Powering Her Pathway is launched!
“It’s about ‘you can’t be what you can’t see’,” local Gippsland tradeswoman Siobhan Kinman told media who gathered at ENGIE’s Hazelwood Battery for the official launch of the Powering Her Pathway project. It was a sentiment echoed by many throughout the day.
Powering Her Pathway was launched in Gippsland on 23 September by Federal Minister for Skills and Training, the Hon Andrew Giles MP, who was joined by Clea Smith, CEO Tradeswomen Australia, Laura Caspari, Managing Director Renewables and Batteries at ENGIE, a host of businesses across the renewable energy sector, tradeswomen at every stage of their careers, and community groups eager to get involved in the ground-breaking project.
They were all there to welcome the launch of Powering Her Pathway, a pioneering initiative, led by TWA, aimed at directly addressing systemic barriers women face in clean energy careers.
The day kicked off with a media event at the Hazelwood BESS, followed by the launch event at TAFE Gippsland, where attendees were treated to a beautiful Welcome to Country by Gunaikurnai Elder Christine Johnson and a panel discussion with inspiring women with lived experience in leadership, trades and clean energy, including Victorian Apprentice of the Year Amber Leyshan.
Powering Her Pathway includes a specialised Vocational Taster program tailored to regional women’s specific needs and circumstances, as well as placing 30 women in skilled clean energy positions across the Gippsland region and building supportive workplace cultures.
In his launch speech, Minister Giles commended the tradeswomen in the room and the incredible collaboration partners TWA, ENGIE, TAFE Gippsland and RMIT, working together to address a critical skills shortage and increase women’s participation.
Powering Her Pathway is an ambitious project, but the message coming out of the launch was that women are excited, the renewable energy sector is excited, and the community is there to back them all.
Now on her second apprenticeship, Siobhan Kinman is embracing the opportunities presented by the renewable energy industry in Gippsland, and wants to see more women get involved, through programs like Powering Her Pathway.
“Just do it!” she told attendees at the launch, with an enthusiasm that reflected the mood of the room.
While celebrating women in trades was the vibe, guests at the launch reported that they were impressed by the transformative power of the project, creating a sustainable framework and best-practice blueprint for replication across other male-dominated industries and regions.
TWA extends a warm thank you to everyone who attended the Powering Her Pathway launch. Whether you’re a business looking to increase the participation of women in your clean energy project, a woman interested in a career in this exciting, new industry, or a Gippsland community organisation wanting to get involved, it’s not too late to get involved! Drop us a line at info@twaus.com.au.