Tuesday, 19 January 2021

A Yarra Ranges woman will be among the first to benefit from a new Victorian Government program to boost gender equality and support the local building sector.

Local Government Minister Shaun Leane today announced that Yarra Ranges Council will receive $150,000 to recruit and train a new building surveyor through the Women Building Surveyors Program.

Member for Eastern Victoria, Harriet Shing says the Yarra Ranges Council successful candidate will begin an Advanced Diploma of Building Surveying or Bachelor of Building Surveying this year, gain work experience with the council and attend professional development events and opportunities through program partner LGPro.

The $6.3 million program attracted widespread interest from councils and council staff. Of the successful councils, seventeen are rural including , five are regional cities  and eighteen are in metropolitan Melbourne.

The Women Building Surveyors program has been established to improve the gender balance in the construction industry, fill a skills shortage and drive construction stimulus projects as a key part of the state’s economic recovery from coronavirus (COVID-19).

Employed by councils, municipal building surveyors issue permits that allow construction work to commence and ensure that work complies with legal requirements and building codes. They also carry out inspections to ensure work is completed correctly and issue occupancy permits or certificates of final inspection.

For more information on the program, including a list of the successful councils, go to www.localgovernment.vic.gov.au.

Quotes attributable to Minister for Local Government, Shaun Leane

“This is all about offering women career opportunities, boosting gender equality in the construction sector and helping support Victoria’s economic recovery.”

Quotes attributable to Member for Eastern Victoria, Harriet Shing

“It’s great to see Yarra Ranges take up this opportunity. It’s a fantastic initiative and I look forward to seeing the successful candidate take up their position.”

“This program will help Yarra Ranges  with the resources it needs to support the construction industry and ensure building work in the area  is completed in a safe and timely manner.