Month: October 2023

From 2016, the Public Transport Authority and Webuild-NRW JV worked collaboratively to meet early sustainability commitments – achieving a minimum ISC Excellent Design Rating and Leading As-Built Rating.

The commitment to a sustainable project started at the very beginning – with the decision to move the 8km rail line underground, reducing impacts to the environment above ground.

Importantly, this commitment was reiterated from the start of design with workshops to establish a sustainability plan, including goals and objectives of how we would:
• integrate environmental, social and governance elements into decision-making to reduce whole-of-life costs
• contribute to safe and healthy employees, communities and ecosystems
• drive economic, social and environmental innovation during the design and construction phases (and encourage the same from supply chains and service providers).

The strategy was followed over the life of the project and various social, environmental, governance and economic initiatives were implemented successfully.

Aboriginal engagement
Early in the planning phase of the project, PTA ensured that the right Aboriginal stakeholders would be engaged throughout the life of the project across the areas of cultural heritage, design recognition, employment and business.
The Whadjuk Nation, represented by the Whadjuk Working Party, was identified as having the primary and principle demonstrable ancestral links to the Wadjuk country and Native Title Claim area.
Engagement through all stages was important as several culturally sensitive areas and heritage registered sites were within or close to the project alignment, including the Swan River, Munday Swamp, Poison Gully Creek, as well as other fauna and flora.

Public art
Various forms of public art were created for the project – some with input from the local community, some tying the stations in with their local environment, others telling stories of cultural heritage. All have contributed to the long-lasting legacy of this unique piece of transport infrastructure.

Diverse and expert workforce
Webuild’s Corporate Principle on ethical and social responsibility aims at ensuring the safeguard of valuing both people and the environment, and the social and economic development of the places of work. In line with this, over the life of the project Webuild-NRW had more than 1500 employees representing 25 nationalities. We looked at opportunities to upskill employees wherever possible, with more than 6000 training occurrences.
Given the size and complexity of the project, tunnelling experts were part of the planning and construction teams. International experts also played a role in the project, including in the selection of the purpose-built tunnel boring machines, as well as ground monitoring and stabilisation.

Community consultation
Specific plans were developed for major activities and construction milestones. The information was tailored to individual community zones to ensure a ‘no surprises’ approach, providing advanced notifications of any impacts, for example vibration, noise and traffic impacts.

A key step in the action plans for each community zone was to meet initially with directly impacted residents and businesses. Community Reference Groups were established in each community zone, meeting regularly with the project team to discuss the project and determine issues of importance specific to each community area.

Aboriginal engagement

Consultation with the Whadjuk Noongar working groups faced some challenges, with the 12 representative Aboriginal families having some differing views. With PTA’s facilitation, smaller meetings were organised to ensure a comfortable environment for all families to feel heard and have their say on the project.

Over the life of the project, there was a strong focus on interpreting and enhancing the cultural heritage of the Whadjuk people in the final design, including the Aboriginal artworks at Airport Central Station.

The Aboriginal Stakeholder Group collaborated with Indigenous artist Maitland Hill to design the Noongar artworks for the High Wycombe Station. The artwork recognises three important local stories and themes.

Located in the station’s plaza, the laser-etched steel shapes and storyboards tell the stories of the nearby boodjari yorga boodjar (woman’s place of birth), the waadiny maam (watchman) and the moorditj yorga (strong woman). The artworks are tribute to the important roles these Noongar people have held and continue to hold in the area.

Public art

The Bayswater Urban Art Mural was the project’s first completed piece of public art. The 500m-long urban art mural, located on the rail reserve’s retaining wall, was developed as a collaboration between Perth artist Drew Straker and the PTA’s Right Track program. Taking its inspiration from the six Noongar seasons, the mural is designed to be seen by vehicles driving past, coming to life as it is viewed in full. As part of Right Track, a number of schools and youth organisations were involved in the mural’s development, with young people working alongside Straker to paint the mural, learning urban art skills in the process

For Redcliffe Station, local residents were invited to share a short story/memory stories and memories of living in the area. Twelve stories were engraved on to steel leaves erected on the station’s walls. Leaf Stories is a two-part installation comprising of a suspended frame over the eastern void between the platform and concourse levels, and the wall-mounted story leaves.

At Airport Central Station, a two-part public art piece along the station’s atrium walls welcomes visitors to WA. Passengers travelling down from the elevated entry are greeted by 139 multicoloured sculptural elements along the station’s northern wall depicting birds and flight. Grounding this arrangement is a largescale glass panel installation on the southern wall, which describes the Noongar connection to the river and estuary waters, and the journeys traditionally taken by Aboriginal people as part of their spiritual obligations. Local artist and designer Anne Neil collaborated with Noongar artist John Walley to create these two pieces.

There are several artworks at High Wycombe Station:
• The station’s location in the foothills area serves as inspiration for the building’s façade, which features iron oxide-based colours representing the landscape and aluminium panels mimicking the rocky outcrops. At platform level, a 100m-long, 5.5m-high section of the retaining wall features a tessellated pattern of earthy red colours, reflecting the tones of the Darling Scarp.
• Along Maida Vale Road, the journey of travelling from the city to the hills is portrayed in the form of a 40m-long mural adorned with native flora and fauna, creating a striking entry statement to the station. Titled Homecoming, the mural is a collaboration between local artist Fieldey, PTA’s Right Track program and the City of Kalamunda. A number of local young people worked alongside Fieldey to brainstorm, design and install the art.
• As the epicentre of the project’s tunnelling operations, High Wycombe was a fitting location to honour the tunnel boring machines (TBM). Standing tall next to the multi-deck car park is one of the 70-tonne TBM cutterheads, recognising the monumental feat of building WA’s longest tunnels. Stories of tunnelling accompany this heritage installation.

Diverse Workforce
Webuild-NRW employed more than 100 employees with an indigenous background; equating to 2.57% of total man hours (the project target was 2%). We are particularly proud to have supported 25 people through Ngalla Maya’s Prison to Community Program – a Perth-based organisation which helps Indigenous people find employment and training after being released from prison. One of the employees was upskilled to a role assisting with TBM operations; following the end of tunnelling on our project, he moved to another tunnelling project in Melbourne.

The social and economic benefits of the Airport Line cannot be understated, particularly in boosting employment, residential and economic growth, especially around the stations.

For the Forrestfield-Airport Link project, the supply chain included more than 1200 businesses – 89 percent were Australian. With $1.1B in contract value, $980m was spent with Australian businesses.

Targets set for Aboriginal businesses include $25m minimum spend opportunity via invitation to tender, and a minimum procurement spend of $15m.

Further, the Airport Line has provided new, safe and sustainable public transport options for the 60,000-strong and notoriously underserviced catchment area of the eastern suburbs and foothills, significantly reduced travel times from the eastern suburbs to Perth’s CBD by public transport, reduced car dependency for both nearby residents and those travelling to the airport, including FIFO works and visitors to WA.

More than 90% of WA’s visitors arrive by air and now have an affordable option to reach the Perth CBD. The holistic approach to treat the Airport Line as an extension to the existing commuter network and not applying an airport surcharge puts Perth ahead of many other Australian capital cities.

It has also created additional capacity on Transperth’s existing Midland and Fremantle lines to meet growing passenger needs, relieved pressure on Perth roads, supported domestic and international tourism with improved access between the city and Perth Airport.

Our Public Art program has involved community members and Aboriginal stakeholders, and importantly created a legacy for generations to come. In addition to the community ownership this creates, it captures the stories of local residents and local history.

Through procurement, we supported the local economy and provided many firsts for WA businesses to enhance their skills and knowledge in large transport infrastructure projects, specifically tunnelling.

Throughout the planning, design and construction stages of the Forrestfield-Airport Link project, our sustainability vision was for an innovative and sustainable project, providing a solution for enhancing the connectivity, liveability and prosperity of Perth and its eastern suburbs including the airport.
Now in operations, this vision was successfully achieved.

A lasting legacy has been achieved through the infrastructure’s a 120-year design life, as well as the upskilling of employees and businesses, economic support to WA and Australian businesses and local stories and history captures in the Public Art.

UN SDG contributions include:
Goal 8 – Decent work and economic growth
During design and construction, the project supported economic growth in delivering large-scale public transport infrastructure and the longest tunnel in WA. We supported a diverse workforce and implemented opportunities to up-skill people of all ages within the tunnelling and construction industry.

Goal 9 – Industry, Innovation, and Infrastructure
As well as providing new public transport opportunities to the eastern suburbs and Perth Airport, the project built resilient infrastructure (120-year design life), delivered innovative initiatives, and continued to support the local economy and workforces during the COVID pandemic.
The project received an excellence in design and architecture award from the Australian Institute of Architects (AIA) in 2023 for the Airport Central Station, where we have achieved a lasting legacy which reflects the welcoming Australian cultural identity to foreign visitors.

Goal 11 – Sustainable cities and communities
The social and economic benefits of the Airport Line cannot be understated, particularly in boosting employment, residential and economic growth, especially around the stations. The public transport link has opened up new opportunities for development in the area, with support of the local government. Opportunities for development near the station includes an aquatic centre and civic place for local residents.

