Women in Trades: Report Launch

Description

The Women in Trades team launched their industry consultation report during Social Sciences Week in September. The report was officially launched by SHSS HoS Professor Wendy Bowles and BJBS Associate Dean Research Mark Morrison. The launch was extremely well attended by seventy industry stakeholders including employers, apprenticeship providers, VET educators, government representatives, tradeswomen and university staff. The event was an inclusive and positive space for the tradeswomen who attended, an important element, as women who work as a small minority, (often alone) everyday, require safe spaces to talk openly. The Welcome to Country that opened the event set the scene beautifully - Wiradjuri Elder Uncle Dinawan welcomed guests with stories of the important role women play as elders in the lives of both girls and boys in Wiradjuri culture. Donna Bridges, the Women in Trades team leader, MC’d on the day and introduced the concept of “A trade of One’s Own” which was derived from Virginia Wolf’s famous work “A Room of One’s Own” (see below). Professor Wendy Bowles was a crowd favourite after stories of her farm life and learning to drive a tractor. Craig Randazzo, CEO of Skillset Bathurst, spoke to the importance of tradeswomen in the regions and the important work that Skillset continues to do to increase the amount of women apprentices in the trades. This was followed by a panel of tradeswomen, featuring Natalie Creed and Grace Di Trapani, carpentry apprentices from Ladex Construction Group Wagga, Wagga; Cassy Shanahan, Painter & Decorator, Albury and Bridget Smith, Electrician from JB Electrical, Albury. The panel was moderated by Paula Beattie who represented both Supporting and Linking Tradeswomen (SALT) and the Orange Women’s Shed. The panel was an honest and informative Q&A and stole the entire show!

Period	10 Sep 2019
Event type	Other
Location	Bathurst, Australia
Degree of Recognition	Regional