The second annual Hays NAWIC (National Association of Women in Construction) Excellence Awards will be held on 14 September at Mac’s Function Centre in Wellington. The awards celebrate the achievements of women in construction as well as honouring those organisations which are redressing the industry’s gender imbalance.

With New Zealand’s current building boom, it makes sense to encourage more women to join the construction industry. The number of women in the construction industry has doubled to 17 per cent over the last 15 years and is continuing to grow with women making up 12 per cent of trades apprentices.

The awards have six categories which cover a wide range of roles across the industry. The categories are:

• The Helen Tippett Award, which celebrates achievement in advancing the interests of women in the construction industry.
• Tradeswoman of the Year, which celebrates the contribution tradeswomen are making to the industry.
• Professional Woman of the Year, which focuses on women who have managed a construction project or those who operate their own business in the industry.
• Outstanding Achievement in Design, which celebrates the design aspect of a construction project in engineering, architecture or urban/landscape design.
• Excellence in Construction Administration, which honours the contribution of women in administration, sales/marketing or operational roles within the industry.
• Student/Apprentice Excellence Award, which is open to all women engaged in construction-related study or apprenticeships.

Entries/nominations for the awards are open until July 15th.

Visit the NAWIC website for nomination/entry forms and further information.