Through collaboration with external stakeholders representing people with disabilities, Main Roads Western Australia (Main Roads) and AECOM have designed a universally accessible fishing platform, ACROD carpark and wide, level footpaths tailored to address community needs, heighten user experience and enhance recreational use of the Mandurah Estuary foreshore for a minority group who is often overlooked.
Main Roads is constructing the Mandurah Estuary Bridge Duplication project in the City of Mandurah, Western Australia. The scope of the project was to:
• Build a second bridge over the Mandurah Estuary, adjacent to an existing bridge, that delivers additional traffic capacity, and reduces congestion and crashes on the existing bridge;
• Improve access for walkers and cyclists, via a new shared path on the underside of the new bridge deck; and
• Provide a universally accessible recreational fishing platform.

As the concept design evolved during the Planning phase, it became clear that the provision of ACROD parking bays and path access to the foreshore were as important as the fishing platform. A shortage of fishing areas for people with disability or mobility impairments within the Mandurah region was identified, with fishing facilities increasingly overcrowded and limited in space. A key issue with some existing fishing areas was access to the site. Without carefully planned and appropriate parking and pathways, use of the new fishing platform would be restricted.
The fishing platform, carpark and footpath initiative were achieved through a cooperative approach to stakeholder engagement, led by the Main Roads Project Manager and Stakeholder Engagement Lead. As well as the usual communication channels of workshops, meetings and emails, the City of Mandurah Access and Inclusion Advisory Group (AIAG) and Fishability Mandurah had direct input into the location and design of facilities through site visits, open communication with the Project Manager and review of key design documents.
Four locations were initially investigated for the fishing platform. Following discussions with AIAG and Fishability Mandurah, three options were discarded:
• The option on the western foreshore was not considered viable due to limited parking and insufficient water depth for fishing.
• The option north of the bridge was unfavourable due to lack of shade, vegetation clearing requirements and insufficient carpark space.
• A circular platform under the bridge was not suitable because the shape would limit fishing space and cause fishing line entanglements.

The stakeholders’ preferred option was a platform under the bridges, as this would provide shelter and access to deep water.
The preferred location posed several accessibility obstacles. Vehicle access is currently limited to City of Mandurah maintenance vehicles, via a locked gate. The closest public parking is a small number of parallel bays on Waterside Drive, 100m from the foreshore. The foreshore is only accessible via a minor gravel footpath from Waterside Drive to a small ablutions block, with access to the beach via a grassy area. In its current layout, accessibility to the eastern foreshore is highly constrained for people with mobility difficulties, given the absence of suitable carparking facilities and footpaths.

The outcomes of the collaborative design approach with key user groups and accessibility advocates (including meetings, two workshops and two site visits) is a concept design that went beyond delivering a fishing platform by:
• including a new carpark with several dedicated ACROD parking bays, and
• providing improved pathways which not only provide access to the universally accessible fishing platform but also facilitate access to the existing ablutions block and pathways along the broader foreshore area.
The concept of installing ACROD parking bays was first raised with Main Roads by the City of Mandurah AIAG in May 2022. The AIAG noted that parking, possibly comprising a combination of street parking and parking close to the fishing platform, was crucial to facilitate access to the fishing platform. Any street parking would need additional space for people to safely exit their vehicles, as well as sufficient space for wheelchairs. Main Roads then liaised with Fishability Mandurah to understand the group’s needs with regards to estuary accessibility. Learnings from this event were applied to the proposed design of the new carpark; principally making carparking closer to the future fishing platform and providing an increased number of ACROD bays. Main Roads later met onsite with Fishability Mandurah to ensure the proposed fishing platform design would meet the needs and be fit for purpose for this key user group. Carparking was further discussed at this meeting, where it was noted that by Fishability Mandurah that 2-3 ACROD bays would be sufficient. Path connections were also discussed.
Due to the importance of sufficient and accessible carparking to enable larger events such as those hosted by Fishability Mandurah, Main Roads and AECOM included eight ACROD bays in the concept design. Further stakeholder feedback on the concept design was sought in August and September 2022. Feedback again highlighted the importance of the ACROD parking and provided feedback on the carpark design, specific configuration of the eight ACROD bays and drop off / pickup area. The path connectivity to the platform, carpark, ablutions block and foreshore were also discussed.
The outcomes achieved through the collaborative approach to stakeholder engagement include:
• A fishing platform location that was agreeable to key stakeholders and likely to increase use of the platform.
• Optimised fishing platform design, that incorporates platform sizing and shape, handrails and kerbing, decking material and seating that are tailored for people with mobility impairments.
• A carpark location that enhances ease of access to the fishing platform, foreshore and existing ablutions facilities.
• Carpark design comprising a combination of ACROD and normal bays, enhancing accessibility for both drivers and passengers with disability to get in and out of cars. A new six-bay informal grass car parking parallel to the new foreshore access road, and a formal carpark with eight ACROD bays beneath the new and existing bridges have been designed.
• New footpath connection from the new street accessway through to the foreshore and onto the fishing platform, with connectivity to the existing ablutions block. The path will facilitate access and increase user experience through new connections to the foreshore and wider path networks.
The Planning phase outcomes were shared as follows:
• Annual Public Sustainability Report. The first annual Public Sustainability Report reported on the initial stakeholder engagement process, including its influence on the location and design of the new universal access fishing platform, accessibility considerations and path connections.
• The Fishing Platform Basis of Design (MP Rogers 2022) details the story of the development of the concept design in collaboration with external stakeholders. This document was shared with the project team.
• The Urban and Landscape Design Framework (AECOM 2022): This was shared with the City of Mandurah AIAG and Fishability Mandurah, both of whom had multiple opportunities to review and have input into the document.
• Legacy Memo (Jacobs 2022): This is a Planning phase document outlining the background of the accessibility issues, the legacy initiative of providing a new carpark with ACROD bays and new pathway to the ablutions block, and a monitoring program to measure success. This document will be shared with the Design and Construction team for implementation.
• Stakeholder engagement: Various stakeholder engagement forums (meetings, emails, workshops) shared the progress of the design and the final concept design with external parties.

The design of the facilities has benefited key stakeholders (Fishability Mandurah), the Main Roads project team, and the wider community.
In a submission to Main Roads in June 2022, Fishability Mandurah outlined overcrowding issues at existing fishing facilities in the region. Fishability Mandurah holds events every Thursday at venues around Mandurah, with an average of 90 participants per event as well as an additional 20-30 children with special needs from five schools sometimes attending. Issues identified by Fishability Mandurah include crowding and related safety issues (such as accidents with hooks due to limited casting space), access difficulties, narrow footpaths and poor fishing (e.g. due to insufficient water depth). Fishability Mandurah outlined several benefits that their program provides, including breaking down barriers and isolation, creating valuable social environments, physical and mental advantages, stimulus for people’s self-esteem and confidence, and additional purpose in life for volunteers. Fishability Mandurah also stated that “It should not be forgotten that apart from servicing the needs of our clients, ….this facility would also be of very considerable benefit to our wider community”.
The June 2022 Fishability Mandurah submission highlighted to Main Roads the importance of conscientious stakeholder engagement to maximise realisation of community benefits. The inclusive approach to engagement in design of the fishing platform, carpark and adjoining footpaths has greatly benefitted the relationship between Main Roads, the City of Mandurah AIAG and Fishability Mandurah. These three parties formed an excellent working relationship through which the project team gleaned many insights into the different requirements for people with impairments and disabilities. The Main Roads project team learned subtleties in design beyond business as usual such as directional tactile ground surface indicators to assist with wayfinding; contrasting colours on kerbs/kickbacks to support people with vision impairment; and providing adequate space on the fishing platform and in the carpark not just for wheelchair bound fishers, but also for their support workers/family members to assist with moving around the platform and accessing vehicles.
By incorporating much of the City of Mandurah AIAG and Fishability Mandurah feedback into the concept design, members of the public (including people in wheelchairs, people with mobility impairments and people with intellectual disabilities), fishing groups and advocates (including Fishability Mandurah, Fishers with Disabilities Association and RecfishWest), the Mandurah and Peel Tourism Organisation, community groups and schools, all stand to benefit from the carefully designed facilities.

The design of the fishing platform, carpark and footpaths directly contributes to:
• achievement of the Mandurah Estuary Bridge Duplication project’s vision of “Connected, accessible and quality bridge and fishing platform that delivers a positive legacy by embracing local culture, improving habitat and amenity, and enhancing sense of place”.
• achieving the project objectives of enhancing and integrating the existing use of the Estuary ‘place’, and improving accessibility, capacity, connectivity and safety for all users.
• supporting the key identified material sustainability topics of accessibility and connectivity, recreational use, and urban and landscape design. These topics were identified during wider stakeholder workshops as being material due to the significance of impact and their importance to stakeholders.
• Building good stakeholder relationships. The work undertaken on the fishing platform, carpark and footpaths during Planning phase is based directly on the feedback from City of Mandurah AIAG and Fishability Mandurah, both of whom were involved in the location selection process and multiple reviews of the concept design and Urban and Landscape Design Framework.
By contributing to the achievement of the overall project vision and objectives, addressing material sustainability topics, and incorporating stakeholder feedback in a responsive and inclusive manner, the universally fishing platform, carpark and footpaths achieve a legacy of positive social value by providing a quality venue that:
• Enables social interaction opportunities for minority groups, including the opportunities for large fishing events hosted by groups such as Fishability Mandurah
• Provides physical and mental benefits to its users through outdoor activity in a natural setting
• Assimilates with the recreational use of the surrounding foreshore environment
• Enhances the lives of people with mobility impairment and disabilities.
Fishability Mandurah indicated that many existing fishing venues are difficult to access due to carparks being too far away, insufficient ACROD parking bays and narrow footpaths. Through inclusion of an additional carpark (including ACROD parking bays) and new footpaths to the existing ablution block and broader path network, the project delivers additional social legacy by removing potential barriers and improving ease of access.
Contribution to three UN SDGs is being achieved through this initiative:
• UN SDG 3 Good Health and Well Being: The facilities promote well-being at all ages by enabling connection with nature and outdoor activity
• UN SDG 10 Reduced inequalities: The facilities are designed to be universally accessible, meaning the requirements of people with disability, mobility impairments and vision impairments have been incorporated into the design. The design is also amenable for elderly people and is all inclusive.
• UN SDG 11 Sustainable cities and communities: The fishing platform, carpark and footpaths are designed to provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities.

