Fredon Air ACT have partnered with the Australian Training Company (ATC) to host 2 Australian School-Based Apprentices for the Women in Construction Pathway Program.
The Women in Construction Pathway Program was launched in the ACT by the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) and the Australian Training Company (ATC), to encourage girls in high school to enter the construction industry.
According to 2018 data, women make up just 11% of the construction industry, with a mere 1% percent of that as women in building trades.
The program takes high school students to construction sites for 12 weeks, during which they will have the chance to work across areas including electrical, plumbing and carpentry or can focus on an area of interest.
WIN News Canberra interviewed Fredon Air ACT Branch Manager, Michael Jones, and Emma-Lee Tydd, one of our school-based apprentices, about the Pathway Program.
I feel like this program is going to set up so many young women, including myself, to have a life in construction.
– Emma-Lee Tydd, ASBA participating in the Women in Construction Pathway Program with Fredon Air ACT
The message is that a construction career opens opportunities, and the Pathway Program is a great way to introduce these different career possibilities to young women.
As part of the program, these young women will spend 1 day a week with us for a 12 week period, and learn about what a career in the mechanical construction industry would look like. We get to showcase all sorts of career paths and opportunities within our own company, including refrigeration apprenticeships which combine the air conditioning and electrical trade, as well as roles like engineering, drafting, estimating, contract and project management.
It’s not just the students who benefit, the industry needs more people. We’re always lacking resources and this pathway program is a great opportunity.
– Michael Jones, Fredon Air ACT Branch Manager
Michael speaks highly of our participation in the Women in Construction Pathway Program, encouraging others to get involved.
