by everyone to benefit the planet that we are living on.

“I am treated with respect and dignity” NAME: Liz Powell COMPANY: MARS Building

02 49641 537 www.marsbuilding.com.au JOB DESCRIPTION: Office Manager What do you like most about your job?: I like being involved with a project from the very start and being able to see the progression throughout different stages right up until we hand over the completed product. It’s interesting to see the many different designs and ideas with each and every project from a range of different clients.

What were the challenges of 2020?

We were very lucky in that the building industry for us continued throughout the pandemic. We faced challenges along the way which saw us having to change our approach both on-site and in the office in regards to monitoring the health of staff and sub-contractors. Pleasingly we did not lose one day of trade the whole time.

Do you have any advice for other women thinking about a career in a male-dominated industry?: Personally I haven’t had an issue working in a male dominated industry. I know within MARS Building I am treated with respect and dignity and I hope that I treat not only our staff, but also clients and customers, with the same.

What do you look forward to in 2021?: I look forward to being involved with many more new construction builds, seeing the company grow even more and hoping the borders open up for a very well-deserved holiday at some time.

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LEARNING FROM 2020 Every cloud has its silver lining; it’s just a matter of knowing how to look.

T

here is no doubt that last year was a challenging year, but I think it taught us all some pretty valuable lessons that we can take with us moving forward (every cloud has a silver lining!).

Here are the top five things that 2020 taught me:

1

Slow down — more than ever I was feeling like I was in the ‘rat race’ constantly working with not much time for anything else.

It’s no way to live, not good for your health and in most cases you just end up going backwards because you are so burnt out!

2020 forced us to slow down and appreciate the little things in life — which are really the most important.

2

Take more time for yourself — learn to say no more.

I think we are all a bit guilty of saying ‘yes’ to things when we really want to say ‘no’.

I read a great quote recently that really resonated with me, ‘your service to others shouldn’t be a disservice to yourself.’

You can’t pour from an empty cup, which is exactly why time to yourself is not a luxury, it’s essential.

38 || FLORENCE

3

Always have reserves — an emergency bank account that you can access when times get tough.

As we saw in 2020, you can’t predict the future and you need to be prepared!

I know sometimes it’s easier said than done as cash flow in a trades business is usually not ideal, but they say you should try and have aside 3-6 months worth of expenses for a rainy day or a global pandemic!

4

Be flexible — you need to have the ability to ‘pivot’ (I know, the 2020 buzzword).

Last year definitely taught me that you can’t control everything and you have to be able to go with the flow.

Like Charles Darwin once said ‘it is not the strongest of species that survives, nor the most intelligent, but the one most adaptable to change.’

5

Have more fun — I personally experienced a lot of loss last year and something that I have taken from that is that life is so short.

I know we hear that all the time but it really is.

You don’t want to get to the end of your life wishing that you had lived it differently.

You just never know what is around the corner, so make it a priority to enjoy yourself along the way!

I hope that some of these resonate with you too and help set you up for a bigger and better rest of the year ahead — whatever it may bring!

FLORENCE || 39

Co Gear: empower women F

ounded by Kym O’Leary in 2013, originally Co Gear was known as ‘She’s Empowered’, the brand that identified a need for maternity workwear.

She’s Empowered was initially focused on empowering women within the workplace by providing workwear options that catered to the needs of pregnant women. After much success within the women’s maternity range and crucial support from large companies promoting diversity and inclusion, the brand expanded into workwear that catered for all women’s sizes and shapes.

In 2019, She’s Empowered transformed into Co Gear. Co Gear shares the same vision of inclusion and quality workwear solutions, continuing to collaborate with customers and key procurement teams to build an ever-expanding product offering, including fully customizable workwear ranges designed specifically for your workplace needs.

Co Gear produce a range of workwear solutions specifically designed for women. Co Gear has been supplying the mining and industrial industries across Australia, South America, Canada, New Zealand, Germany, and the Philippines since 2013.

It is widely accepted that workers who feel safe, comfortable and confident in their workwear are more productive.

Co Gear specialise in catering for women working in traditionally male dominated industries, and don’t expect women to settle for men’s workwear. The products have been developed and refined in collaboration with working women across heavy industrial and trade vocations and are fit for purpose for site conditions. Co Gear acknowledge the variability in women’s body shapes and offer the widest size range in the market, catering for sizes 4 – 26.