The East Hills and Yagoona Station Upgrades are part of the third tranche of Transport for NSW’s Transport Access Program, known as TAP 3, which seeks provide accessible, modern, secure and integrated transport infrastructure to the community, ensuring equitable transport for a growing population. Providing accessible transport services for everyone in the community is one of the six priorities for Transport for NSW’s Future Transport Strategy.

The East Hills and Yagoona Station Upgrades have been delivered by Arenco. Arenco in conjunction with the project design partners, GHD and Design Inc, took a holistic approach to achieving sustainability goals by achieving a meaningful reduction in embodied emissions along with ensuring positive community and social outcomes.

“Arenco has been proud to partner with Transport for NSW to deliver two Transport Access Program station upgrades at East Hills and Yagoona under the Infrastructure Sustainability Council (ISC) framework. We have found the key to building a smarter, more efficient and sensitive asset is by prioritising early engagement with our designers, supply chain, key stakeholders and the local community. Delivery under the ISC framework encourages the project, at all levels, to take a holistic approach to sustainability in construction and ensure that it is forms a key part of the decision-making process from design concept through to commissioning. We have indeed arrived at a time where sustainable thinking is no longer an abstract concept but an ineradicable part of the design and construction process, and encouragingly, of the general activities of life.” – Steven Williams, Arenco Construction Manager.

“Transport for NSW has a strong commitment to working with our industry partners and NSW communities to deliver sustainable infrastructure, enhance our environment, improve outcomes for transport users and connect to the needs and experience of our local communities. We aim to achieve this through active involvement of the community in initiatives that explore and develop the links between residents and their public places and to deliver a richer, more relevant urban environment.” Radivoie Miletich, Senior Project Manager, Transport for NSW

The project team recognised the opportunity for the stories of the local community to form part of the ongoing legacy of East Hills Station. A lift shaft wall was utilised as a canvas for a mosaic artwork which sought to tie in the station’s proximity to the Georges River and the community’s connection with this river. Those memories, provided by the local community, were then engraved onto the tiles of the mosaic, forming a lasting legacy and cementing the ownership of the asset with the local community. The dedicated community engagement teams at TfNSW and Arenco were able to ensure that the memories came from a wide variety of community members and received an overwhelming number of responses which made the impact of the artwork that much more meaningful.

The art installation celebrates the history of the Georges River. It was made possible through engagement with the community to encourage them to share stories, history and memories of the place, to build a connection between the East Hills community and the station as a place.

The community was invited to participate via a media release which gained traction with local news outlets, social media, and community notifications. Local community groups were contacted, and relationships were established with key community members and their existing networks were leveraged off to promote further engagement. Stakeholders the project engaged with included local councils, local Members of Parliament, the senior citizens centres, local bloggers and a local historian who provided further connections.

The community was asked to share their memories – “We’re calling on the community to share their fondest stories about life on the river in East Hills…” A large number of responses were received from people from 5 to 93 years of age discussing their stories about the river, examples include:
• “Boating up and down the Georges River all the way to Botany Bay, fishing and picnicking all along the river.”
• “Getting engaged on the banks of the Georges River.”
• “The old showboat named Mirabel which used to go down to the wharf at Sylvania with lunch and a piano player, and dancing to Jazz on the way back to the wharf.”

These memories were engraved onto tiles and integrated into the mosaic artwork creating a last legacy for the community.

On the 28th of April 2022, the East Hills Station opening was recognised with a Welcome to Country by Aunty Deanna Schreiber and a moving smoking ceremony by Uncle Dean Kelly. The station was officially opened by the Member for East Hills, Wendy Lindsay MP and included the unveiling of the art installation ‘memory plaques’ located at the station lift shafts, with members of the community invited who had contributed a tile quote.

In addition to the social outcomes, the project team recognised that great opportunities for positive impact often come at the earliest phase of the project lifecycle. During the value engineering process, it was found that by changing methodology from piles to rock anchors would result in a reduction of 8.5tCO2e as well as improvements in constructability.

The project team identified early on that there was a significant opportunity to reduce embodied emissions through material selection, with concrete being a significant contributor to the overall footprint. The project has achieved a 11% reduction in embodied emissions which was the result of material selection and value engineering initiatives. Boral was selected as the concrete supplier for the project and was able to deliver a range of structural and non-structural products with a high level of supplementary cementitious material (SCM) resulting in an average SCM content of 53% across the project, translating to a reduction in emissions of 82tCO2e.

The project has achieved a 29% reduction (40.85% inclusive of operational greenpower) in emissions associated with energy consumption and a 20% reduction in water consumption over the lifecycle of the asset. The key impacts in these areas were achieved by specifying efficient appliances to be installed such as LED lights, timers for electricity consuming equipment and using above average fixtures and fittings.

Transport for NSW sought to engage with local residents, historic societies and bloggers and senior citizens groups so that the widest possible range of stories and perspectives was gathered. This connection will be shared with the current and future community and visitors to East Hills, as the station preserves each memory for many generations to come.

The artwork, titled ‘Reflections on a River’, has two layers of meaning: the interpretation of the play of light and colour on the surface of the river water, and the memories of recreational activities that occurred on and alongside the Georges River that are embedded in the collective community memory, of both young and old, such as swimming, fishing, picnics, boating, family events and romantic experiences.

There are 57 plaques in total, with 25 plaques at Lift 1 and 32 at Lift 2. The memory plaques are strategically placed at eye level so visitors to the station can see each plaque and take time to read the memories from the banks of the Georges River as they pass through the station.

Examples include:
• ‘Celebrating my 21st on the river in 1980 aboard the ferry Mirabel’
• ‘We spent many years swimming in the George’s River at East Hills, Fitzpatrick Park, George’s Hall when there were shark nets there back in the 1940/50s’
• ‘Getting engaged on the banks of the George’s River’
• ‘I remember the day I raced to the milk bar, opposite the railway station, to get new decimal currency coins on the way to East Hills High!’
• ‘Dad waking me at 3am. Off we would drive in his old truck from Revesby to the Georges River to go black fishing. Very serious business.’

The East Hills and Yagoona station upgrades contributes to UN SDG 11 Sustainable cities and communities. TAP 3 aligns with Target 11.2 ‘By 2030, provide access to safe, affordable, accessible and sustainable transport systems for all, improving road safety, notably by expanding public transport, with special attention to the needs of those in vulnerable situations, women, children, persons with disabilities and older persons’.

The key benefits of the East Hills station upgrade include:
• 2 new lifts connecting from the underpass to the station platforms
• upgrade of the station entrance on Park Road to provide improved pathways for customers
• upgrade of the two existing accessible parking spaces in the commuter car park
• a new kiss and ride area on Park Road
• upgrade of the pathway connecting Maclaurin Avenue to the station entrance
• reconfiguration of the existing bathroom facilities to provide a new family accessible toilet, and a new female and male ambulant toilet
• installation of hearing hoops and new boarding assistance zones on all platforms
• improvements to lighting, CCTV and wayfinding signage.

The key benefits of the Yagoona station upgrade include:
• new lift and stairs connecting the concourse to the station platform
• new concourse at the station entry
• new station building and facilities
• additional platform canopies to provide continuous cover from the new lift and stairs to Platform 1
• new accessible parking spaces
• new kiss and ride area on Hume Highway
• new accessible pathways
• family accessible toilet and male and female ambulant toilets
• upgrades to CCTV and lighting.

The East Hills and Yagoona station upgrades aligned to Target 11.7 ‘By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces, in particular for women and children, older persons and persons with disabilities.’ The project improved station accessibility and enhanced the public space through installation of the mosaic artwork which sought to tie in the station’s proximity to the Georges River and the community’s connection with this river.

Winslow Infrastructure is committed to supporting the local community in an ethical, responsible, and sustainable manner, and aims to be recognised as an organisation that makes a positive contribution to the community in which it operates. Winslow Infrastructure recognises our social responsibilities as being fundamental to our long-term sustainability and growth. We are recognised leaders in social procurement in the civil construction industry.
The social procurement strategy for the Lathams Road Upgrade (Project) sought to actively engage Indigenous businesses and achieve strong sustainable social value outcomes in partnership with the community, our clients, and stakeholders in an ethical and responsible manner. Winslow Infrastructure recognises that in order to grow sustainably as an organisation, building relationships with the community including social enterprises, disability enterprises and Indigenous businesses is essential.
During the construction of the $146m Project, Winslow Infrastructure adopted strong non-price criteria during the RFQ process that placed a greater emphasis on social outcomes, increasing the weighting of community benefits during the tender process. This procurement approach considered the broader social benefits beyond the scope of the Project and was enacted through the Project’s Social Procurement Plan, as well as Winslow Infrastructure’s Social Procurement Policy.
This social procurement process resulted in strong partnerships being formed between Winslow and various Indigenous Labour Hire and workforce companies, including Marda Dandhi, Indigenous Civil Services, and Alpha Facilities Group. As a result, the Project significantly exceeded Indigenous Employment targets and led to the increased development and upskilling of local Indigenous peoples. This improved their livelihoods through personal development, training and the provision of long-term, sustainable employment.

