The Property Council of Australia ‘Girls in Property’ program, aimed at raising awareness amongst high school students about the raft of career paths the property industry offers, saw nearly 100 students from five different schools descend on the Arup and Lendlease Melbourne headquarters this morning.
The Property Council of Australia, Victorian Executive Director, Cressida Wall, said the program is an amazing initiative aimed at securing the pipeline of talent needed to maintain and grow a representative property industry.
“The Girls in Property program is integral to ensuring young women have an understanding of the vibrant, diverse and fulfilling nature which a career in the property industry is able to provide,” said Ms Wall.
Industry leaders including Finola Reid, Australasia Education Lead, Arup; Angela Skandarajah, CEO, Development Victoria and Brian Herlihy, Development Director, Lendlease supported the full-day program, providing an insight into the Melbourne Quarter precinct history and development.
“Arup is delighted to co-host the Girls in Property program at our Melbourne workplace. The program aligns with Arup’s commitment to gender equity on the workplace, supporting women in developing pathways and fulfilling careers in engineering and design.” said Ms Reid.
The morning session, hosted by Arup, provided students with the opportunity to hear from industry experts, including a panel of emerging industry professionals, followed by a master-planning activity supported by Development Victoria.
The afternoon saw the students participate in a site tour of Lendlease Melbourne Quarter project, a groundbreaking mixed-use development, with project engineers, development managers, marketing managers, landscape architects and designers providing insights into their own career paths and experiences.
For Kylie Rampa, Chief Executive Officer, Property at Lendlease, the program showcases the diversity of the industry.
“It’s an industry that delivers a full spectrum from a career perspective, and thought-provoking initiatives like ‘Girls in Property’ help to inspire the minds of our country’s next generation of talent.” said Ms Rampa.
“This program is about shining a light of the breadth and wealth of opportunity available, and helping young women find their passion in property at an early stage in their career,” said Ms Wall.
