On Monday 10 June 2024, Minister for Women, Natalie Hutchins announced the ten organisations in Victoria who will receive funding through the Women in Energy and Manufacturing program.
The $1.3 Million in grant money will support initiatives designed to overcome barriers to women's advancement and address labour shortages. Among the grant recipients was NECA education and careers who will receive $200,000 to provide gender equality training for educators and support the leadership pathways for women apprentices.
The Minister said, “the grants will support initiatives that address barriers to women’s advancement, and labour shortages in Victoria’s renewable energy transition”.
The Minister’s media release can be read here.
Programs like this are important to NECA Education and Careers to support the electrical industry as it works towards a more inclusive, gender-balanced work environment. The funding NECA Education and Careers receives through this program will underpin initiatives to increase the number of female industry members in electrical teaching roles, as well as supporting female apprentices in their workplaces.
Elise Halton, Field Officer GTO Vic represented NECA Education and Careers In her role, Elise manages a number of the apprentices employed by NECA Education and Careers, including the relationship, mentoring, monitoring and administrative tasks involved, including their industry workplace experiences. She was supported by two NECA Education and Careers GTO (Group Training Organisation) apprentices, Prada Byrne and Lucy Phillips at the event which took place at ANZAC Station on the Metro Tunnel Big Build site.