Original targets for Indigenous employment were set, and these were significantly exceeded. The Project’s total spend on Indigenous businesses exceeded 3.9% of the total project value as of June 2023, representing a significant proportion of the total contract sum. More than 25,000 hours were worked by Indigenous personnel.
Managing Director of Marda Dandhi, Danny Miller stated, “This partnership has consistently provided sustainable employment, and led to significant personal growth, along with collective growth, especially nearing the end of project delivery at Lathams Road.”

Winslow Infrastructure recognises that Indigenous Australians are under-represented in the construction industry, and through strong social procurement governance and objectives achieved excellent indigenous employment outcomes on the Project including:
• Generating significant Aboriginal employment outcomes and exceeded the Indigenous employment target. In excess of 25,000 project hours worked by Indigenous employees and contractors on the Lathams Road Upgrade Project.
• Supporting Aboriginal-owned businesses by spending a significant percentage of the total contract value with those businesses.
• Providing young local people with paid and meaningful employment in a supported environment.
• Contributing to the development and upskilling of Indigenous people – improving outcomes through traineeships and the provision of long-term, sustainable employment, assisting Indigenous youth to stay engaged in training and employment.
• The project employed a holistic approach to Indigenous employment, appointing three Indigenous supervisors and foremen. This established real and meaningful employment outcomes for those individuals on-site, allowing them to impart their knowledge to other indigenous members of the workforce and allow them to gain confidence in a supportive and inclusive environment.
• Through the enhanced presence of Indigenous personnel on the Project, cultural learning sessions with the wider project team were a regular occurrence. This has led to a greater cultural awareness in the workforce who were fortunate enough to participate in cultural celebrations and ceremonies.

The 21 individuals employed in various roles on the Project and their families are obviously the biggest beneficiaries from the Project’s partnerships with Indigenous labour hire companies, experiencing sustained employment in a supportive environment which has led to significant personal growth for all involved. This has given those personnel financial security, increased social mobility, and access to a higher standard of living.
The Indigenous labour hire companies Winslow Infrastructure partnered with have also benefited, enabling them to expand their operations and offer employment to a greater number of Indigenous individuals, improving the job prospects and opportunities for them in the future.
The Winslow Infrastructure workforce as a whole is also a beneficiary, increasing cultural awareness through a more diverse workplace. Workplace diversity and inclusion ensures a safe and welcoming and safe environment, resulting in businesses experiencing greater staff retention, increased innovation, and more positive co-worker relationships.

Sustainable Development Goal 8 – Promote sustained, inclusive and sustainable economic growth, full and productive employment and decent work for all.
In 2019, less than half (49%) of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people aged between 15-64 were employed. This represents a 27-percentage point gap in employment rates between Indigenous Australians and non-Indigenous Australians (76%). Winslow Infrastructure was able to actively contribute to providing full employment to 21 Indigenous Australians on the Project, promoting sustained and productive employment to Indigenous members of the community in an inclusive work environment.
Sustainable Development Goal 10 – Reduce inequality within and among countries.
The inequalities that exist for Indigenous Australians are widely recognised, and they experience socio-economic disadvantage on all major indicators. The National Imprisonment rate for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people is 15 times higher than that of non-Indigenous Australians.
The gap that exists between Indigenous and non-Indigenous Australians also includes poorer health, lower levels of education and employment, and shorter life expectancies. Through Winslow’s Infrastructure’s partnerships formed on the Project, there has been a notable effort to reduce inequality by means of providing employment opportunities to those who otherwise may not have received it.

The Queensland Government is upgrading 11km of the Bruce Highway between Caboolture and Steve Irwin Way, as part of a $662.5m program to reduce congestion and improve flood immunity.

The Bruce Highway Upgrade: Caboolture-Bribie Island Road to Steve Irwin Way (Exit 163) Project (C2SIW) is split into two contracts, with Acciona Construction (ACCIONA) delivering Contract 1 (C2SIW-C1) between Caboolture-Bribie Island Road and Pumicestone Road, on behalf of the Department of Transport and Main Roads.

The C2SIW-C1 Project has adopted a proactive strategy to surpass compliance standards and achieve positive social outcomes for employees, trainees, subcontractors, suppliers, and Indigenous Australians.

As a state government-funded project valued over $100 million, the Project is subject to minimum training compliance requirements pursuant to the Qld Building and Construction Training Policy, which aims to develop the industry’s skills base and future workforce capability. The C2SIW-C1 team must ensure a minimum 15% of the total labour hours are completed by new entrant apprentices and/or trainees.

In addition, the Project is a recipient of federal funding (>$7.5m) and subject to minimum Indigenous employment and business participation requirements, applicable to the National Indigenous Employment and Supplier-use Infrastructure Framework (National Indigenous Framework). Under the framework, C2SIW-C1 must engage supplier businesses that are >50% Indigenous-owned to a minimum of 3% of the total Contract Value.

The C2SIW-C1 Project team embraced these requirements and worked collaboratively to ensure the delivery of social outcomes were not only met, but vastly exceeded in the planning, design and delivery of works. These actions have led to positive social and economic outcomes for employees, trainees, subcontractors, local suppliers and Indigenous Australians.

ACCIONA’s approach to leveraging success from knowledge gained in the delivery of previous infrastructure projects, has resulted in verified measures being implemented early in the set-up and establishment of the C2SIW-C1 team. ACCIONA’s internal sustainability knowledge group, established to facilitate collaboration across States and Territories, shared key findings from ISC rated projects, subject to similar training and/or Indigenous engagement requirements.

C2SIW-C1 assigned a dedicated Training Coordinator to define and implement a Social Legacy Action Plan that would exceed the Project’s social procurement requirements. Elements of the plan include:
• Skills Development Plan defining the training scope, needs and skills for trainees/apprentices and existing workers
• Engaging early and developing partnerships with a Group Training Organisation, Registered Training Organisations, and the Australian Apprenticeship Support Network
• Engaging early with Construction Skills Queensland to secure Industry Skills Coordination Program funding and support for the project’s training needs
• Functional leads assigned accountability to identify workforce training opportunities for staff across accredited and non-accredited training
• Engaging early with subcontractors during tender reviews and work package award to identify opportunities and mandate recording/reporting
• Online Training Hours and Indigenous Participation Tracking Register to provide monthly progress updates.

The result was a doubling of new entrant hours, near doubling of Indigenous business spend, and Indigenous employment hours that exceeded target by more than 750%, all of which led to positive social and economic outcomes for employees, trainees, subcontractors, local suppliers and Indigenous Australians.

Industry Capability and Inclusion:
The Project’s focus on boosting industry capability will assist the Queensland construction industry to address workforce shortages expected in the next five years.

The Project is proud to have achieved:
• 197% new entrant hours (80,291 of a total 40,675 required hours)
• 429% other workforce hours (118,506 of a total 27,116 required hours)
• High trainee retention rates, with:
o 100% retention of ACCIONA trainees
o 100% retention of labour hire trainees
o 57% retention of Indigenous trainees.

Behind the statistics are real-life examples of individuals undertaking career- and life-changing training. Tara Smulders joined C2SIW-C1 as a full-time apprentice, following a 19-year career in hairdressing. Tara’s career objectives shifted in 2021, with an ambition to grow professionally and work outdoors, as she pivoted her career to construction.

Tara was employed by Protech Group and supported to complete a Certificate III in Civil Construction Traineeship which saw her placed full-time on the C2SIW-C1 site. The majority of Tara’s training was completed in the field, with support from ACCIONA’s site crew, whom she says took her under their wing, answering questions and nurturing her through her role. Tara successfully completed her traineeship with Protech in July 2022 and was immediately employed by ACCIONA on a permanent full-time basis. Tara has remained on C2SIW-C1 for the duration of the project. Tara’s persistence, motivation, accountability and dedication is an asset to the industry and a role model for future women in construction.

Indigenous Economic Development & Recognition:
The Project has actively supported the employment, training, skills development and supply chain opportunities directly benefitting Indigenous Australians and businesses.

The Project is proud to have achieved the following:
• 869% Indigenous employment hours (39,309 hours of a total 4,519 required)
• 173% goods/services procured from majority Indigenous-owned businesses ($5,221,743 of a total $3,012,912, which equates to 3.4% of C2SIW-C1’s contract value)
• 21 Indigenous personnel employed in variety of roles including engineers, foremen, labourers, plant operators, traffic controllers, landscapers and site administrators (13% of the total workforce)
• 10 Indigenous trainees employed (4% of total trainees)

More than $5 million of significant work on C2SIW-C1 was completed by businesses with majority Indigenous ownership, including:
• Maunder Civil Contracting Pty Ltd – +$2.5m drainage works + wet plant hire
• Multhana Property Services – +$1.3m landscaping works
• McKay Water Carts and Street Sweepers – +$350k plant hire
• Danda Property – +$650 general form REO pour.
• Dreampath Recruitment – +$200k trainee and labour hire solutions

ACCIONA’s C2SIW-C1 team worked closely with Indigenous-owned Maunder Civil Contracting, during procurement and letting of sub-contracts, with the aim to increase the economic independence of this local small business. Maunder was initially contracted to deliver a <$500k drainage works package, however the team quickly proved themselves through quality, efficiency and reliability, and the scope expanded to include wet plant hire to a value of $2.5 million. This certainty of work allowed Maunder to establish strong industry partnerships and expand its fleet.