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DESIGNED AND MADE FOR WOMEN. Built for hard work.

Blundstone Women’s Safety Series

BLUNDSTONE.COM.AU

Writing a future for everyday women School teacher, writer, and poet Elizabeth Mary Cummings talks about her series of children’s books tackling mental health and gender stereotypes.

JOSIE ADAMS

Could you tell me a little bit about your childhood and how it influenced what you do now?

I was born in Manchester, in the UK, the eldest of four children. I recall a happy and loving familycentred early childhood. My father changed his job several times, and I had moved several times by the time I started school. Before my seventh birthday, my family moved back up north to Scotland, where my mother was born. I was used to moving to a new place, finding the experience to be a positive one.

However, when we moved to Scotland, I was not accepted and endured miserable and challenging times. When I spoke, I was mocked and ridiculed.

I was often told I was a Sassenach (a derogatory term for an English person) and was often left out

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of playtime games and not invited to events out of school. Even adults made disparaging remarks about me being English; these I can still recall now some 45 years later. Furthermore, because I had experienced a different school system, this further isolated me from my peers. I eventually made friends and completed school successfully, perhaps due to my unerring desire to belong; however, I was never allowed to forget I was an outsider during that time. I have grown up to be someone who values social justice and for people to be given a fair go.

I am a strong advocate for mental health and for supporting those who are marginalised.

As a writer and a poet, what was it that drew you to writing for children? What was your experience,

for example, in the education system? Or was it more personal than that?

My parents — they read to me every day and took me every week to our local library. Mum always kept a journal and insisted we did too, especially on holiday! We were always expected to write thank you letters at Christmas and birthday times and to also send our grandparents letters throughout the year. I was always close to my grandparents — perhaps that is one of the reasons why!

I also took part in drama groups and enjoyed storytelling with my sister and we spent hours making up little plays and then preparing ‘shows’ (including ticket sales and refreshments!) that we got our family to attend.

You tend to write about both psychological and social issues in your books, and your books are for young children. Why do you think it is important to touch on these subjects at that age? And do you think there is enough discussion about these themes at this age?

There are an increasing number of books in this area and yes, I do think this is a good thing. It is important to help children talk about psychological and social issues in a safe and age appropriate way.

So much of their awareness is coming from media; radio, TV, social media platforms — even from very young ages there needs to be a space for reflection, for real conversations. In long gone times when most people lived in tribal and small group set ups, children were far more integrated into the ways

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the life cycle worked. For example, they were aware of birth and death through ritual and cultural practices.

Today, many people are afraid to talk to children about death — but really that is the only certain experience we all as humans share — how much more frightening are the things we cannot talk about? I believe there is a time and place for such discussions, but I know first-hand that having resources that help me talk to my children or students is so helpful. If my books can go some way to that purpose, then I feel glad that I can support others through difficult times.

Could you tell me where you got the idea for your Verityville range of books.

I first came up with the idea from talking to my dear friend Audrey, who is a hairdresser by profession who took up a job of being a lollipop lady at a local school where I was teaching so that she could manage her work hours around her own children’s schooling. We would chat about our day and she had so many hilarious and, at times, shocking stories of how she had helped people or how she was treated by other road users. I nicknamed her ‘the sweetest lollipop lady in the world’ as she seemed to cope with all the dramas and rudeness etc with such kindness and grace and would always have a positive attitude to her work no matter what.

Verityville grew from this as I came across more local people who worked hard and remained positive even though their efforts went often unrecognised or taken for granted. My stories are about the local, the unheard voices, the real day-to-day individuals.

Most children grow up to have meaningful yet ordinary lives. They will not be famous or groundbreaking; yet they will make a difference in their own communities. Their lives do matter. So; I think it is important to show how regular jobs matter and that you do not need to be a celebrity, the best or the

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first for your life to have meaning. They always say the truth is always far more interesting and in the case of the Verityville series, it was!

An interesting thing happened around the time the fourth title; Brave and Strong All Day Long (about a female lifeguard) book was released. There was a whole rise in interest in female role models and these fem-centric, positive female role-model narrative centred on famous people. This steeled my resolve to portray real women in a constructive way and how better than with Fiona as my flagship woman — of course it was not long before the creative spark came to find a way to represent the role of women in construction.

