Women In Trades NZ - Working To Get More Women Into Trades

Women in Trades, along with Connected.govt.nz and Venture Timaru, held our first event on the 14th of June at the Southern Trust Events Centre. Over 90 wāhine ranging in ages attended, including students from over eight different schools. Wāhine learned all about the many rewarding career options available to them, interacted with employers and tools of the trade, and listened to inspiring stories from women who are paving the way. Underpinning the event's success was the strong collaboration between the partners.

The event provided opportunities for the attendees to understand the opportunities across a range of trades. The TTM truck and an electric digger brought by Fulton Hogan and the truck brought by Fonterra provided opportunities for the wāhine to give it a go. Our other businesses brought tools, PPE gear and tradeswomen in an effort to ensure all attendees were aware of the opportunities and challenges of being in the trades.

The panel discussion provided attendees with an opportunity to hear and interact with experienced women in the trades. Thank you to panel members Mercedes (South Canterbury Hyundai), Maleisha (Fulton Hogan), Sarah (Active Refrigeration) and Nicole (Fonterra). We are grateful for the generous support from businesses and educational institutions who were present and able to provide information about the various trade opportunities.

Liam Brown from Venture Timaru believes partnering with Women in Trades & Connected.govt.nz was key to delivering the best experience for attendees. The combination of the Women in Trades NZ brand and model with Connected & Venture’s local business and community connections resulted in a great event for wāhine rangatahi, helping expose, educate and excite them about the range of career opportunities in trade industries and empowering them through hearing directly from women working in trades.

The collaboration with Connected.govt.nz meant the event was also attended by job seekers who were able to connect with potential employers and educational providers. With many leaving the event inspired to consider a new career pathway. Time will tell if these connections result in new careers.

Feedback from attendees was extremely positive and we are looking forward to planning next year's Women in Trades event in Timaru. Businesses interested in participating in the 2024 event should contact Liam Brown from Venture Timaru (liam@venturetimaru.nz) or Women in Trades NZ (contact@womenintradesnz.com).

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