Boral has hosted a Careers Expo for students in Sydney with multinational contractor John Holland, revealing pathways to employment in the construction sector and what students might find once they get there.
The Waterloo Integrated Station Development Career Expo was held on 17-18 June, with keynote presentations on project management, eco-friendly building practices and safety.
President and chief executive officer of Boral Australia Wayne Manners said John Holland had been a superb partner in hosting the event for the students.
“We are excited to be working with John Holland and sharing our collective insights and expertise with local students,” Manners said.
“This is a great way for us to support schools and get young children excited about the industry and thinking about the many different careers that the construction industry has to offer.”
Boral employees Angela Matta and Lauren Manton presented at the Expo, in hopes their representation could inspire the next generation of females to break stereotypes and chase the career they want.
Matta has worked across roles for Boral and currently manages Boral’s Customer Experience program, while Manton is the production assistant manager for Metro East Concrete and supports Boral’s roll out of low carbon concrete.
Manners said Matta’s and Manton’s presentations had a great impact on the audience.
“At Boral we are committed to diversity and inclusion, and we want to see more women choose a career in the construction industry,” he said.
“It’s great to have two of our employees speak about their experience in the industry and break down barriers and stereotypes for young women.”
John Holland has been contracted to major Australian projects such as Melbourne’s Metro Tunnel, the Sydney Football Stadium redevelopment, and the Sunshine Coast airport expansion.
As part of the Expo, the company allowed access to its work at Sydney’s Waterloo Station project, emphasising the need for safety on site projects.
John Holland Waterloo Station project director Andrew Knispel acknowledged the great opportunity the Expo had been.
“It’s a pleasure to be able to host students here at Sydney Metro’s new Waterloo Station site. It is a rare opportunity to showcase the construction of an iconic Sydney project that will elevate our city to international standards,” Knispel said.
“There are many skillsets that make a project like this successful, not limited to just engineering and construction, but also includes safety, environment, sustainability and vital support functions in between.
“We hope the students take what they learn here today and apply them to their careers, which will shape the future.”