ACCIONA C2SIW-C1 also worked closely with Indigenous-owned Multhana Property Services, contracted to deliver a +$1.3 million landscaping package. At the time, it was the company’s largest landscaping contract and their first TMR project. The team focussed on supporting and mentoring Multhana staff to ensure success on-site. The positive outcomes of Multhana’s work created local employment opportunities for 15 Indigenous employees and importantly proved a legacy-building opportunity for the company, having successfully gone on to win new contracts on two other ACCIONA projects.

Respect and connection to Country:
The Project worked to foster an inclusive, respectful and culturally safe workplace culture. An initiative that highlights this commitment was the commissioning of Indigenous artwork to use on high-visibility uniforms worn by the workforce.

The commissioned original artwork titled “Place of the Carpet Snake” was painted by local Kabi Kabi Elder,
Melissa Bond, and tells the story of the carpet snake dreaming that involves the meeting of two carpet snakes that carved their paths across country to meet near the Caboolture River.

The team engaged with the Indigenous supply chain ‘Terri Janke and Company’ and Indigenous workwear supplier ‘Commercial Bunji’ to bring this opportunity to life. The uniforms served as a conversation-starter, raising awareness of and pride in local connection to Country, promoting recognition and unity.

The Project committed to a Social Legacy Action Plan early in project establishment to deliver measured social outcomes in training and Indigenous participation. The team’s approach supported new entrants, identifying meaningful pathways for trainees, and has actively contributed to increasing diversity, capability and depth of skilled resources to improve the resilience of the construction industry.

Staff and Workforce Outcomes:
A total 80,291 hours (97% above target) were contributed by apprentices and trainees, new to the industry. A further 116,506 hours (329% above target) were delivered in broader workforce training. This demonstrates serious commitment from the C2SIW-C1 team to improve training outcomes – establishing a legacy for the Queensland construction industry to address many of the workforce shortages.

Tara Smulders is just one example of a Project employee who has benefited from C2SIW-C1’s commitment to supporting trainees. Tara’s successful pivot from a 19-year career in hairdressing to construction demonstrates the success of new pathways being created through active engagement.

Indigenous workforce and businesses:
Multiple local Indigenous owned businesses, employees, trainees and suppliers benefitted from the structured assistance and planning. A total of $5.2 M (value) of goods and services (including hours) was invested and procured from majority Indigenous-owned businesses. This equates to 3.4% of C2SIW-C1’s contract value and a 173% achievement against the National Indigenous Framework minimum target. 21 Indigenous personnel were employed on the Project in varying roles, ten of whom were trainees.

The opportunities presented to Indigenous Australians have assisted with economic growth locally and regionally. The team has developed meaningful partnerships with Indigenous employees, businesses and suppliers. The training, career and skills development, support, and guidance provided to Indigenous trainees and apprentices has helped nurture the next generation of skilled workers across civil construction.

Traditional Owners:
In its commitment to reconciliation, positive relationships were established with Traditional Owners, the Kabi Kabi First Nation People. The Project engaged 15 Kabi Kabi Cultural Heritage Monitors to deliver targeted Cultural Heritage and Awareness Training to staff, employees and sub-contractors. Commissioning of Indigenous artwork and subsequent use on the Project’s high-visibility uniforms served as a visible, respectful and proud symbol of connection to Country, and a way to bridge the knowledge gap.

The C2SIW-C1 project’s commitment to reconciliation was recognised at a state level in 2022 when the project was selected as one of four finalists in the Premier’s Queensland Reconciliation Awards partnerships category.

Legacy:
The C2SIW-C1 Project’s commitment to training and Indigenous participation has established ongoing legacies for individuals and businesses. Tara Smulders’ success story will no doubt inspire and give others confidence to follow their dreams and push themselves to break down social and cultural barriers.

Successfully engaging with Traditional Owners and Indigenous-owned businesses has led to additional opportunities for Maunder Civil Contracting and Multhana Property Services. ACCIONA has assisted with establishing strong foundations for businesses to expand and continue further opportunities for local Indigenous workers.

ACCIONA’s approach to diversifying its workforce and engaging with Indigenous subcontractors is setting new standards across the Queensland construction industry. Early planning, collaboration, engagement and monitoring were lessons learnt from previous projects. The C2SIW-C1 Project is a leading example of how major projects can create opportunities to train and upskill employees, new entrants and trainees and leave a legacy for all to benefit from a diverse and culturally safe workplace.

In September 2022, ACCIONA was recognised as an ABA100 Winner for Training Excellence in the Australian Business Awards 2022 for C2SIW-C1, having exceeded Training and Indigenous Participation compliance requirements. The project was also a finalist at the Premier’s 2022 Queensland Reconciliation Awards (Partnerships category) and the 2023 QMCA Awards for the category of Sustainability and Community

UN SDG Contribution relating to Social Aspects:
SDG1 – No Poverty:
Queensland is home to the nation’s second-largest Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander population. Underpinned by the Path to Treaty and Local Thriving Communities reforms, the Queensland Government is committed to reframing the relationship with Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander Queenslanders, working to address historical and ongoing economic and social injustices, and recognising First Nations peoples’ sovereignty and right to self-determination.

The C2SIW-C1 Project has successfully connected with the next generation of First Nations business leaders, by working with and supporting investment into the growth of majority Indigenous owned businesses and creating pathways for diversity; to achieve long-term social and economic outcomes for Queensland’s First Nations peoples.

SDG4 – Quality Education:
The project has provided work opportunities for new entrants to the construction industry, and invaluable training opportunities for all. The summary of achievements is as follows:
• 80,291 hours (97% above target) contributed by new entrant apprentices and trainees
• 116,506 hours (329% above target) undertaken in other workforce training.

SDG8 – Decent work and economic growth:
C2SIW-C1 Project team has worked hard to support the growth of First Nations businesses, critical to Closing the Gap. The Project achieved the objectives of the Social Legacy Action Plan, providing employment opportunities for community groups, people and businesses:
• 99% of project spend with local south-east Queensland businesses
• 21% based in the local Moreton Bay Regional Council area.

SDG10 – Reduced Inequalities:
The project nurtured a positive relationship with Traditional Owners, the Kabi Kabi First Nations People, undertaking Cultural Heritage and Awareness Training, engaging 15 Cultural Heritage Monitors and commissioning Indigenous artwork to display on project uniforms. In total, 21 Indigenous personnel were employed on the project, contributing 39,309 hours (769% above target).

All achievements mentioned above have been shared to the Client and wider industry through various channels, including internal and external reporting, internal and external newsletters and newsfeeds, and through award submissions.

South West Gateway Alliance (SWGA), in partnership with Main Roads WA, is delivering the transformational infrastructure project, Bunbury Outer Ring Road (BORR). This $1.25 billion project will provide significant benefits to the region, including road safety, freight efficiency and improved access to the local port and the South West region. The project is also enabling an investment in the ongoing legacy of the local region through the creation of local jobs, business opportunities and support for ongoing local economic growth.

The project’s key initiative is the implementation of an industry sustainability employment program designed to ensure long term employment opportunities for defined demographics, including Aboriginal people, female workers, mature jobseekers (45+), young jobseekers (16-24) and trainees. SWGA has worked closely with key industry partners to identify the needs of and support entry level employment for jobseekers who are new to the industry, as well as meet the key result areas of the project, including Aboriginal participation and employment, including traineeships.

The ‘Ready for Work Program’ was developed to create a pipeline of work-ready jobseekers who remain in the construction industry with sustainable employment pathways. The program was designed specifically for the high volume and imminent requirements for labour by SWGA and complements the broader government-funded Infrastructure Ready Skill Set program.

The program, referred to as the Yaka Dandjoo program (meaning ‘working together in Noongar), has partnered with South Regional TAFE to upskill jobseekers in accredited training, such as the Infrastructure Ready Skill Set (with optional additions like the heavy haulage program). Additional training opportunities are also considered including roller operations and traffic management.

A vital component of the program is to effectively break down barriers for unemployed individuals returning to employment, including a focus on relevant minority demographics. The program includes life skills and job education components, a two-week unpaid work experience to provide exposure to a live construction site and its safety requirements and, through partnership with Group Training Organisations (GTO), participants are empowered to address known challenges and demands a return to work after extended periods of unemployment or lack of employment history.

Upon graduation, participants are supported into employment related to the BORR or other civil employment, with an emphasis on apprenticeships and traineeships. To ensure a positive legacy and long-term socio-economic health for the region, Superintendents and Supervisors are progressed through a comprehensive development program to develop relevant skills and cultural awareness. BORR workers are continuously upskilled, where possible, to promote sustainability, meet project demands and fill in labour shortages.

For many participants, the program has offered them their first lifetime opportunity to seek employment and receive life-changing industry-competitive remuneration.

SWGA’s employment program has achieved numerous local employment outcomes and changed the lives of its participants by “setting them up for life”. Through the building of individual capabilities for industry-specific skillsets, participants gain the necessary skills, experience, knowledge, and confidence to continue their employment journey sustainably beyond the scope of the BORR project.

Measurable outcomes since the program launch in September 2021 include:

• 140 program graduates
• 60% of all graduates being female.
• 60% of all graduates being Aboriginal people.

