NSW - Training & Scholarships

2025 NAWIC NSW & NSW Government Women in Construction Program $30,000 WOMEN’S EXECUTIVE LEADERSHIP SCHOLARSHIP

2025 Recipient Announced at NAWIC NSW IWD Event – Click Here To See Media Release

The number of women in Executive and C-Suite positions within the construction industry continues to be unbalanced. Without women in these roles, having a seat at the table and sharing their perspectives and experience, the ability for the industry to be truly inclusive and equitable will be limited.

Proudly funded by NSW Women in Construction, the NAWIC NSW Women’s Executive Leadership Scholarship seeks to recognise those that have made an impact within the construction and building industry and demonstrated potential for future achievement and leadership.

By equipping women with the business acumen and leadership skills to face the challenges of a volatile, complex, and uncertain environment, the scholarship will cover the cost of tuition fees, travel allowance, and other related costs for the recipient to use towards an executive leadership program of their choice to the value of $30,000.

NSW Government Women in Construction Program

The NSW Government is investing $20.2 million in the Women in Construction program over three years.  The program aims to attract and retain more women into the construction industry, with a focus on increasing the number of women in trade and non-traditional roles. 

NAWIC NSW thanks NSW Women in Construction for partnering with us on this scholarship, which will see the development of an alumnus of women who will be visible role models for future generations.

ELIGIBILITY

• Be a female identifying Australian citizen or permanent resident who resides and works within NSW

Meet at least two of the following criteria:

1. Hold a mid to senior management position (i.e. functional lead, regional lead, project director, site manager, business owner, partner) in the construction and property industry.
2. Be an experienced leader, on track to leading an organisation or significant business unit/function with at least ten (10) years professional work experience, and a minimum of five (5) years’ experience in managing a team.
3. Management experience demonstrated by profit and loss management, strategic planning, or people leadership.
4. Be either in the process of, or seeking to, start their own business in a construction or trades-based capacity (including small businesses and sole-traders).

Applicants must also:

1. Provide appropriate evidence of general and professional qualifications in their related field.
2. Be responsible for ensuring that the eligibility criteria of the select institution and course can be met.
3. Choose a course that completes within 18 months after the scholarship is awarded.
4. Agree to share her experience and speak at NAWIC events as part of the Executive Scholarship alumni, and participate in initiatives with other key sponsors of the scholarship as required.
5. Make themselves available for a 45-minute interview during the interview period (Monday 24 February 2025– Friday 28 February 2025).

CRITERIA

The applicant will be asked to provide and demonstrate the following:

• 300-word exec summary of submission
• Appropriate evidence of general and professional qualifications in their related field
• Outline of the intended use of the funds, including name of educational institution and course name, other costs associated with their attendance at the course (i.e. travel costs, childcare) – 300 word limit
• A five-year career plan which outlines their career goals and how the identified training will help them achieve their goals – 1 A4 Page attachment
• Demonstrated history of developing/leading staff in their organisation(s) and/or a plan to support the growth of staff within their organisation in the future and/or a plan that outlines the process of or intention to start their own business – 500 word limit
• Describe their current engagement with the industry as a whole and the anticipated reach and engagement that would be achieved following undertaking the proposed course – 500 word limit 
• A letter of recommendation and endorsement from their employer outlining their suitability for the training and support of the individual applying OR in the case the individual is self-employed, the letter may be from any individual within the building or construction industry - 1 A4 page attachment
• A character reference from outside of their organisation and from someone who is not related to the applicant outlining their suitability for the training – 1 A4 page attachment
• Make themselves available for a 45-minute interview during the interview period (Monday 24 February 2025– Friday 28 February 2025)
• Career progress (CV and references) – maximum 3 A4 page attachment

POTENTIAL COURSES (this is not an exhaustive list)

• Harvard Business School – Leadership Development
• Stanford School of Business: Executive Program in Leadership
• McKinsey Executive Leadership Program
• IESE Business School – MBA
• HEC Paris
• Kellogg School of Management at North-western University: Women’s Senior Leadership Program
• INSEAD:

The NAWIC NSW Chapter offers several scholarship opportunities

Check out our annual awards program here for other scholarships.

NAWIC NSW appreciates that some references may be difficult to obtain over the holiday period. Accordingly, we advise applicants to let us know if they are experiencing challenges so accommodations can be made.

KEY DATES:

Please note, shortlisted applicants are required to be available for an interview with the Scholarship judging panel per the above dates.

All shortlisted applicants will be provided with a complimentary ticket at the NSW IWD event for the scholarship recipient announcement.

This scholarship is made possible with the generous support of the NSW Government’s Women in Construction Program.

2023 Executive Leadership Scholarship Recipient:

The inaugural NAWIC NSW Executive Leadership Scholarship was presented to Scentre Group’s Talia Keyes. Ms Keyes was appointed General Manager for Design with Scentre Group in April 2023 and is the first female to hold the role. She leads a team of 165 design professionals across four states. Ms Keyes will use the scholarship to attend a Harvard Business School executive education course in Boston.

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