Construcciones Yamaro: Ambition turned into opportunity at Bank Street Park
Female participation in construction is often discussed as a future goal. At Bank Street Park in Pyrmont, that goal is already becoming reality.
By Lauren Fahey, executive director at NexGen.
We need more people in construction. With ongoing skills shortages and a growing pipeline of infrastructure and housing projects, increasing female participation isn’t just a diversity initiative; it’s a workforce solution. More women are expressing interest in construction careers, and they’re bringing fresh ideas, different ways of thinking and strong communication skills that add value on site and across project teams.
Delivered by BESIX Watpac for Infrastructure NSW, Bank Street Park is the first public green space to be delivered as part of the NSW Government’s revitalisation of the Blackwattle Bay precinct. It is also the first project in New South Wales to proactively work towards a stretch target of 50 per cent women’s participation across the project lifecycle.
As a NSW Government Women in Construction pilot project, Bank Street Park is challenging long-held perceptions about who belongs in construction and what the future workforce can look like.
For those of us working directly with women looking to enter the industry, initiatives like these are important because they create something many people need before they can consider a career change – a genuine opportunity.
One of the initiatives underpinning Bank Street Park’s 50 per cent stretch target is the Ignite HER Pathway Program, created to support women exploring careers in construction by providing training, industry exposure and direct connections to employers and industry partners.
The women completed a combination of classroom and practical training, gaining qualifications in WHS, hand and power tool operation, and machinery and equipment operation. They also developed hands-on skills in bricklaying, paving, irrigation, levelling and concreting, providing exposure to a range of construction trades.
The results speak for themselves. The program attracted strong interest, with more than 80 applications received. Following an information session attended by 30 women, 15 participants were selected to take part in the program and all 15 graduated, achieving a 100 per cent completion rate.
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While completion rates are often measured as a statistic, for me, this represents something much more meaningful. It represents 15 women who chose to challenge themselves, step outside their comfort zones and back themselves in an industry where women remain underrepresented.
Throughout the program, we saw confidence grow, skills develop and barriers begin to break down. Some participants arrived with little knowledge of the construction industry, while others were looking for a fresh start or a pathway into stable, meaningful employment. What they all shared was a willingness to learn and a determination to create new opportunities for themselves.
What has been rewarding is seeing the industry respond. Employers, contractors and subcontractors have engaged with participants, shared their knowledge and opened doors to potential career opportunities. As the program concludes, some of the women are now exploring employment pathways across the industry, ranging from apprenticeships and traineeships to entry-level and specialist roles. That outcome is what programs like this are designed to achieve.
Bank Street Park demonstrates that change doesn’t happen simply because targets are set. It happens because organisations make a deliberate commitment to creating opportunities, testing new approaches and investing in people.
BESIX Watpac’s involvement in this project, alongside Infrastructure NSW and the NSW Government Women in Construction program, demonstrates what can be achieved when workforce participation objectives are embedded into project delivery from the outset. The project is not only creating a new waterfront destination for the community but also creating pathways that have the potential to positively impact careers for years to come.
Most importantly, the success of Ignite HER Pathway belongs to the women themselves. Their commitment, resilience and enthusiasm throughout the program have been inspiring to witness. They showed up every day ready to learn, to grow and to embrace opportunities that, for many, once felt out of reach.
I could not be prouder of what they have achieved: 15 women started, 15 women completed, and now 15 women are taking their next steps toward careers in construction.
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