The program, designed during the high unemployment rates because of the COVD pandemic, meant that participants were largely either long term unemployed or never employed. Since graduation, 75 graduates have engaged in employment connected to the BORR project, with many being employed for 12+ months and 20% engaged in traineeships and apprenticeships.

These outcomes in breaking the cycle of long-term unemployment have significantly benefitted not just the participants of the program but their families, dependents, and wider community network. Benefits include:

• Improved financial security
• Improved independence including reduced dependence on government systems and agencies
• Increased self-esteem and confidence
• Enhanced resilience

The program offers participants psychological and cultural safety, as well as physical protection, by providing a safe environment in which to engage the program. The positive influence on family members after a participant has found employment has meant that the program has even supported entire family units (cross-generationally) in breaking the cycle of long term or never employed individuals.

Testimonials
To illustrate how the Yaka Dandjoo program is transforming lives, the following testimonials have been published with the participants’ permission. Sharing their stories illustrates the worth of this program to internal and external stakeholders and equally provides motivation for new participants.

Tara:
Tara, a 43-year-old mother of five children and local Wadandi/Yamatji Noongar woman, joined the program in November 2021, with no previous work history. Tara was upskilled in both roller and dump truck operations and on graduation was employed to work on the BORR as a roller operator. Her son and husband also completed the Yaka Dandjoo program and were employed in connection with the BORR. Tara has remained in her employment for 18 months and has been upskilled in water cart operations and is now a permanent full-time employee of Maca Civil. One of the highlights for Tara during this time was when she purchased an eight-seater vehicle for her family.

“I learnt to not live in the past, but to live and look forward to our future dreams which can come true. It just takes hard work, dedication, faith, support, and love. No one knows what tomorrow brings, but I just take one day at a time, and I am so thankful to be where I am today.” – Tara

Joanna:
Joanna is a 26-year-old local Wadandi Noongar woman who commenced the program in September 2022. Joanna started the program with no previous employment history or career aspirations. Her mother Carlene agreed to attend the program so that Joanna had the confidence to do so as well. During the program, Carlene realised she also had a real opportunity for employment, and together they supported each other to finish the program. Upon completion, Carlene was offered employment as a roller operator on the BORR project. Joanna commenced an apprenticeship in civil construction and is currently operating a roller on the BORR project. Both of their journeys have inspired other family members to engage in the program including Joanna’s brother, sister, and cousin.

“When I started the Yaka Dandjoo program, I had no idea I would end up where I am today. I have my first job working on the Bunbury Outer Ring Road, and I wouldn’t change it for the world. I am so thankful I got given such a wonderful opportunity.” – Joanna

Outcomes of the program have been shared through:

• Formal graduation ceremonies/events to celebrate participants’ success.
• Project update publications such as the Projects Initiatives News | Main Roads Western Australia
• News coverage in local media e.g., The West
• Social media posts e.g., Facebook

SWGA’s employment program was designed to benefit core demographic and diversity target groups including Aboriginal people, female people, mature jobseekers (45+), younger people (16-24), and trainees. To ensure these target groups benefited, additional modules, (i.e., The Thrive Program) were developed and risks for poor training outcomes were identified and mitigated.

Beneficiaries of the program also include those overcoming barriers to employment participation, such as individuals with:

• No prior work experience in entry level employment positions.
• Poor literacy and numeracy skills.
• Mental health issues, substance use and physical health conditions.
• Past negative experiences (injury, harassment, bullying, discrimination) in the workplace – leading to heightened feelings of being unsafe in the work environment.
• A lack of minimum documentation requirements such as identification, driver’s license, and other licenses such as the Construction Industry Card (White Card).
• Criminal records and/or a history of imprisonment.
• Unstable social circumstances, such as housing insecurity.
• Financial hardships.
• Lengthy periods out of the workforce to raise children or care for other family members
• No access to the internet and outdated job search skills including no current resume or referees.

The inclusive culture created by placing a high value on the outcomes of the program is evidenced in a positive trend in our workforce participation statistics (as of April 2023):

• Gender diversity*: Female: 28%
• Unemployed entry level workers: 9.52%
• Aboriginal Origin: 7%

*By comparison SWGA sourced the proportion of females employed in construction in the Bunbury area, during the first quarter of 2023. Statistics provided by Jobs & Skills WA (Dept of Training and Workforce Development) showed the percentage of females in construction in Bunbury to be 18 %. As a benchmarking measure, the SWGA female participation is significantly higher (10%).

All participants are supported by suitably skilled and empathetic trainers, supervisors, and mentors, who are in turn supported by the organization, to develop the coping strategies and life changing shills required to gain industry knowledge, skills, and competency.

The Thrive Program benefits individuals by setting them up for success in the next chapter of their life. The four-day program includes modules such as:

• Goal setting
• Building confidence
• Resilience
• Unconscious bias and diversity
• Health and mindset
• Self-care and wellbeing
• Communication skills and respectful conversations
• Work life balance and integration
• Values
• Mentoring
• Workplace safety
• Thriving in the future

The development of a safe, trusting supportive environment for trainees has ensured a high retention rate for the program.

This legacy program has already provided measurable socio-economic benefits to the local South West community and will continue to do so long after the project is completed. The emphasis placed on the “post placement” component of the program will ensure participants are supported with long term employment opportunities.

Significant resources have been directed to this objective and the program has been working with local GTOs to explore additional considerations with the participants during their journey, including:

• Further career development opportunities and connections beyond their current work on the BORR project.
• Relocation capacities and the level of desire to mobilise to meet known and future labour market opportunities.
• Identified transferrable skills which would enable the participant to enter into similar and related industry roles.

The Yaka Dandjoo program and its initiatives have provided several significant socio-economic benefits, that are over and above the initial key targets and measures. For many of the participants there has been a measure of “substantial gain” that is not captured in raw program statistics alone. For many participants this has included:

• Improved mental health and fitness.
• A greater connection to their community and greater capacity to participate in a wider range of activities and groups.
• Financial independence, including the ability to provide for oneself and others.
• Improved living circumstances, housing reliability and security.
• Improved confidence and social relationships.
• Enhanced wellbeing and self-actualisation.
• Participation in further learning/training.

There is an opportunity to capture the socio-economic benefits through longitudinal studies and implementing surveys along the employment journey.

The program has achieved a higher participation in the workforce of diversity groups and set a benchmark for other participating employers regarding how to deliver and support effective training and employee retention programs. In addition, the employment and training sector stakeholders in the region, in Perth and elsewhere have taken a keen interest in the success of the Yaka Dandjoo program and see its outcomes as evidence of a training model other industry partners could adopt and build on.

To better understand the wider societal impact, we referred to the “Australian Priority Investment Approach to Welfare: 30 June 2020 Valuation Report”. According to the report, lifetime costs of income support for those of working age is $268,000 and rent assistance is $134,000. When a program participant is empowered and enabled to divert from a lifetime of income support and towards independence, these numbers indicate substantial saving potential. Moreover, there is a significant flow-on effect for participants’ dependents and other family members who similarly learn to navigate the pathways towards employment based on their exposure to the program.

The John Holland CPB Contractors Joint Venture (JHCPB) has been contracted by Transport for New South Wales (TfNSW) to deliver the $4.6 billion Rozelle Interchange Project and Western Harbour Tunnel Southern Tunnel Works (RI).

For JHCPB and TfNSW, RI represented a unique opportunity to drive social inclusion and Aboriginal engagement, and to support jobs and skills growth across a diverse and inclusive workforce.

Aboriginal engagement was successfully integrated by the Project through an Aboriginal Participation in Construction (APiC) Program:
• Following a series of collaborative client-contractor workshops, JHCPB committed to investing $44.7 million of Project spend on its APiC program, equating to 1.5% of qualifying Project spend. The value of this commitment was unprecedented in the NSW construction industry.
• The Project’s APiC commitment was achieved in 2021, approximately halfway through the Project’s construction program. Since then, the Project almost tripled its APiC target, with total APiC investment currently at $132.3 million (1 July 2023).
• This industry-leading achievement was delivered through a multi-pronged approach:

• Education, Training and Cultural Awareness. Training was delivered to staff and subcontractors to introduce the APiC Program and enhance cultural awareness across the Project. Training has included unconscious bias, cultural awareness, APiC commercial, APiC induction and subcontractor awareness training. In addition, each year, NAIDOC and Reconciliation Week were recognised through cultural activities, such as presentations from Aboriginal elders, issuing Aboriginal hi-vis PPE, and installing Aboriginal art in Project facilities.
• Systems and Governance. JHCPB recognised that many APIC businesses may not have the resourcing or experience to be competitive significant infrastructure tender participants. The Project introduced a novel procurement process whereby the Contracts team was required to include an Aboriginal subcontractor in every commercial tender, to provide equitable opportunities for Aboriginal businesses to participate in the economic stimulus provided by construction activity. This initiative drove accountability for the project teams to engage with Aboriginal businesses. A dedicated Project APiC Advisor was also appointed to track APiC progress and provide guidance and support to internal staff and APiC subcontractors.
• Targeted Employment. By engaging with Aboriginal recruitment and labour hire organisations, the Project has engaged many Aboriginal workers. To date, 4.35% of project personnel, and 5.03% of direct JHCPB employees, identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (compared to 3.4% of NSW’s overall population).
• Heritage. At completion, the Project will deliver a community parkland of up to 10 hectares in size. In recognition of local Aboriginal communities who have inhabited the area for millennia, the Project’s design team has closely incorporated Aboriginal heritage into the parkland through:
  o The integration of Aboriginal public art, such as the Victoria Road Underpass feature wall designed by Aboriginal artist Shane Smithers and inspired by the creation narrative of the Dharug People.
  o Interpretative heritage signage installations, with content collaboratively developed with the Local Aboriginal Land Council.
  o Inclusion of >60 species of native Aboriginal bush food plants.
  o Inclusion of yarning circles (traditional Aboriginal community gathering areas).
  o An Aboriginal place name for the parkland (name to be announced at opening).

