The Infrastructure Industry has launched a campaign to attract more women to the workforce
Women around the country donned Hi-Vis attire last month for a ‘hands on’ taste of working in the Infrastructure Industry.
The annual ‘Girls with Hi-Vis’ initiative lead by Connexis sees staff already working in the Infrastructure Industry inviting sisters, daughters, friends, cousins and wives to work for a day for a ‘hands on experience’ on the job to showcase the many career options.
Connexis has partnered with civil, energy, three waters and telecommunications companies throughout the country for a series of open days. The first was held at Vector in Taranaki, which is participated for the first time.
Connexis interim-chief executive David Worsnop says: “While women make up 50 percent of the country’s population, less than 4 percent of women are trade and technical trainees with Connexis. We’ve identified women as a key potential source to help staff the workforce and industry are working alongside, actively supporting to promote and increase numbers.”
David adds that the Government’s recent announcement of an $11 billion investment into infrastructure highlights the need for recruiting more quality workers, especially as it’s already short of skilled staff with a prediction of 25,000 more workers required to meet industry demand over the next 3 years. Connexis sees women as key to filling these roles.
“A ‘hands on’ taste of the job is a perfect way to show women exactly what a usual day’s work entails and hopefully it will inspire them to start a new career,” he says.
Industry partners for Girls with Hi-Vis 2017 are Visionstream, Auckland; WaterCare Auckland; Counties Power Manukau; Horizon Energy Group Whakatane, Mainpower, Rangiora; Meridian, Wellington and Twizel; Genesis Energy Turangi (pictured in the featured image) and Vector, Taranaki.
“It’s great to see all these companies working together to ensure that this campaign is a success. They’re all very keen to recruit quality staff and view women as key to helping fill these roles moving forward and see Girls with Hi-Vis key to helping achieving this,” David says.
