Women in Construction Project | Built Environment

UNSW School of Built Environment was awarded a $2.3m grant by the Department of the Prime Minister and Cabinet’s Office for Women, under the Australian Government’s Women’s Leadership and Development Program. With the support from this grant, the Women in Construction project was established.

The objective of the project is to attract, retain and empower women in construction, a traditionally male-dominated industry.

While many existing efforts to address gender issues in construction ignore early career preparation and on-going support in career development, this project uses an innovative life-cycle approach, and engages women throughout their entire career. It engages female high-school students, women studying construction in universities, and women working in the construction industry, to gain an in-depth understanding of the industry’s diverse job opportunities. The project will also help women establish long-term career goals, support them to successfully progress their careers and obtain leadership positions in the field.

In another aspect, this project also investigates the opportunities and challenges brought by the imminent changes that technology advancement brings to the construction industry, and provides strategies and practical suggestions to prepare women for the era of “Construction 4.0”.

This project is led by Associate Professor Cynthia Wang and Associate Professor Riza Yosia Sunindijo.