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AWRA turns 5: Working towards greater workforce diversity

amma8652-awra-logo_rgbAs the Australian Women in Resources Alliance (AWRA) approaches its fifth year anniversary, we take a look at how the initiative has supported resource employers in pursing their workforce diversity goals, and how it is powering ahead in the remainder of 2016 and beyond.

PARTNERING with the Australian Government in late 2011, AREEA was proud to establish AWRA as the first nationally coordinated approach to increasing the attraction and retention of female workers across all roles in the mining, oil and gas, and support sectors.

Since then, AWRA has been a consistent ‘voice’ on behalf of resource employers, contributing to and steering national conversations on the barriers to, and benefits of, increased diversity in the industry.

While the industry’s voracious demand for labour and skills has changed since AWRA’s launch, the commitment of resource employers to support the employment and career progression of women within their ranks has only strengthened, underpinned by the knowledge that greater workforce diversity leads to better business performance and competitiveness.

Over the past five years, AREEA has secured continuous funding from the Australian Government (both the current Coalition government and former ALP government) in a joint industry-government approach to support resource employers through AWRA.

This funding, along with AREEA member support, has been critical to AWRA delivering programs that provide benefits at a workplace and individual level, such as the unique professional development experience gained by more than 400 participants of the AWRA e-Mentoring Program.

Other AWRA initiatives including practical workshops, forums and webinars; organisational assessments; information guides and resources; and bespoke training have directly supported more than 200 AREEA member companies.

These organisations and many more across all sectors and sub sectors of the resource industry have made great strides in introducing and transforming policies and practices to help increase diversity.

Many employers have chosen to pursue targets well above the industry average for women’s participation from the graduate level right through to the senior management and board positions.

The industry also holds some of the most progressive examples of parental leave and flexible work programs in Australia.

Of course, there is more work to be done to ultimately achieve AWRA’s goal of women’s workforce participation reaching 25 per cent by 2020.

In the final months of 2016 and beyond, AWRA is powering ahead with initiatives that directly support resource employers and better position the industry to attract and retain diverse workforces.

Some of these initiatives include:

AWRA e-Mentoring Program

In August 2016 the Australian Government announced an additional $490,000 in funding for the AWRA e-Mentoring Program that would allow it to continue until at least mid-2018.

This funding will see a minimum of 100 more female mentees and 100 male and female mentors benefit from a nine-month mentoring relationship that meets the unique needs and challenges of those in the resource industry.

A particular focus for AWRA going forward is to provide mentoring opportunities to women in technical and trade roles, as well as those from diverse cultural backgrounds.

AWRA is now accepting expressions of interest from both mentees and mentors to participation in upcoming rounds of e-Mentoring. Click here for more information and to apply.

AWRA Workshops

This November, AWRA will host three half-day workshops aimed at assisting resource employers to enhance workforce diversity and address issues such as the pay gap.

Taking place in Perth, Brisbane and Melbourne, the 2016 AWRA Workshops will bring together the leading authorities on workplace diversity in the resource industry, discussing topics such as the Global Diversity and Inclusion Benchmarks and strategies for achieving your diversity and equality goals.

Click here to learn more.

Women’s Leadership and Employment Roundtable

A number of resource industry leaders will join AREEA chief executive Steve Knott at a roundtable discussion with Minister for Employment and Minister for Women, Senator Michaelia Cash this November.

This leadership roundtable will foster collaboration and provide insight to the government on increasing women’s employment and developing female leaders in traditionally male-dominated sectors.

AWRA Industry Webinars

Throughout the remainder of 2016 and in 2017, AWRA will continue to host is popular lunchtime webinars in which resource employers discuss the successes and lessons from their own workforce diversity initiatives.

Covering a broad range of topics from pay equity to parental leave and women’s leadership development, these complimentary webinars are a regular and valuable source of peer-to-peer information and advice for workforce-focused practitioners.

Click here to register for the next webinar featuring Newmont Boddington Gold.

Bespoke organisational assessments and advice

Through AREEA and AWRA consultants, resource employers can have their organisational policies, practices and procedures assessed against best practice approaches and global benchmarks in workforce diversity.

Employers are provided concise feedback on their diversity strategy and advice on how to improve their company’s approach to diversity.

For learn more about AWRA and how to get involved, visit awra.org.au or call 1800 627 771.

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