Do you think that gender and identity is something that is touched upon enough at that age (as in early primary school)?

In terms of how professionals and parents are educated and aware of the complexities, no, I don’t — I feel that there is far too easily an expectation of social construction of roles for our young people.

Whilst there have been moves towards redressing the past diversity especially gender and identity are matters that are still poorly understood by many. It will take time to come to a place where the colour

of an object is not classified in terms of gender and when adults selecting books for readers are not so concerned with the gender of the protagonist rather with the character’s story arc. As for the children themselves at that early age they are exploring the world around them and as such are more open and non-judgmental.

Is stereotyping particularly when it comes to gender-based roles/ careers still alive and well or do you see things changing?

Oh yes, stereotyping is very much still around. As humans, we do make assumptions, social constructs and generally try to make sense of our world rightly or wrongly! How many times when one refers to one’s doctor, architect, soccer coach, physio, does someone say, ‘What did he say?’ and vice versa with other roles traditionally seen as for women. Whilst there are roles that have traditionally been seen as fitting for one gender or another we are evolving… in the primary teaching sector I work in, some of the best teachers I have met are men and then again in sport, for instance, our Australian women’s soccer stars are right up there in skill, stamina and success.

Part of the sluggishness in change is that those who have been adversely impacted by lack of opportunity are not only disincentivised to apply for roles but also question where they wish to be part of industries who have traditionally been part of the problem, there’s a lack of trust, this phenomena is seen across minority groups.

Hopefully with the installation of support and representation bodies (such as the Women in Engineering (WEN) movement) women will continue to grow in professional confidence and find themselves supported — not only by women but by everyone in what they hope to offer and achieve in their workplace.

What do you hope to achieve with your books?

The books are multi-purposed. Firstly, I want to foster a love of reading in children in a young age.

I want my books to be enjoyed and read again and again. My Verityville series is deliberately simple in its design and easy to hold or pop in a bag or car for repeated reads. Secondly, I want children to see their world in my narratives, the world they will become part of and as an integral part of that is the sense of gratitude for the roles different people play and an awareness of the need for different roles in our society to make it function. Thirdly these books speak subtly of fairness, equality in the workplace, pride in work and respect for someone and the work they do.

Do you see a promising future, particularly for young girls, in traditionally male-dominated careers?

Yes — my own daughters are proof of this; my eldest daughter has just graduated as a doctor and my younger daughter is in final year engineering — they are strong and know their ability. They work with diverse groups and stand up for what they believe in. This new generation of workers are not going to let someone say, ‘this is not the job for you.’

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SUPPORT FOR MATES MATES in Construction aims to reduce suicide among Australian construction workers CHERYL GALWAY

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ates in Construction has meant a lot to me.

It’s helped me heal from the troubles that I was feeling, back when I was transitioning from my job working in a nursing home. When I was trying to leave that industry, a lot of people didn’t want me to leave. I cared about it, but it was starting to wear me down a little bit. I just needed a bit of a break, and I ended up coming to the construction industry by accident. I went and got my truck license. I said to myself ‘why not drive a truck for a little while? That might be a little bit different’. I got offered a job as a traffic controller, so thank you, Kevin and Wayne, I do appreciate where you took me back then. It led me into construction and here I am today with Omnistruct, still in construction, and I love every part of it.

One of the reasons why I do love it is because of MATES in Construction. It makes a difference to a lot of lives, which I see every day. When you see someone really struggling with something, and just take the time to walk over and have a bit of a chat to them, you’d be surprised what can happen.

MATES in Construction has helped me learn how to go through these processes by allowing me to attend courses. The last course that I did, the ASSIST course, really did help me a lot because I was struggling with understanding how far you should throw yourself into helping people.

Sometimes other people’s problems can hurt you and that’s what starts to wear you down. Working in construction wears you down sometimes too, so just having those skills helped me decipher how to go about this. I know that if you do want to come and just have a chat, there’s lots of people out there who would listen and send you to the right areas or just give you a little bit of a hand. In today’s society with everything that’s happening, particularly with COVID-19, there’s a lot of people out there who are struggling.

