Regional women's careers bolstered by new career ready workshop

In a regional first, country women are being given access to new tools to ensure their careers can prosper sustainably thanks to a new collaboration between Curtin University and the Rural, Regional and Remote Women’s Network of Western Australia.

The Career Ready in the Regions workshop will come to Bunbury on April 27 and 28, closing out a regional tour of WA spent empowering women and strengthening their career resilience in the regions.

Head of Curtin’s School of Management and Marketing, Professor Julia Richardson, said the collaboration would equip rural, regional and remote women with the skills and knowledge to build and enhance their short and long-term careers in the regions.

“Research shows that women are less likely to apply for a position or even consider it unless they think they can fulfil all of or at least 80 per cent of the criteria in the job advertisement, compared to men,” she said.

“This ‘self-policing’ means that they deny themselves opportunities which could turn out to be very rewarding and developmental,”

For just $50 a person, women can attend the professional development workshop, valued at $3500, in which they will discuss topics of career and life management, collaboration and support, as well as industry and peer mentoring.

RRRWNWA chief executive officer Kendall Galbraith said one of the biggest issues for regional Australia was access to diverse employment, which can limit career growth and weaken economic independence.

“This tends to impact rural, regional and remote women more as they are typically surrounded by male-dominated industries and are then forced to forge their own path,” she said.

“This project is designed to support rural, regional and remote women in navigating sustainable employment pathways from the regions and strengthen their workforce capacity.”

The collaboration has been supported with a $320,810 National Careers Institute Partnership Grant, a Federal Government initiative providing funding for organisations such as employers, training providers, schools and community groups to work collaboratively to improve career outcomes and create education and training pathways for Australians.

Those interested in attending the workshop can register via www.rrrnetwork.com.au/events.