Waipā works to inspire local female talent into the industry

Waipā Networks’ sponsorship of “Girls in Infrastructure” is an important step towards supporting and encouraging more Kiwi women into engineering and infrastructure roles.

Last month, our team attended the Waikato Girls in Infrastructure event at the Ruakura Innovation Hub to inspire and educate local female high school students about the diverse career opportunities in our industries.

Waipā Networks general manager of customer and community, Anna Greenhill, said, “When we heard the event was coming to Waikato this year, we were keen to jump on board with our gold sponsorship.”

The event brought together female students aged 16 and over from nine Waikato schools, providing them the opportunity to connect with professionals and industry leaders from 11 different infrastructure companies.

Students got a small taste of the industry by stepping onto a live construction site, gaining hands-on experience with heavy machinery, and engaging in meaningful conversations with female infrastructure employees about what they do and potential career options.

Our team spoke with students about the multiple career opportunities available within the electricity network industry, from engineering, network design and project management to fieldwork as a line mechanic or fault person.  They also demonstrated the different equipment used in the field and what the equipment looks like when it faults.

Waipā Networks network engineer Hannah Connolly has been in the shoes of these young women and said, “It was awesome talking to lots of groups about my career pathway and how they can gain experience and pursue their passions in a more hands-on career.”

“Events like this are crucial for encouraging more women to enter and succeed in our industry,” she said.

Women currently represent only 14% of New Zealand’s construction industry, revealing a huge gender gap and highlighting the importance of events like this.

Encouraging more females to pursue careers in infrastructure helps bridge the gap and introduces a new generation of skills and expertise into the industry.