Although I am the first female President of Master Builders ACT, I am intent on making sure I am not the last.
A MESSAGE FROM PRESIDENT, GRACIE FERREIRA
To Women Considering Joining the Construction Industry When I started out in the industry as an Administrative Assistant, women were few and far between on worksites. In my career I’ve had the privilege of being on the board of the ACT Training Fund Authority, the ACT Regional Building & Construction Industry Training Council, Canberra’s Police Community Youth Club and the Default Insurance Fund. I am also a Director of Pacific Formwork, a specialist provider of formwork solutions, and Precast Projects, a manufacturer and installer of precast. The scarcity of females in the industry was something I noticed early on in my career, and through my role at Master Builders I have been able to proactively work on changing this.
Through sharing our stories, successes and lessons learnt, we can encourage more women to join this remarkable industry.
Although I am the first female President of Master Builders ACT, I am intent on making sure I am not the last. In my time as MBA ACT President, I have been part of the development of many female orientated initiatives including the Women in Construction Group, the Women in Civil Construction program and the Women in Trades program. It’s been through the MBA and these valuable programs that I have met many incredible women working in the construction industry.
Some of these amazing women are featured in this edition, including Emily Shoemark from Snedden Hall & Gallop who writes on the Right to Disconnect From the ‘Digital Leash’. In this edition we also talk with the Founder of Build Like a Girl, Jo Farrell, and find out about her experiences being the only female onsite at the start of her career. On page 20 we sit down with the Institute of Architect’s President, Shannon Battinson, to find out about the home that brought her the Mill Architecture + Design’s first Excellence Awards win in 2016. Nadine O’Keeffe shares the values and career lessons that have skyrocketed her to the General Manager of the Built ACT Business Unit on page 40. This edition is all about showcasing the talented women in our industry and sharing the reasons more women should join the building and construction sector. I am pleased to say that when it comes to women at the helm of building and construction membership organisations, Canberra is the leader nationwide. Through sharing our stories, successes and lessons learnt, we can encourage more women to join this remarkable industry that has provided me with so many wonderful experiences. To any woman looking to join our industry, whether you are looking for an office position or an onsite role, the industry has opportunities on offer, now it’s up to you to take them. I’ll see you onsite in the future. Graciete Ferreira President of Master Builders ACT Director of Pacific Formwork
MASTER BUILDERS ASSOCIATION NEWS EDITION 2 2021
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