The creation of a mentoring program for women and the development of a complex reporting submission were just two examples of great work being done by award-winning women at Ventia this year. 

Sustainability Manager Miranda Borg, Commercial Manager Laura Jasiulec and Project Manager Neena Pollock were nominated for National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) awards this year, as they each exemplify the way Ventia people seek to redefine service excellence for our clients and the communities in which we operate. 

^{Project Manager Neena Pollock was a finalist in the Emerging Leader category in the ACT awards.}

ACT Emerging Leader

Neena was a finalist in the ACT awards in the Emerging Leader category for her work across a number of key projects in the Projects and Workplace Solutions team. 

Projects she has managed or coordinated include a concept design incorporating future ways of working on a federal government office construction project in Canberra, coordinating a heritage restoration project at the John Gorton Building, and coordinating the program of works around Australia for Home Affairs. 

Each of these projects required Nina to address challenges including location, heritage implications and materials availability. 

Nathan Munro, Head of Projects and Workplace Solutions says that Neena has always embraced new challenges and has remained a voice of reason within her projects team. 

She continues to provide insightful and constructive feedback on specific areas of organisational processes and offers detailed continuous improvement areas for these practices.

^{The Projects and Workplace Solutions team were recognised for their efforts to drive a diverse and inclusive workplace.}

Projects and Workplace Solutions team lead in Diversity and Inclusion

The broader Projects and Workplace Solutions team were also finalists for the NAWIC ACT Diversity and Inclusion award for their concerted efforts to identify practical actions that drive a truly diverse and inclusive workplace. 

"The solution requires organisations to go beyond implementation of policies and processes, to shifting mindsets, behaviours and culture," Nathan says.

The key for creating a diverse and inclusive workforce lies in developing strong leaders who can not only manage, but leverage the diverse ways of thinking, being and doing that exist within their team.

^{Sustainability Manager Miranda Borg (pictured right) was a finalist in the Victorian Awards in the Emerging Leaders category.}

Victorian Emerging Leader

Miranda Borg was a finalist in the Victorian awards, also in the Emerging Leaders category. For her nomination, her work to improve the delivery framework on the Ventia National Greenhouse and Energy Reporting (NGER) submission this year was highlighted as an example of her dedication to quality outputs. 

Miranda says she's proud to be part of a team in Projects and Workplace Solutions at Ventia that is 50%+ female, given the industry generally is male dominated. 

I am truly humbled to be part of a company and team that turns targets into reality.

^{Commercial Manager Laura Jasiulec (pictured middle) created a mentoring program for women on the social housing contract in NSW.}

NSW Crystal Vision award

In NSW, we were proud to have Laura Jasiulec shortlisted as one of only three finalists for the coveted Crystal Vision award. 

Laura is an inspiring female leader in Ventia's Social Infrastructure business, which is demonstrated by her creation of HousingConnect, a mentoring program for women on the social housing contract in NSW. 

Through this program, women are matched with female leaders from across Ventia. Mentors and their mentees meet each month, in person or online (particularly during the COVID-19 lockdowns, and where the pairs are not located conveniently for in-person catch ups). Laura then supports these catch ups through the creation of a content calendar, with each month covering a different topic that is relevant to women or supports challenges that the mentees have flagged. This has included having difficult conversations, high functioning relationships, authenticity and values-based living, and networking. 

"Creating opportunities for women to thrive in a male dominated workplace and organisation, to both attract and retain women at Ventia, is crucial," Laura says.

I know from personal experience how helpful having a mentor can be and I wanted my female colleagues to have that opportunity. So I created it.

For mentees, Laura says aside from the advice they are getting from a diverse array of mentors, HousingConnect is also giving them the opportunity to see what's possible. 

"Having someone outside your immediate team or business unit to talk to can be invaluable," Laura says. "It's about those things that are outside the normal 'this is how you do your job' conversations." 

Through this program, 32 participants in 2021 increased to 52 in 2022, with over 620 hours of mentoring scheduled this year (380+ in 2021). Clearly, the impact at Ventia has been significant and will be long lasting. 
 

Celebrating the contributions made by women

Congratulations to Neena, Miranda and Laura for their contributions to the work we do at Ventia and for being recognised through the NAWIC Awards. 

We also recognise all the women at Ventia who were nominated for these awards, including Sustainability Director Emma Wright who was nominated for her focus on providing value to our clients in the work she does. 

The National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) Awards showcase the achievements and industry advancements of women, men and organisations in the construction industry. 

NAWIC is a not-for-profit organisation that seeks to promote and improve the construction industry through the advancement of women.