Construcciones Yamaro: Samantha Grant: “There’s a place for you”
Purpose-driven, passionate and incredibly inspiring, Samantha Grant is smashing ceilings and opening doors for women in construction.
Samantha Grant, women in construction lead for the Western Harbour Tunnel project at ACCIONA, is spearheading efforts to promote equity and diversity in the industry. Her dedication shines through in her innovative programs designed not only to attract women to construction but also to retain them.
However, advocating for women in male‐dominated fields wasn’t always part of Grant’s plan. Reflecting on her journey, she recalls her days as a Year 10 student choosing electives, never imagining she would end up leading initiatives for women in construction.
“I did a communications degree and thought I was going to be a journalist,” says Grant. “I ended up falling into education, working at the Royal Ballet School – an international school for aspiring professional dancers.”
After spending a few years in London, Grant returned to Australia and continued her career in education. She became the dean of students at an all‐women’s residential college in Sydney, where she lived on campus and immersed herself in the community.
“These young women were, and are, so brilliant in terms of their ability to articulate their ideas, how smart they are and how driven they are,” says Grant. “But it struck me that the confidence I saw within the walls of the college didn’t translate when they stepped outside.”
“I wondered, why is this happening? These girls are absolute superstars in the comfort and confidence of their own home, their own college, but the second they get out into the real world, the world isn’t supporting them the way that we should.”
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This realisation ignited Grant’s commitment to her current work. She knew she wanted to remain in a field where she could help women feel empowered and ensure their voices are heard. This passion guided her journey in the years that followed, leading her to become the Women’s Leadership Program manager at Downer in 2022.
In this role, Grant managed the program across the company’s Australian operations, travelling the country to engage with women in diverse roles and listen to their experiences. She witnessed firsthand the significant impact these initiatives can have in a short period.
One of her most memorable moments was seeing the transformation of a woman working on a rail project in Far North Queensland. The program, divided into several blocks over 12 months, began with Grant asking participants to write a letter to themselves, envisioning where they wanted to be in a year.
“This woman wrote just one line: ‘I want to look in the mirror and feel like I’m worth something’,” Grant recalls. “However, within just 48 hours of the course, something remarkable happened.”
“It was like a light had switched on for her; she discovered her own worth, realising she was a strong, capable and talented woman.
“In that short time, she transformed from someone who doubted herself – who thought she didn’t even deserve to look in the mirror – to someone confidently participating. It was like the power of the sisterhood had shown her who she really was, and quietened the voices telling her she couldn’t.”
In late 2023, Grant sought her next career move and joined ACCIONA as the company’s women in construction lead for the Western Harbour Tunnel project in Sydney, New South Wales. Her role is funded by the Women in Construction focussed Infrastructure Skills Legacy Program (ISLP), a pilot initiative with at least 16 other project officers working on various projects across NSW.
“We come together once a month to share our progress and collaborate on reaching specific targets,” says Grant. “The ISLP pilot has set goals for the project officers to achieve over the next couple of years: 4 per cent women in trades and 7 per cent women in non-traditional roles.”
“Based on the pilot’s success, the government may decide to make these targets mandatory for future projects.”
As the women in construction lead, Grant focuses entirely on what ACCIONA can do at a project level to attract women, both in white‐collar and blue‐collar positions. Once top talent is on board, she shifts her focus to supporting and retaining them.
Grant is exploring innovative ideas and breaking down barriers that have historically hindered women from staying in the industry. These initiatives include addressing challenges such as childcare and flexible working hours.
“I’m a mother myself – I have a three‐year‐old little boy – but you don’t need to be a parent to understand the challenges of juggling responsibilities,” she says. “We all have commitments outside of work, and for me, my main responsibility outside of work is my son.”
In July this year, Grant launched ACCIONA’s ‘Backup Care’ program, which provides support for parents when their usual childcare arrangements fall through. ACCIONA is the first company in Australia to implement this program, starting with the Western Harbour Tunnel project, in partnership with Bright Horizons.
“If your child is typically in daycare and a situation arises, you can log into the backup care portal, and within two hours, a nanny will arrive at your house to care for your child so you can continue working,” explains Grant. “Conversely, if your usual arrangement involves a nanny or a family member who can’t care for your child due to illness, we provide daycare at a centre near you for that day.”
“The same day the program launched, two childcare bookings were made for the following week.”
In the same month, Grant also launched ‘Building Futures’ – a traineeship program for female students in Year 10. Approximately 26 girls from schools across Sydney have enrolled in the program, which ACCIONA will host onsite at the Western Harbour Tunnel project.
“This was an intentional decision; we wanted to ensure the entire day was spent onsite, exposing them to ‘boots on the ground’ experiences rather than being constrained in a corporate office,” says Grant. “This is the first stage of the program.”
The day will kick off with the girls arriving onsite, where ACCIONA has organised a panel of women who work in the field. Following this, there will be a lunch session where students can interact with young women graduates working on the project. Afternoon activities will include an emergency drill, operating equipment, exploring the tunnel and meeting a woman who runs the road header.
“The second part of the program will take place in September and will be an immersion week,” says Grant. “The girls will spend the entire week with us, and at the end of the week, their principals will join us for a presentation where the girls will share what they have learned.”
In January 2025, ACCIONA plans to welcome four of the female students as official trainees. These trainees will remain with the company for two years, during which they will obtain a TAFE qualification in engineering, preparing them for further studies. The ultimate goal is for them to join ACCIONA as full‐time employees.
Programs like these have the potential to be transformative for women already working in construction as well as those contemplating a career in the sector. On International Women’s Day, Grant consulted a focus group of women at ACCIONA for advice they would offer to other women looking to enter the industry. Based on their feedback, she wrote a report titled There’s a Place for You.
“That’s what I would tell any woman considering a career in the industry: there is a place for you, and you will be valued,” says Grant. “There’s a place for everyone.”
While Grant has made great strides in advocating for and supporting women in traditionally male‐dominated industries, she considers one of her greatest achievements to be her son. “Becoming a mother showed me that achieving things is always easier when you have a community around you, to support, advocate with and walk beside you,” says Grant.
“Like the old saying goes, ‘It takes a village to raise a child,’ and the same is true for achieving gender equity – it just can’t be done alone. We need a village, too.”
Looking ahead, Samantha Grant aims to continue introducing initiatives that positively impact people’s lives outside of work and make work accessible for those who have previously faced barriers.
The post Samantha Grant: “There’s a place for you” appeared first on Inside Construction.
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