MATES in Construction has taught me to help other people understand why I’m doing this,

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because sometimes people don’t understand why you are actually going to help people. Often they will say ‘I haven’t got time for that role’. It doesn’t take that much time; it might be just sitting down next to your mate and noticing they don’t seem themselves today and asking them if they are okay.

I do thank all the people at MATES in Construction.

At any time I want to call MATES field officer Heather, she is always there to help me through the things I have experienced on job sites, with people’s experiences. But it’s a good thing because I’ve heard lots of really good results from it.

When I and the guys onsite lost our mate Christian to suicide, it was really difficult. The ASSIST course kind of helped me get an idea of that it wasn’t my fault, to be honest, because after doing this course, it made me understand that I was missing skills. And I think because he was close to me, I thought I might have missed something, but I don’t feel guilty for that because I just didn’t even see it. So using these new skills now, it’s going make a difference somewhere else.

Sometimes it’s like we don’t see things, but I guess the more of these conversations we have, and the more we share what we’ve learnt when we have lost people and by using these skills, being educated a little bit more around preventing suicide, we would like to hope moving forward we will be able to help others.

If you need help or if you notice someone may be struggling,you can reach out for help: MATES in Construction 24hr helpline: 1300 642 111 Suicide Call Back Service: 1300 659 467

BOOSTING FEMALE FOUNDERS NOW OPEN Round 2 of the Federal Government’s Boosting Female Founders Initiative is now open for expressions of interest

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he BFF Initiative (or program) commenced in 2020 to support women entrepreneurs to grow and scale their startups into domestic and global markets by providing access to early stage capital.

The BFF Initiative was recently expanded, providing additional funding for grants and introducing a new mentoring element to further support women entrepreneurs grow their startups.

and $400,000 on a co-contribution basis to successful applicants and is open to startups that are majority owned and led by women. Additional support is available to underrepresented groups such as women founders who: • are from regional or remote locations • identify as an Indigenous Australian • migrated to Australia as a refugee or humanitarian entrant • are a person with a disability

Approximately $11.6 million in grant funding is available for Round 2.

Expressions of interest close on April 22nd.

The program provides grants of between $25,000

For more information go to www.business.gov.au.

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BRING EASYCRAFT TO THE BATHROOM You don’t need to limit your bathroom, laundries or garage to plain plasterboard or fibre cement.

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asyCraft has introduced a brand new product designed specifically for interior wet areas, that allow you to utilise the EasyCraft range of profiled panels to add texture and style to your bathrooms and laundries.

The newest addition to the product range is EasyUltra, which is an ultra high moisture resistant substrate specifically designed for internal wet areas.

What’s so special about EasyUltra?

EasyUltra is an MDF substrate held together using a polyurethane resin, that provides an extremely strong bond to the wood particles, forming a non-reversable chemical weld. Unlike traditional urea resins used in standard MDF, the polyurethane resin does not break down gradually over time in the presence of frequent moisture.

EasyUltra is available in the full range of EasyCraft profiles, including EasyVJ, EasyGroove and EasyLine, in lengths 2400, 3000 and 3600 x 1200.

Pricing is $32 per square metre (indicative retail price) for the EasyUltra product in the easyVJ100 profile.

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TRAINING MADE EASY Master Builders NSW offer a range of online courses.

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aster Builders is a Registered Training Organisation (RTO ID 6163), accredited by the Australian Skills Quality Authority. Their aim is to provide members with the quality training they need for a life-long career in the building and construction industry.

They are committed to supporting the continued growth of the building and construction industry and adapt to the future needs of the workforce with their industry best practice education and training programs: • Pathways to builder and trade’s licences • Nationally recognised qualifications • Recognition of your existing skills and experience

The recorded lessons are interactive, using animation, characters, storyline, and videos to present information. They are generally only one hour long and may include quiz questions. A few of them are games, where you are able to learn by being a character in a movie. The information is presented using animation, characters, videos and case studies. The aim is to give you interesting learning, which is engaging, enjoyable and dare we say it...actually fun!

The online tutorials are easy to navigate and feature useful legislative guides to assist you on your learning journey.