Outcomes:

The commitment of over $132.2 million in APiC has contributed to ongoing growth and development of Aboriginal businesses and individuals in NSW, including:

• Job creation. Job opportunities were created for 591 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, including at least 31 who were unemployed for >26 weeks prior to commencing at RI.
• Workforce participation and representation. 4.32% of all project personnel, and 5.03% of direct JHCPB employees, identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (3.8% of Australians currently identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander – ABS 2022).
• Skills development. In partnership with Aboriginal Work Placement Provider, Goanna Services, the RI Work Readiness Program was created to provide Aboriginal participants with training, mentoring and employment support. The program led to participants receiving formal qualifications, including a Certificate II/III in Civil Construction. Following completion of this program, 12 participants were offered full-time job opportunities, creating sustainable employment relationships for these individuals.
• Economic participation. Engagement of 25 APiC businesses to deliver key packages and services including electrical equipment supply, cranage, first aid and AOD testing, PPE supply, printing services, general labour and more. In 2022, an independent Aboriginal auditor said “JHCPB’s robust procurement processes… ensure Aboriginal business have full, fair, and reasonable access to subcontracting opportunities” (Curijo Auditor).
• Cultural representation and recognition. Further interweaving of Aboriginal culture and heritage into the fabric of local community via the new Rozelle parklands, to be recognised and enjoyed by the community for years to come. Aboriginal art installations, heritage signs and an Aboriginal place name will firmly establish an Aboriginal character in the parklands.
• Cultural awareness. An ongoing legacy has been left in Aboriginal cultural awareness training, with several hundred project staff having participated in unconscious bias and/or cultural awareness training. For these employees, this training created an enhanced, lifelong understanding of Australia’s diverse Aboriginal cultures.
• Industry-leading APiC commitment. In exceeding its APiC commitment by >290%, the Project demonstrated what is possible and set a new benchmark for diversity and inclusion targets in construction projects. The Project has participated in numerous knowledge share forums (see below) to spread awareness of the possibilities for social inclusion in construction, and share advice on how other projects can achieve similar (or greater) outcomes.
• Innovation. The Project established new, innovative ways to ensure equitable involvement in construction projects for Aboriginal businesses. This included innovating new procurement processes, developing enhanced reporting systems that capitalised on digital technologies to streamline APiC reporting for subcontractors and JHCPB, and embedding APiC commitments in individual performance measurement tools for project leaders and managers.

Sharing outcomes:

• JHCPB presented its APiC program at the NSW Government Construction Leadership Group Forum in 2021 and TfNSW Sustainability Knowledge Share Forum in July 2022. This involved presenting to a wide cross-section of >200 NSW project-based government staff. Some attendees subsequently sought one-on-one meetings with JHCPB to gain further insights into the Project’s APiC program, most notably, DPE Water.
• JHCPB presented at the John Holland Social Procurement Roadshow in 2021 and April 2023.
• In July 2022, the Project’s Sustainability team presented at the TfNSW Roads Projects Sustainability Knowledge Share. Attendees included Sustainability advisors and consultants from TfNSW, Sydney Gateway, WSP and the M12 Project.
• The Project’s APiC Advisor regularly met with other projects to share knowledge of RI’s APiC program and provide advice on how they could develop their own social inclusion programs.
• JHCPB participated in quarterly knowledge share forums between Transurban, TfNSW, WestConnex M4-M8 Link and RI. The achievement of APiC objectives was regularly discussed in these forums.
• Initiatives were shared internally through the Project’s sustainability portal, newsletters, videos ( https://vimeo.com/771782616/64edae23b2) inductions and special events such as NAIDOC and Reconciliation Weeks.
• The Project developed an ‘Embracing Aboriginal Participation in Construction’ pack that covered how the Project achieved its APiC commitment. This pack was shared project-wide, to TfNSW and the broader John Holland and CPB businesses.
• A series of one-page information documents were produced to give bite-sized summaries of APIC achievements. These documents are hosted on the external RI website, making it accessible to all employees, subcontractors and external entities.

• Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander workers have accessed meaningful employment opportunities and support networks through the Project’s targeted employment and Aboriginal pre-employment program. Job opportunities were created for 591 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, including at least 31 who were unemployed for >26 weeks prior to commencing at RI. The RI Work Readiness Program saw participants receive training, mentoring and employment support, and led to participants receiving formal qualifications, including a Certificate II/III in Civil Construction. 12 participants were offered full-time job opportunities following successful completion of the program.

• 25 Aboriginal businesses have directly benefited from the Project’s APiC strategy and investment, enabling their expansion and capacity building.

Spirit Digital, one of the Project’s APiC businesses, said “Our relationship supplying [the Project] with print & design services over the last few years has allowed our business to not only survive through COVID, but thrive. Enabling us to grow our team, employing a print apprentice and an Aboriginal junior design team member, and expand into a larger premises… The impact has been sensational in terms of the growth of the business”– Glen Ella, General Manager, Spirit Group.

ARA Aboriginal Services said “As an Aboriginal business, we are extremely proud to play a significant part in the Project throughout the project we have been able to create many opportunities for our community to come in and learn with some of the best of the business their craft in the tunnelling and infrastructure industry.” – Rohan Tobler Williams, ARA Aboriginal Services.

• The Project and wider construction industry benefits from a more diverse and inclusive workforce and contributing to addressing the wider infrastructure skills shortage. In a recent internal commercial APiC survey, the Project’s staff were asked to review APiC business performance, and the results were overwhelmingly positive. The survey showed 70% of APiC businesses had exceeded performance expectations, and 30% of businesses had met expectations. In the 2022 staff engagement survey, over 89% of employees either ‘agreed’ or ‘strongly agreed’ that the Project’s social responsibility initiatives were important to them.

• The local community will benefit from a greater connection to country, with the future Rozelle parklands providing an enriching community experience through the sharing of knowledge about Aboriginal culture and pre-European settlement history.

JHCPB is pleased to have delivered beneficial social outcomes and left a positive legacy through its APiC program.

An independent Aboriginal audit project review in 2022 said “The approach implemented by JHCPB to Aboriginal participation with this project is an excellent example that could be applied for similarly large construction projects in the future. This includes a committed and positive approach to employment directly or through subcontractors, training, and upskilling.” – Curijo Auditor, 2022

The Project’s APiC legacy aligns with numerous UN Sustainable Development Goals:

SDG 4 (Quality education)

• Adult education.
o The RI Work Readiness Program saw participants receive training, mentoring and employment support, and led to participants receiving formal qualifications, including a Certificate II/III in Civil Construction. Participant feedback shows a highly positive legacy was created:
“I got my qualifications and it allowed me to progress”
“This was finally a chance to earn a good income”
“I’ve been able to learn different aspects of tunnelling, getting more training and workplace skills”
o Staff training. Several hundred RI personnel received unconscious bias and cultural awareness training, giving them a better understanding of Aboriginal cultures and the importance of social inclusion.
• Youth education.
o In 2019 the Project welcomed 25 students from the Aboriginal Australian Engineering School (IAES) for a site tour. The visit broadened students’ understanding of construction and encouraged them to complete high school, study engineering at university and become professional engineers.
o In 2023, through its nominated project charity HMEF, the Project sponsored Mya; a Year 9 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander high school student. Mya’s scholarship valuing $20,000 provides her study support, access to a laptop to complete schoolwork, mentorship and school supplies.

SDG 8 (Decent work and economic growth)

• Through targeted employment, Aboriginal communities have had equitable opportunities to participate in the work and economic growth opportunities of the construction industry. Job opportunities were created for 591 Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander individuals, including at least 31 who were unemployed for >26 weeks prior to commencing at RI. This is reflected in the Project’s above-average Aboriginal workforce representation: 4.32% of all project personnel, and 5.03% of direct JHCPB employees, identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander (3.4% of NSW’s population currently identify as Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander – ABS 2022).

SDG 9 (Fostering innovation in industry and infrastructure)

• When the Project first established its APiC commitment of $44.7 million, no other NSW-based construction project had ever made such an ambitious commitment to social inclusion. The Project’s success in achieving over 290% of this commitment has prompted discussions amongst government departments on whether APiC targets can now be raised (Construction Leadership Group Forum December 2021).
• The Project’s innovations in systems and governance have included revolutionising its procurement processes to integrate an Aboriginal business in every tender. This process was embedded into Project management systems, processes and forms, and commercial staff were directly answerable to the Project Director to ensure this process was followed. Other innovations include digitising APiC reporting to streamline the process for JHCPB and subcontractors. Such innovations have been shared to the broader industry through knowledge share events, and have since been adopted on other Sydney-based construction projects, showing a true APiC legacy has been created.

SDG 10 (reducing inequalities)

• The effect of the many APiC initiatives noted above is that the RI has reduced inequalities in access to employment, training and economic opportunities for Aboriginal individuals and businesses. Through its APiC Program, the Project has made a small but meaningful impact in overcoming the wider entrenched disadvantage faced by Aboriginal communities.

