New partnership to help regional women explore job opportunities during networking workshops

Regional women will have the opportunity to network and discuss career opportunities during a series of workshops hosted by a new WA partnership. Curtin University and the Rural, Regional and Remote Women’s Network of WA have joined forces to host a series of workshops and industry networking events in Albany, Narrogin, Kalgoorlie, Broome and Geraldton. The partnership will also collect data on contemporary careers in the regions to support women navigating the challenges of the job market and career transitions. Professor Julia Richardson, the head of Curtin’s School of Management and Marketing, said the collaboration aimed to equip women with the skills and knowledge to build career sustainability. “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. “While there may be some limitations for face-to-face job opportunities in country areas, there are likely to be more jobs with a requirement for or flexibility to work virtually at least two to three days a week in the future. “Given this greater flexibility and changing technology means that rural, regional and remote communities are no longer as remote as they used to be, there will also be new opportunities for regional women to gain jobs in health care, agriculture, regional tourism and the tech industry.” RRR Network of WA chief executive Kendall Galbraith said one of the biggest issues within the regions was access to diverse employment. “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 RRR Network and Curtin will work with the Regional Chamber of Commerce and Industry, local community groups and industry leaders to host the workshops that will include industry networking and peer-mentoring. For details, visit www.rrrnetwork.com.au