QUEENSLAND’S peak minerals and energy sector body says the quality of winners in this year’s Smart Women Smart State Awards augers well for attracting women into non-traditional career paths such as mining and energy.
Chief Executive of the Queensland Resources Council (QRC) Michael Roche said the industry was involved in the awards as part of QRC’s Women in Resources Action Plan.
“I am delighted that the QRC-sponsored Undergraduate Students — Science award was won by Alecia Carter who attends the University of Queensland,” said Roche.
“As part of the judging panel I can say Alecia was an outstanding candidate.
“With the help of a $19,000 grant from National Geographic, she designed a computer program that analyses how female kangaroos interact with each other, and shows the benefits of relationships developed between individual female kangaroos.”
“Through our Women in Resources Action Plan, which is now in its second year, the QRC hopes to double the percentage of women working in non-traditional roles in the sector by 2020.
“Currently our members’ workforces comprise just 12% women, with just six percent working in non-traditional roles such as engineering, geosciences and trades.
“We know we must do better to make women aware of the great careers available to them, and make sure that working conditions in our companies are more female and family friendly.
The Awards are run by the Queensland Government’s Office for Women and recognise some of Queensland’s brightest and most innovative women and girls.
All finalists are high achievers in science, engineering, communications and information technology.
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