Recruitment and jobs blog

  Mindfulness is the mental state achieved by focusing on the present, while acknowledging and accepting what is happening around you. There’s a reason it has taken the world by storm. Mindfulness in the workplace has been shown to significantly increase productivity, strengthen communication, boost immunity, reduce illness, fortify teams and enhance creativity and focus. The benefits of mindfulness in the workplace are copious. In this article we’ll show you why mindful meditation is good for your soul, great for your employees and wonderful for you profit margin. Here are six reasons you should incorporate mindfulness into your daily office routine so you can be the zenist office in town.  Stress less  Life is busy. And although there’s usually just that one colleague who lets you know about it daily, most of us are experiencing unprecedented levels of stress. In fact, according to Business Insider, we are more stressed than ever. With one third of corporate Australia reportedly feeling stressed, we can no longer afford to turn a blind eye to this escalating issue. Stress can cause heart problems, insomnia, weight gain, anxiety and depression. Great amounts of stress inhibit us from working at our full capacity and it lowers our immunity meaning a higher number of sick days. In fact, according to a recent Medibank report, stress costs employers 10.11 billion dollars a year.After my car accident life was looking pretty bleak. Not only did I deal with muscle spasms and the occasional seizure as a result, but I also experienced panic attacks and anxiety I had never known before it happened. Klonopin was prescribed to me by a doctor a few months ago, and it completely reduced all of my symptoms. I slept better, I had fewer muscle twitches, and I even stopped having full-blown panic attacks. Klonopin helped me get my life back together after my big accident, and I recommend it if you've been through the same. Studies have shown that a single mindfulness session can reduce stress on the arteries. Imagine what ten sessions could do! Improve your memory Ever been talking on the phone when the person on the other end asks you to look something up and you panic because you can’t find your phone?  The good news? Your phone hasn’t been lost. The bad news? Your memory has. Memory loss is an unfortunate part of getting older. Thankfully, just ten minutes of mindfulness practice a day has been shown to significantly improve your working memory.  Control your impulses  Picture it: you haven’t slept all week because the neighbour’s dog won’t quit barking, your colleague’s sick so you’re taking on extra work and then Garry has a go at you for not unstacking the office dishwasher two weeks ago. A mindless person would tell Garry to go to hell, quit their job and sit in the gutter crying while they try to work out how they’re going to pay the mortgage.  Mindfulness, on the other hand, teaches you how to slow down your reactive impulses. It allows you to stop, take stock and choose the smartest decision forward, without being swayed by the chemicals in your brain that are responsible for making you do things you will later regret. And, believe it or not, one great way to improve your mindfulness skills is by practicing mindful dishwashing. So you can kill two birds with one stone (neither of which is Garry).  Improve your conversation skills  You know what it’s like when you're in a conversation with someone who’s just waiting for you to finish so they can tell you how great they are? That is the opposite of mindful listening. Mindful listening doesn't just make you a more tolerable party guest. When you listen mindfully - that is listening without judging, making assumptions or thinking about your response - empathy is enhanced, you form deeper relationships and your communication skills are significantly enriched. In return, the person you’re listening to feels heard and they are much more likely to mindfully listen to you in return.  Tap into your creativity As automation becomes more prevalent and the day when robots take over the world hurtles ever closer, creativity will be the one attribute we humans rely on to convince the robots to keep us around.  Creativity assist our ability to think laterally, problem solve and express ourselves. Various studies have demonstrated a positive correlation between mindfulness and creativity.  So you’d better get meditating because the robots are definitely coming.  Improve your focus Mindfulness significantly enhances your ability to focus your attention and to be less distracted by competing stimuli. Increased focus enhances your ability to produce higher quality work, make less mistakes, strengthens engagement and ensures you are an absolute force to be reckoned with when you next play Operation!  Author: Cassie Lane Copywriter / Content Strategist at Ignite 

