Pathways in Bendigo

Creating skilled job opportunities for local unemployed people was the main driver for CCF Victoria’s Pathways program to lift civil construction workforce participation rates in Bendigo.

This week our Pathways program team facilitated a week-long program with Workforce Australia, with a strong cohort of 10 local women and First Nations recruits who toured local Projects, including CCF member Winslow’s industrial subdivision project.

“We are really proud to be collaborating with Civil Contractors Federation Victoria, to deliver the Pathways Program in Bendigo, and there will be plenty of opportunities for local Employer engagement,” said Workforce Australia Local Jobs facilitator Chris Booth, whose focus is on priority cohorts and helping employers meet social procurement KPIs while addressing local market shortages.

Construction is a significant regional employer, according to Regional Development Victoria. But it could well be the top driver of economic activity if local authorities and delivery agencies figure out how to effectively unlock a latent workforce of more than 2,000 willing workforce participants.

An average of 40% – 50% is spent annually on civil infrastructure, including roads resealing, asphalting and major patching works along some 1,500kms of sealed roads and 1,400kms of gravel roads, according to the City of Greater Bendigo.

“The work is certainly there and it is incumbent on us to collaborate with stakeholders to connect the opportunities for the under-represented, women and First Nations jobseekers, which is what our Pathways program is all about,” CCF Victoria CEO Lisa Kinross said.

The Pathways Program was designed by CCF Victoria to help address skilled workforce pipeline shortages in civil construction as well as social procurement challenges experienced by employers.

The program also provides specific workplace culture support modules and mechanisms for trainees and workplaces and has been fully funded by the Victorian Government’s Department of Jobs, Skills, Industry and Regions.

As well as CCF member Winslow, the week-long Bendigo initiative was open to all contractors in the region, with other local partners including WestVic Staffing Solutions, Ripple Affect Institute and Bendigo & District Aboriginal Co-operative (BDAC).

According to the LinkedIn Economic Graph Research Institute, construction is one of the leading occupations with the greatest gap between percentage share of women in a role compared to percentage of women in the skills-based pipeline.

“Data shows us that just three per cent of women work as Construction Site Managers but they would comprise 27 per cent of the talent pipeline with a skills-based approach,” Kinross said.

“Similarly, just seven per cent of Construction Manager roles are filled by women, compared to 30 per cent of women in the skills-based pipeline for the same occupation.

“We have a tremendous opportunity to unlock scores, if not hundreds, of roles for under-represented groups – particularly women and First Nations jobseekers – in regional centres like Bendigo, which is why our partnership with Workforce Australia is so vital.”

• share: