To celebrate International Women’s Day on March 8, The Children’s Hospital at Westmead redevelopment is celebrating the significant contributions of women on the project. As the project nears its completion later this year, Project Director Anna Chernih reflected on the progress made in promoting gender diversity and inclusion on the project. “As we approach the final year of construction, it's been truly inspiring to witness so many women playing an integral role on the project. Their dedication and expertise are crucial to its success.” “Having once been one of the few women on a construction site earlier in my career, it’s incredible to see how much we’ve come in terms of gender diversity.” To date, close to 120 women have worked on the project, contributing to around 80,000 hours. This includes women in non-trade roles and apprenticeships, reflecting the growing diversity within the industry. This has contributed to the project to exceeding the construction industry’s 2030 target of 15 percent female workforce participation, demonstrating the drive to meaningful progress toward gender equality and aligning with his year’s theme, "Accelerate Action," which calls for swift, decisive steps to achieve gender equality. Redevelopment Change and Transition Lead at The Children’s Hospital at Westmead, Kate McGarvey is inspired by women on the project and throughout the hospital community. "Something that stood out to me when I joined the project was the encouraging number of women in leadership roles,” Kate said. “Many of the women on the project are also working mums, so we support each other and can empathise with the varying commitments that come with balancing our roles at the office and on the home front. “Across the hospital there are mums who are trying to support their families and care for sick children whilst keeping their careers afloat. My hope is that the new facilities like single patient rooms with desks and carer beds, family lounges and new areas to work from will empower mums to keep going and managing their different roles while navigating healthcare journeys." On-site, Holli Rodziewicz, an apprentice carpenter, is playing a crucial role in a traditionally male-dominated field. Holli is also a leading advocate for the NSW Government’s ‘Hard Work Knows No Gender’ campaign, which promotes greater gender diversity in construction and non-traditional roles like plumbing, electrical work, carpentry, engineering, and project management. Holli is optimistic about the future for women in construction. “More women are feeling comfortable enough to give construction a try. I see the industry becoming more diverse over time, with less gender dominance,” she said. She also shared some advice for anyone considering a career in construction. “Just do it. Don’t worry about what anyone else says.” The project’s principal builder, Roberts Co, has been instrumental in implementing initiatives to increase opportunities for women on-site. These efforts include a dedicated on-site role focused on driving gender diversity, as well as upskilling and training opportunities. The introduction of a 5-day working week also aims to attract, retain, and empower women in the construction industry. Additionally, Roberts Co now offers a scholarship aimed at supporting women pursuing careers in construction. This scholarship provides financial assistance, personalised career coaching, networking opportunities, and the potential for future employment. The redevelopment continues to grow the Westmead Health Precinct as one of the largest health, research, education and training precincts in the world.