The National Association of Women in Construction continues to champion equity, opportunity and inclusion for women and underrepresented groups, helping to shift the dial across the industry.
By Cathryn Greville, CEO of the National Association of Women in Construction.
I was honoured to be named the Construction Sector Gender Equity Champion of the Year 2025 in APAC Insider’s Australian CEO Excellence Awards in August.
The awards celebrate the leadership and innovation that has positioned Australia as a global powerhouse in a rapidly evolving world. They recognise the contributions of CEOs who are not just steering their companies to success but are also shaping Australia’s economic and societal landscape.
This award is a reflection on the work of the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) team, past and present, including our staff, board members, members and volunteers nationwide.
In our 30th anniversary year, we have been considering what’s been achieved so far and our vision for the future of women in construction. We have big plans for the coming years, and I thank everyone for their ongoing support.
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At the end of the financial year, we had 360 organisational members, more than 16,000 members and about 400 volunteers, with membership renewals now underway and new members welcome.
As the peak membership body for women working in the construction sector, with chapters in every state and territory, we are committed to creating fair, inclusive and respectful workplaces where everyone can thrive.
Membership is open to all – women, men, non-binary people, apprentices and organisations – and provides access to a range of member benefits. This includes discounted event tickets, mentoring programs, professional development, awards, resources and more.
Our members work in remote and regional locations, in cities and all over Australia as sole traders, in commercial and government organisations, on the tools, in offices as CEOs, business professionals, trade roles, apprentices and all roles in between.
Our theme in NAWIC’s 30th anniversary year is ‘Individually We Inspire, Together We Rise’ and this was one of our messages at our 30 CEOs for 30 Years Roundtable on National Equal Pay Day in Melbourne. The day marked the end of the 50 additional days into the new financial year that women in Australia needed to work to earn the same pay, on average, as men.
The roundtable was an integral part of implementing our new organisational strategy as we reflect on the current state of the construction industry and what is needed to ensure we attract, retain and advance women, and to see the sector reach its full potential.
The session provided an opportunity for us to discuss common challenges with CEOs and leaders in the construction sector, and to explore ways we can collaborate to drive meaningful change and collective impact.
It was wonderful to have support and representation from across the sector. CEOs and leaders have an important role to play in driving gender equity. The insights from the roundtable will be pivotal in helping us build our collateral, resources and training for members to ensure we meet the needs of the sector.
We were also excited to partner once again on the Women in Construction, Engineering & Infrastructure Summit in Melbourne in August. Along with endorsing partner National Women in Transport, NAWIC’s nominated charity partner for the event was the Tradeswomen Australia Group. The summit provided an opportunity to network and hear from an impressive list of speakers across the two days.
It was a pleasure to emcee the event and moderate some fantastic sessions, present the opening address and share findings from NAWIC’s Not So Little Things Affecting Women in Construction microaggressions research report.
Session topics included fostering inclusive leadership, career advancement, CEOs driving the culture change, cultivating networks, rising together through allyship, inclusive and respectful workplaces, an inclusive supply chain showcase, and the critical need to focus on issues impacting retention.
We need your insights and experiences to support us in our advocacy work, so join us as we work to create a fair, inclusive and respectful industry. Our membership year runs to 30 June 2026, but it’s not too late to sign up or renew if you haven’t done so.
Learn more about becoming a member at www.nawic.com.au