RRR Women’s Network of WA and GHD hold roundtable on women’s workforce participation and confidence

A roundtable of agricultural and regional industry leaders has found that confidence remains a major barrier for women entering and advancing in traditionally male-dominated sectors across Western Australia.

The roundtable, hosted by GHD and the Rural Regional Remote Women’s Network of WA, was facilitated by RRR Network director Elizabeth Brennan and marked a first of its kind.

It aimed to bring together leaders to discuss how the industry could build women’s confidence and workforce participation.

Some of the suggestions tabled at the event, held in June, included career relaunch programs, support networks for women balancing multiple responsibilities, sponsoring women’s advancement using established networks and connections, demonstrating inclusive culture, and reframing women’s workforce participation as a whole-of-business or industry challenge.

RRR Network chief executive Kendall Galbraith said a need to explore how to support regional women’s economic independence motivated the “vital” roundtable conversations.

“When we talk to industry, one of our pieces of work is always connecting RRR women to industry and vice versa so that they are aware of the networks out there within industry, that they are aware of employment opportunities, that they consider the diverse skills that they might require to work within industry,” she said.

“We do all of that so that we can support women’s economic independence.”

Leaders at the roundtable represented industry and regional WA, and included Belmont MLA Cassie Rowe, Nutrien Ag Solutions, CEOs for Gender Equality, CBH Group, Pilbara Ports, Intergrain, Horizon Power, CBA Southern Ports, the Wheatbelt Development Commission, GHD, Alcoa, Tattarang, and the Shire of Moora.

A 2020 survey released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics found that 61 per cent of surveyed women were employed full-time, up from 56 per cent in a 2019 survey.

Ms Galbraith said a main takeaway from the conversation was the need to see more change and building women’s confidence in applying for the workforce.

“It’s one thing to ask a woman to be more confident, but I do think confidence comes with opportunity — that we don’t just need to put the burden back on women to say if you’re more confident you’ll get a job,” she said.

“I think that the industry need to proactively create opportunities.”

A report on the roundtable concluded that rural, regional, and remote women are “ready and willing” to contribute to WA’s economic future.

“By embracing flexible, inclusive, and locally driven strategies, industry can unlock this potential — without waiting for large-scale government interventions,” the report stated.