• Learn and earn CPD points online • No need to attend classrooms or events

• Short courses with nationally recognised units of competency

• Learn in the comfort of your own home or office

• Professional development seminars and workshops with CPD points

• Gain new skills to benefit the way you work

• Customised training for your business

development needs Continuing Professional Development (CPD) is a requirement in NSW for all builders and pool builders who must undertake 12 CPD points per year to maintain their building licence. By enrolling into any of the Master Builders courses, members could earn up to 12 CPD points (full day), covering the annual requirement. If a partner or business associate accompanies an attendee in a course, they can accumulate up to four extra CPD points which can be carried over to next year’s requirement.

Master Builders’ range of industry dedicated online courses with quizzes make earning CPD points easy, and best of all you have the flexibility and convenience to gain CPD points anywhere and anytime.

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• Short one-hour lessons • Earn 1 CPD point each course you complete successfully • Only $50 per course and earn 1 CPD point.

Courses available online include Understanding Basix, Manual Handling, Complying Development, Asbestos Awareness, Site Management, Building Profitability, Waterproofing for Builders, and The Features of AAC Panels.

If you’d like to discuss your training needs directly, call on 02 8586 3588 or contact them online at www.mbansw.asn.au/training.

Training is also offered across Sydney and regional locations including Newcastle, Ballina, Wollongong, Port Macquarie, Gosford, Ulladulla, Orange and Albury.

LATEST TECH Being tech savvy has never been so stylish. Here’s a taste of the latest in wearable tech

Samsung Galaxy Watch Active2: 40mm Aluminium Bluetooth — rose gold/violet.

Price: $448

Garmin Fenix 6S Pro: Solar Edition GPS watch — light gold with light sand band.

Price: $1098

Michael Kors Bradshaw 2: Acetate Smart Watch — rose gold Price: $648

Jabra Elite 75t Wireless Earbuds: with ANC — gold beige.

Price: $219

Apple Watch Series 6: 44mm silver stainless steel case with white sports band — GSP + Cellular Price: $1119

APPS & SOFTWARE

Deputy

Peak

Unfold

CamToPlan

Deputy makes employee rostering, time and attendance, team task management, team communication, and performance management easier.

Peak is the fun, free brain training workout designed around you. Peak uses brain games and puzzles to challenge memory, language and critical thinking to keep your mind active.

Get Unfold now and use our beautiful templates, fonts and tools to take your stories to the next level. Unfold makes it easy to create professional content on the go.

Thanks to virtual reality (VR), you can measure floors, dimensions of walls, windows, doors or a whole home in a few seconds. No more tape measure or ruler needed.

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APR-NOV

Join others in the industry in April for a landmark conversation following a year of unprecendented uncertainty on the project pipeline of infrastructure projects in NSW, policy and funding insights and the current and future opportunities that this sector presents.

Meet and connect with infrastructure’s major players and policy-makers, and add to the essential dialogue at The Sydney Morning Herald Infrastructure Summit 2021.

Disruptive change is coming to the construction industry, and it will affect every segment of the value chain. The COVID-19 pandemic has only accelerated this change and created a greater imperative to act.

The Future of Construction Summit will explore how the entire ecosystem of construction will change, how much value is at risk for incumbents, and how companies can collaborate and leverage innovative approaches to create a more profitable and sustainable industry.

It looks at the human elements of leadership, diversity and change management, as well as the technologies, materials, industrial approaches and broader digitisation trends that are redefining the way the industry operates.

The Master Builders-Bankwest Excellence in Construction, Housing and Regional Building Awards program showcases and rewards members for demonstrating exceptional craftsmanship, commitment to building excellence, and upholding the highest professional standard.

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DesignBUILD brings together Australia’s architecture, building, construction and design communities in one essential events.

Reimagined for 2021, the expo is built on the pillars of exploration, networking, learning and discovery.

OCT 11

The Proptech Next Summit will bring together startups, entrepreneurs, investors and commercial real estate executives to explore all the major tech trends in office, industrial, retail and multifamily including coworking, data, A.I., contech and more.

Attendees will have the opportunity to hear from the most soughtafter thought leaders and meet the leading startups, investors, developers, owners and brokers.

Sydney Build is Australia’s leading construction, architecture and infrastructure expo. Now in its 5th year, Sydney Build has become the bestattended B2B construction tradeshow in the whole of Australia.

This is the only event of its kind to offer 300+ accredited presentations, 500+ exhibitors and incredible networking opportunities all of Sydney’s construction professionals.

It is free to attend, including access to all presentations, workshops, networking events and exhibition.

