Video (above): Insights and perspectives on increasing women in leadership from Graduate Engineer Carrie Armstrong, Chief People & Communications Officer Alanna Herbst, Senior Project Engineer Caitlin Williams, and Project Construction Manager Amy Dowel.
Our commitment to empowering women
As we celebrate International Women’s Day 2025, we embrace this year’s United Nations theme, March Forward, as a call to action and a reflection of Seymour Whyte’s ongoing commitment to empowering women in our business.
Through initiatives like our Leadership Development Program, Women’s Mentoring Program, and Male Allies Program, we are investing in the future of our female workforce, equipping them with the skills, confidence, and connections to succeed.
Supporting Women in Leadership
At Seymour Whyte, we recognise that true leadership is about both IQ (intellectual intelligence) and EQ (emotional intelligence). We recognise that technical expertise, problem-solving, and strategic decision-making (IQ) are just as critical as self-awareness, resilience, and relationship management (EQ) in effective leadership.
Our Leadership Development Program, delivered by LeadershipHQ’s Sonia McDonald, fosters personal and professional growth across all career stages. This initiative provides:
- Workshops and coaching to enhance confidence, communication, and strategic thinking
- Exposure to different areas of the business to broaden career perspectives
- A strong support network that encourages collaboration and mentorship.
This initiative cultivates genuine leadership, continuous growth, and a people-first culture, equipping participants with the skills and support to lead, innovate, inspire, and thrive.
“The practical and theoretical learnings from the Leadership Program have empowered me to drive our process improvement initiatives with confidence.”
Simbi Moyo, Transactional Services Manager, Brisbane
Another key initiative supporting our commitment to gender equity is our Women’s Mentoring Program, which pairs female employees with our Executive Leadership Team, providing invaluable career guidance and professional development.
Through personalised coaching and exposure to executive-level thinking, participants develop the skills to lead with impact.
“I was humbled to be nominated for the Women’s Mentoring Program and being paired with CEO John Kirkwood.
Through our sessions together I gained valuable insights and built confidence to navigate challenges I was facing more effectively.”
Ainslie Rynne, Senior Estimator, Brisbane
Progress in the construction industry
The construction industry is evolving, with an increasing focus on attracting and retaining women. Seymour Whyte’s female representation has risen by 9% over the past five years to 28%, demonstrating our commitment to change. However, industry-wide challenges remain:
- Women account for just 2.7% of CEOs and 11.1% of board directors in construction
- Only 5% of tradespeople are female
- 85% of women in construction report experiencing gender discrimination
- The gender pay gap in construction remains at 31.8%.
We are tackling these issues head-on through programs like the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC)’s Male Allies Program, which equips men with the tools to champion gender equity.
“Allyship starts with education and awareness.
The NAWIC Male Allies program helped me recognise biases and understand how I can contribute to a more inclusive industry.”
Courtney Hoops, Southern Region General Manager
Marching forward together
As we celebrate International Women’s Day, we reaffirm our commitment to gender equity, ensuring that every woman at Seymour Whyte has the opportunity to thrive.
“I am proud of Seymour Whyte’s dedication to improving gender equity.
We are all working together to ‘March Forward’, advocate for change, and support the women who are building a better future for us all.”
Alanna Herbst, Chief People & Communications Officer
