Business management platform MYOB has partnered with Master Builders Australia to offer a business resilience program, as part of its Women Building Australia program.
The content aims to boost the business success and resilience of women in the building industry, by bridging the digital skills divide facing women in construction.
Women Building Australia, a joint initiative with the Australian Government, is designed to attract more women to the building industry and provide services that support them to achieve their career potential.
Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn said women who have completed their construction apprenticeship or certificate, and gone on to set up their own business, might come out of their training highly proficient in practical skills but still require the knowledge to run a business.
“Equally, women who are managing the family construction business may not have had the time or opportunity to gain the knowledge required to run a successful SME in the industry,” Wawn said.
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“With no universally available digital business course currently on offer, this program is a first of its kind, industry-led learning approach providing hands-on business skills to set them up for success from the beginning.”
The program is made up of seven weekly webinars of 45-60 minutes each, focusing on practical elements such as managing cashflow, opportunities to generate revenue, understanding compliance such as tax requirements, as well as managing relationships with clients and suppliers.
MYOB Chief Employee Experience Office Helen Lea said the modules in the Business Resilience Program cover vital business management basics, while introducing the benefits of digitisation that many small businesses may miss out on.
“In addition to saving time and improving accuracy, businesses with advanced levels of digitisation are 50% more likely to grow revenue and eight times more likely to create jobs,” Lea said.
“Helping small businesses in construction to get online not only benefits the individuals but the economy overall.”
MYOB modelling shows one in five small businesses – around 80,000 in the construction industry – have no or low digital engagement, and that bringing those SMEs with low or no levels of digitisation online could grow the industry’s contribution to overall GDP 1.9 per cent.
“To help more Australians benefit from digital skills, and more Australian businesses reap the productivity rewards of a digitally-skilled workforce, we see an opportunity for the Government to support the industry-led creation of targeted skills programs like this one,” Lea said.