Real Futures and Women’s Business 2nd Chance are proud to have launched Tiddas in Construction, a new program supporting Indigenous women into a deadly career in construction.
Tiddas in Construction is a free program for all First Nations women who live in the Mid-North Coast and Northern Rivers.
Our aim is to support women into a career in construction through our specialised three-week pre-employment program. Our team is based in Lismore, with outreach from Coffs Harbour to Murwillumbah.
This program is proudly supported by the Workforce Australia Local Jobs Local Recovery Fund and funded by the Department of Employment & Workplace Relations (DEWR).
Our Inaugural Pre-Employment Program in Lismore
In June 2024, we kicked off our first Tiddas in Construction pre-employment program in Lismore, with 10 keen local ladies.
This program is 3-weeks of intensive training, certifications and skills, including:
- Real Futures Get Ready Program
- White Card Certificate
- Traffic Controller and Management Training
- Work Safety at Heights Certificate
- Work in Confined Spaces Certificate
- Tool Recognition & Getting Trade Ready
During the Get Ready program, our Site Coordinator Nakoa spoke to the ladies about breaking out of their comfort zones and getting rid of being shame.
Shame is sometimes our biggest barrier as mob, but through yarning and building a connection with each other, they learned that the key is believing in yourself and surrounding yourself with the right people.
We were over the moon to celebrate the graduation of all 10 ladies at the end of June!
Going forward, WB2C will be supporting each Aspirant to connect with our employer partners and successfully apply for their perfect role.
Our next Tiddas in Construction Pre-Employment program will be held in Coffs Harbour with following programs alternating between Lismore and Coffs Harbour.
Meet the Tiddas Team
Introducing our Tiddas team – Robyn and Patrice!
Robyn is a proud Bundjalung Woman and the Tiddas in Contrsuction Program Coordinator.
Robyn has a wealth of experience and worked in many roles helping community, with a particular focus on Indigenous Affairs and Social Justice.
Robyn also has a background in counselling and is a qualified training facilitator and educator in suicide prevention and domestic violence.
Patrice is a proud Nunukal woman that is passionate about uplifting people and working with diverse communities.
Her secret strength is using humour and joy to inspire others to achieve their potential.
Working Together with Local Partners
We couldn’t successfully deliver a program like Tiddas in Construction without our deadly local partners and supporters.
We’d like to extend a special thanks to Peter Skorupanovic and Terri Grendon from Workforce Australia Local Jobs Local Recovery Fund and DEWR, Stacey Andrews and Gemma Hobbins from Tursa Lismore, and Sahba Delshad from NSW Reconstruction Authority
We are super grateful to local employers like Karly Potter & Morgan Coxell from the Lack Group, Samantha Birmingham from Smart Apprenticeship Solutions, and Speedie Staff Solutions for their commitment to creating job opportunities for our participants.
