Deconstructing stereotypes
by Nicole Mikajewski
UniSA
graduates are leading professional women in Australia’s construction
industry.
Katherine Lang, a Bachelor of Construction Management and Economics graduate, developed a passion for construction as the Department for Environment and Heritage’s project manager.
"You’re always doing something different. I love the constant change in challenges and constant change in environment," Lang said.
Founder and President of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) SA Chapter, Lang uses her trade experience to promote and motivate women in the construction industry.
UniSA also encourages more women to consider construction and engineering as an education and career prospect.
The Bachelor Degree of Construction Management and Economics is recognised as one of the country’s best, and is lauded by industry officials in Australia, Malaysia, Singapore, Hong Kong and the United Kingdom.
The four-year program covers all areas of construction including quantity surveying, building surveying, building technology, building structures and housing studies.
Program Director Stefan Hornlund said that some women may see site work as a disincentive.
"But studying construction can lead to many different careers within the industry," he said.
Lang said she was exposed to "good hands-on experience" and enjoyed the diversity the program offered.
"There are a lot of different subjects and it opened up to me the different avenues that a career in construction may take you," she said.
NAWIC has developed the Building a Better Future Program dedicated to informing, inspiring and motivating women considering construction as a career and students of construction.
The website has more than 80 personal stories from women in the industry to highlight the diversity of roles that construction offers and the different paths women may take to get there.
NAWIC SA vice president and international management consultant, Rachel Kidwell said, "What we are trying to do with NAWIC is encourage awareness that there are lot of elements in which women play a significant role."
For information visit
NAWIC’s Building a
Better Future program.