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MINDSET BECKY PAROZ ENGINEER, PROJECT MANAGER AND AUTHOR

Construct a New Future Now is the time to get the conversation for the future started, and leave 2020 behind

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t the end of a year, we usually sit back and reflect. You are not alone if this year you feel it might be a more interesting and fulfilling exercise to look forward. We are all pretty much done with 2020, which has become a new curse word! After dealing with the “new ‘C’ word” the industry has taken some massive hits, which has translated into a significant amount of personal struggles. As we look for some positives — what can we find?

Some of those meetings that insisted on being faceto-face really can be dealt with in an email, or via an on-line link up. We really can learn to work flexible, and work from home for some of the roles that don’t actually require being on site. Technology does, in fact, keep us linked and communicating.

Some of us knew this to be true, and now it has been tested in a real life scenario. What does that mean for the future?

It means that flexible working arrangements can be achieved. No longer can the excuse of you must be present in the office every day be used to limit the opportunities for flexible parenting, for hiring people with a disability, and for generally insisting on a rigid attendance framework. While the industry may still be resistant, the conversation now has the ability to take place with some evidence to back up scenarios that were previously deemed unsuitable.

Given that we have all craved interaction, freedom,

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and connection during the year in ways we never thought we would, human-centric skills, frequently called soft skills, will be given more credit than historically they have been. Communication; the power to exchange concepts, thoughts, and ideas; is a forerunner in the skills race, more than it has ever been. Mental health is now a topic of conversation in ways that have been previously denied in the industry, and that is a good thing.

These are skills that women are uniquely placed to step up, own, and promote themselves in core areas of requirements. We know that the industry is notoriously difficult to bring up matters of emotions and that “not coping” has previously been a sign of weakness in some of our cultures. With just about everybody “not coping” with this year, the stigma around discussion in these areas must change.

Generally speaking, women are known for their ability to have these discussions more easily than

WHO IS BECKY PAROZ

their male counterparts, now is the time to harness those skills and channel them into your workplace culture, conversations, and community.

Now is the time to be bold, be positive, and take action towards the future you want. The industry, and the unavoidable upheaval of this last year, can be a catalyst for real changes in significant areas if we act now, use our skills and experience wisely, and become advocates for the change that needs to happen. These need women’s voices, mental health advocates, communication, strategic thinking, and some real practical solutions being spoken about at every level. Women have real power in these areas.

Now is the time to get the conversation for the future started, and leave 2020 behind in our memories as the facilitator for change, a stimulus for cultural growth, and a prompter of more inclusive soft skills for all of our industry.

Becky Paroz has 30 years of experience in construction and building, most of them in leadership roles. She studied engineering before women were encourage to join the industry, and now mentors leaders, business owners, and new-to-the-industry women across Australia on how to develop their own leadership style.

She is the winner of many awards, has been published in best-selling books, writes regularly for several magazines, and a much requested public presenter to a variety of forums. www.wordsofbek.com.au. www.radzor.com.au Instagram: wordsofbek

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@life_of_a_sparkler

@bards.builds

Kymberly Electrician Toowoomba

Bardie Sommerville BARDS BUILDS , apprentice chippy from Sydney

@plasteredsisters

@foxcustomcarpentry__

Plastered Sisters, Kate & Ella, Kent-based (UK) sister-in-law plastering duo. Owners of EKRB Developments Ltd

Fox Custom Carpentry, Kea Fox (Canada).

@chelsthepainter

@thegingermason

Chelsea Brennan, painter apprentice for @top_ coat_painting_melbourne

Rachael Wragg, trainee stonemason at @lincolncathedral, Learning to be a stone mason since July 2018

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Are you a female led business?

Women Building Australia is building a register of businesses in the building and construction industry led by women to assist the public, in particular vulnerable women, who prefer using female builders, designers and tradies.

REGISTER NOW womenbuildingaustralia.com.au/ support-female-businesses

womenbuildingaustralia.com.au

Everybody has the right to be treated fairly in the workplace, without discrimination, harassment or bullying!

Call the Women Building Australia Helpline

1300 889 156 Women Building Australia’s dedicated harassment and discrimination helpline provides confidential and practical advice for women in the building and construction industry.

womenbuildingaustralia.com.au/support-helpline

womenbuildingaustralia.com.au