Supporting women to enter the civil construction industry

Major Road Projects Victoria (MRPV) and its partners are committed to advancing gender equity in civil construction, as outlined in the MRPV Towards Gender Equity Roadmap 2024-2027 (PDF, 2.6 MB). One initiative is the collaboration between MRPV contractor CPB Contractors and social enterprise Switch to Infrastructure, created by FSC Group.

Switch to Infrastructure provides mid-career women with a pathway into the infrastructure sector through a 12-month paid cadetship, offering flexible, part-time options to support diverse needs. The program addresses the challenge of the “leaky pipeline” of women in the industry, as explained by founder and FSC Group CFO Ellen Connor: “We are losing women at every point of the pipeline, and so I wanted to create a way to have women flow IN rather than OUT of the pipeline.”

The challenges women face when returning to the workforce, particularly after a career break or raising a family, are well known. As Ellen highlights, “Women re-entering the workforce, especially after a career break, often face biases about their skills or commitment. The lack of flexible work arrangements, limited networking opportunities, and a male dominated culture can make it difficult to secure roles or feel a sense of belonging.” To overcome these barriers, Switch to Infrastructure works closely with employers to ensure flexible role structures and inclusive workplace cultures, while providing mentoring and peer support to empower participants.

Switch participants start with intensive training before gaining on-the-job experience with FSC Group clients like CPB Contractors, supported by mentorship and a buddy program. The opportunity is accessible to women from various backgrounds, even without prior STEM experience.

Vanessa, a Switch participant, transitioned from a decade long career in management consulting and health technology to civil construction to achieve greater flexibility while raising her daughters. Her placement with CPB Contractors on an MRPV project not only supports social procurement and gender equity related goals but also demonstrates the value of her skills in data and reporting. Reflecting on her journey, Vanessa says, “It’s been a positive experience working with CPB Contractors. I feel like I’m making real progress in the industry, and there’s so much potential for growth.” CPB Contractors is deeply committed to fostering diversity and inclusion and has several cadets working on MRPV projects across various roles, with Vanessa being one of the most senior.

The partnership between MRPV, CPB Contractors and Switch to Infrastructure is helping to create long-term, meaningful opportunities for women and actively addressing gender imbalance in civil construction.