Golden Plains Shire Council welcomes its inclusion in the Victorian Government’s Women Building Surveyors Program.
Announced by Minister for Local Government Shaun Leane last week, Golden Plains Shire Council is one of 40 Victorian councils to be included in the new program. The Women Building Surveyors Program seeks to improve the gender balance in the Victorian construction industry, fill a skills shortage and drive stimulus projects, through supporting 40 women to train as municipal building surveyors.
Council has identified an existing employee, Assistant Building Surveyor Julie Harris, to take part in the program, who will complete a Bachelor of Building Surveying, and gain work experience in the field with Council. Julie will also have access to professional development events and opportunities through LGPro. Thanks to the $150,000 in funding provided for the program, Council will be able to fund Julie’s studies and backfill her role during times of study leave.
Municipal building surveyors play an important role at councils, ensuring buildings and works are compliant with relevant building regulations and codes and safe to use. Currently, Council has a contractor undertaking building surveyor duties one day a week, and a full/part-time Assistant Building Surveyor.
Mayor Cr Helena Kirby welcomed the Victorian Government’s announcement and the benefits it will bring to Golden Plains Shire Council and the community.
“Council is thrilled to be included in the Victorian Government’s new Women Building Surveyors Program, and thanks the Government for the funding support. This program is all about tackling gender inequality in the building sector, and Council is happy to play a role through participating in this program.
“We have identified an existing staff member who will now receive additional training and professional development to progress her career in building surveying. This will not only benefit our employee and Council through allowing us to provide a job opportunity to a new Assistant Building Surveyor, but make a difference to our community through increasing Council’s capacity to deal with and process building investigations and enquiries.”
Assistant Building Survey Julie Harris is excited to participate in the program and see greater female representation in the building surveying industry.
“I am thrilled and grateful to be able to take part in the Women Building Surveyors Program and further build my skills and experience as a municipal building surveyor.
“In my ten years in the industry, I have often found myself as the only woman at gatherings of building surveyors. It’s great to see a program like the Women Building Surveyors Program actively tackling this lack of diversity in our sector through supporting and encouraging more women to pursue a career as a building surveyor.”
Pictured above: Assistant Building Surveyor Julie Harris and Mayor Cr Helena Kirby.