In an industry which is known for being traditionally male-dominated, young women face significant barriers to entry into the construction industry due to the lack of examples, networks, support, and diversity. The South Eastern Program Alliance (SEPA) recognises this challenge and has set the objective to encourage and support more female talent into the construction industry. SEPA aims to create an equally balanced representation of both men and women within the industry and foster an inclusive environment.

To attract, retain and develop young women in the construction industry, strategic interventions and long-term investments are essential. Without a targeted approach, some areas will continue to have an inadequate representation of women, especially site-based delivery roles.

SEPA has proactively lead change by developing the “Female Apprenticeship Program” and leveraging alliance partner, Laing O’Rourke’s “Inspiring STEM+ Program” which also incorporates a schools engagement program.

In partnership with Australian Industry Group (AIG), SEPA and AIG provide traineeships for females, offering them the opportunity to obtain a Cert III in Civil Construction. By providing upskilling and reskilling opportunities, SEPA enables women to overcome the challenges of entering the construction industry and build meaningful long-term careers with stability and financial independence. This initiative not only addresses the skill gap but also demonstrates SEPA’s commitment to gender equality.

SEPA, in collaboration with education partner, Melbourne Girls’ College, contributed to the Inspiring STEM+ Program. Launched in 2020, this program aims to broaden student perceptions of the construction industry and showcases the diverse roles and opportunities that exist within it. By exposing young girls to the possibilities in construction, SEPA hopes to inspire them to consider careers in this traditionally male-dominated industry. The STEM program also aligns to SEPA’s commitment to the Level Crossing Removal Project, as it contributes to filling 50 per cent of positions within the Graduate Development Program with women, ensuring a strong talent pipeline in Victoria.

Furthermore, SEPA worked with the Yarra Valley Technical School on a school engagement program, given its close proximity to the Mooroolbark and Manchester Road level crossing removal project. As part of the program, the students developed a 3D model of the project, including painting and assembly of this life-like model. Working with several female engineers on the 3D model project gave the girls exposure and insight into the realities, and possibilities, of working in the construction industry.

SEPA’s initiatives form part of a long-term strategy to challenge industry perceptions and empower diversity. By actively recruiting and investing in female workers, SEPA not only taps into a significantly larger talent pool but also addresses the gender imbalance in the construction industry. When more women succeed and excel in the industry, they become role models and sources of inspiration for future generations, breaking down gender barriers and encouraging more young girls to pursue careers in construction.

Through our Female Apprenticeship Program, and leveraging Laing O’Rourke’s Inspiring STEM+ Program and Schools Program, we have successfully transformed the landscape of the industry and opened doors of opportunity for women.

The Female Apprenticeship Program has been a game-changer for women in the construction industry. Over the course of two years, eight talented and determined females enrolled in the program, all of whom successfully completed their Certificate III in Civil Construction. As a result, they interviewed for ongoing work in the industry, with over half of them choosing to remain at SEPA.

These exceptional women brought a fresh perspective to SEPA, positively influencing our culture and work ethic. The skills and knowledge they acquired on-site have significantly increased their employability across various construction projects in Victoria. Moreover, their participation has paved the way for a growing pipeline of women in construction, ensuring long-term development opportunities across iconic infrastructure projects.

The outcomes of our Female Apprenticeship Program were widely shared to create broader awareness and support for the initiative. We celebrated their accomplishments within SEPA on International Women’s Day, showcasing the program’s success and inspiring others. Additionally, we shared the outcomes with one of our alliance parent companies, Laing O’Rourke, to share across their national landscape. We presented to the Industry, Capability, and Inclusion JCC, which led to our program informing a pilot program initiated by the Level Crossing Removal Project. This program was recently launched, further expanding the impact of our Female Apprenticeship Program.

The Inspiring STEM+ Program has proven to be a catalyst for engaging girls in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics (STEM) and opening their eyes to the diverse career options within the construction industry. Through two successfully completed programs, we have witnessed a surge in interest, with more girls expressing a desire to participate in future iterations.

This program has broadened the visibility of STEM and construction careers for the next generation. By providing students with opportunities for work experience, internships, and potential enrolment in the Laing O’Rourke Graduate Development Program, there is now a solidified pathway for their continued growth and development. Notably, four out of seventeen program participants have already undertaken valuable work experience placements.

The outcomes have been extensively shared with key stakeholders to ensure the program’s continued success. We presented the results to the Women in Construction network, which comprises all alliance partners and principal contractors in the industry. Moreover, Laing O’Rourke, has been actively receiving interns and graduates from the program, demonstrating the success of the program across the industry.

The Schools Program, in collaboration with Yarra Valley School provided valuable opportunities for young people to learn about careers in construction. From the partnership, SEPA was given the opportunity to participate in a round table discussion focused on discussing diversity and providing equal opportunities.

The outcomes of the Schools Program have been shared through various channels. We spoke about the program during forums held on International Women’s Day, emphasising the program’s impact on empowering young individuals. Additionally, we continue to share our outcomes through the Industry, Capability, and Inclusion JCC, ensuring broad visibility and engagement with alliance partners. Our documentation, which outlines the program’s best practices, is readily available on TeamBinder for other alliances to adopt.

We have successfully increased the representation and participation of women and gender diverse individuals. By breaking down barriers and providing a supportive environment, we’ve encouraged more women to join the industry with the confidence and skills necessary to thrive in construction, contributing to a more diverse and inclusive workforce.

The Inspiring STEM+ Program has played a crucial role in providing students with a solid foundation in science, technology, engineering, and mathematics, essential for the construction industry. Empowering young women, by instilling in them an understanding of the core concepts and developing technical skills that are directly applicable to construction-related tasks. By nurturing their interest in STEM subjects, we’ve opened doors to exciting career opportunities in the industry.

Our initiatives have effectively challenged traditional stereotypes surrounding gender roles in the industry. By actively promoting the inclusion of women, we’ve overcome biases and prejudices, fostering a more equal and respectful work environment for all workers. Contributing to a more diverse, skilled, and inclusive workforce, leading to greater innovation, improved collaboration, and increased opportunities for women and the industry.

Construction projects require effective teamwork and collaboration. A gender diverse workforce brings together different perspectives and experiences, thereby enhancing teamwork and promoting better communication.

The women who participated have received a broad level of support in developing themselves both in their careers and education. We have encouraged them to explore non-traditional pathways, providing mentorship, training, and networking opportunities. As a result, these women have experienced personal growth, achieved career milestones and become role models for the next tranche of women entering the industry.

The school’s program is mutually beneficial, is provides SEPA volunteers an opportunity to engage with young individuals, listen to their aspirations, and gain valuable insights. They can see the value of the role that they play as role models for the next generation of construction workers, resulting in job satisfaction and a sense of pride in what they’re contributing to. Whilst, providing tangible, real life roles and role models for the students to envisage a career in the industry.

SEPA’s active support and promotion of gender diversity in the industry has had a significant impact on the industry’s reputation. By leading by example, we have inspired other organisations to follow suit and prioritise inclusivity. Our initiatives have set a precedent for positive change, encouraging the industry to embrace diversity, foster equal opportunities, and create a more welcoming and progressive industry.

SEPA’s investment in women in the construction industry directly aligns with UNSDG goal 5, as it aims to achieve gender equality and empower all women and girls. Actively engaging girls in STEM education and apprenticeships programs, encourages their participation in traditionally male-dominated fields, and continues to break down barriers and foster inclusivity. Through our programs at SEPA, we have created pathways for young women to pursue careers in construction and engineering, thereby contributing to gender equality and empowerment.

The Inspiring STEM+ program, designed to engage girls in STEM pathways, has already made a significant impact on the lives of the participants and the industry. Over the course of two cohorts, we have successfully delivered a series of modules, including engineering activities, site visits and talks from industry experts. The first cohort has completed the program, and the second cohort is currently underway, with an average of 20 students in each. These students are actively applying for work experience placements, and we anticipate that many of them will continue to work with Laing O’Rourke as undergraduates in the coming years, ensuring a lasting legacy of female representation in the industry.

Additionally, the program has created a platform for collaboration and opened opportunities for mutual benefit among our team, our culture, and our industry brand. By engaging with industry experts and providing students with firsthand experiences, we have fostered a culture of collaboration and knowledge sharing. This collaboration has not only benefited the students but has also enriched our project teams, leading to innovative solutions and improved project outcomes. Moreover, our commitment to promoting gender diversity has enhanced our industry brand, positioning us as a leader in creating inclusivity and diversity in the industry.

The participation of our next generation of construction workers in the Female Apprenticeship program has not only contributed to the successful completion of projects at SEPA, but has also played a significant role in transforming the mindset of our supervisors. The increased interest and support from supervisors and mentors in actively sponsoring and mentoring program participants demonstrate the program’s success in shifting attitudes towards supporting new entrants into the industry. As a result, we now have multiple mentors and sponsors actively engaged in the program, with ongoing expressions of interest to refer individuals to future rounds.

Through our apprenticeship program, participants have been exposed to various aspects of the construction industry, including sustainability, digital engineering, project delivery, and social procurement. This exposure has provided them with a diverse range of skills and pathways into different areas of construction. Onsite training, engagement sessions, and round table discussions with female leaders and stakeholders have further enhanced their skills and knowledge. As a result, participants have not only completed their training ahead of schedule but have also secured permanent roles within the Alliance or expressed a keen interest in remaining in the industry. Their progression into high-risk and technical roles, as well as their identification for future leadership talent programs, highlights the program’s success in building a skilled and diverse workforce now and into the future.