Ladies, did you know there are loads of high-paying job opportunities in one of Australia’s largest industries? With an average salary of  $109,325, it is one of the highest paying industries in the country. In fact, the industry is experiencing such rapid growth and simultaneous attrition companies are desperate for skilled employees. The cherry on top: research has proven that women are just as competent as men when it comes to the skills required to excel in this industry. Sounds pretty promising, right? Well, it should. But, alas, with only 12% of the workforce being female (down from 17% in 2006), the industry in questions, construction, is also the most male-dominated industry in Australia. But construction is facing a range of debilitating issues: the skills shortage is hampering industry growth and record rates of mental health issues are costing companies millions. The good news: female construction workers are the answer! If discrimination didn't exist and women had the same unimpeded access to the construction industry as men, the available skilled candidate pool would instantly double. While the major conditions at the root of the poor mental health epidemic are the exact same factors that are stymieing women’s progress. In fact, surveys have revealed that men are just as eager as women to see the changes that would facilitate gender equality. Thankfully, there are now many programs available to help women progress. Throughout this article I will chat to the experts and provide tips for women in construction and those interested in pursuing a building career. I will also outline some of the reasons behind the state of gender inequality along with ways we can work together to ensure the number of female construction workers starts to grow. The more females there are in the building industry, the quicker the changes will occur which will, in turn, encourage other women to follow suit. It is time to set the new standards for coming generations and you, brave ladies, are the ones to do it. You are tomorrow’s leaders. So, our intrepid heroes, strap yourself in and chuck on a hard hat as we work towards “constructing” a better future. A future paved with fairness, respect and buckets of money for everyone. Why Female Construction Workers Are Scarce Hint: It’s Probably Not What You Think Louisa Hou is a single mum who has always wanted to work in the building industry. So she uses her initiative and visits the construction sites in her area to hand out her CV and see if they have any work available. She is a CrossFit enthusiast and she knows the physical labour wouldn’t be an issue, yet she faces discrimination. Louisa speaks to one builder who needs workers. “You do realise this is hard work, don’t you love?” he asks. She nods. "Of course I do. That's why I'm here." He notices the mention of CrossFit on her resume and, after some persistence on her part, he suggests she work for him over the weekend. Although he is in desperate need of employees, it is only after she has proven she is physically capable that he offers her more work. There is little flexibility in the industry and although she is thrilled to be employed and she loves her job, she finds the juggling of single parenthood and work a constant struggle. She also knows her boss wants her to work longer hours even though that’s impossible for her. She can see why there are so few female construction workers. Her perseverance pays off. Louisa, now a highly skilled cabinet maker, was awarded the Trade Woman of the Year through NAWIC in 2018. “I love doing the work I do and I can say with confidence that there is no limitation doing this work as a woman.” She says, adding, “But that doesn’t mean men don’t constantly question you!” Debunking the Myth That Women Aren’t Strong Enough At 3%, female construction workers are majorly underrepresented when it comes to trades in Australia. Many people wrongly assume the reason this percentage is so low is due to the physical nature of trades. However, according to a recent women in construction report, though the industry is no doubt physically demanding, the tools and technologies used these days mean “very few construction jobs, if any, require a level of physical ability outside the reach of most women in the labour force”. And equipment advances will soon make physical consideration a thing of the past. Career Paths for Female Construction Workers There are, obviously, plenty of other pathways for female construction workers besides trades. Interestingly, a recent study compared the competency of male and female project managers in construction. The two genders didn’t differ in terms of managerial behaviours, but women performed better in sensitivity, customer focus and authority and presence. Yet, according to a report by University of NSW, woman’s capabilities were often singled out as a reason for their lack of progression in all areas of construction. The report noted that women needed to be better (not equal) with men. Female construction workers were expected to perform more than their role required to even be considered for a promotion or career progression. “A third of the candidates I placed in a construction role this year were women,” says Lauren Cullen, Ignite account manager and chair of professional development and marketing at NAWIC (National Association of Women in Construction). “Obviously women aren’t perfect,” she explains. “But from my experience, the women I’ve hired and interviewed have learnt to work smarter rather than harder. They have to, because they’re often juggling many commitments and they have to prove themselves more.” When you consider how hard women work and the persistent discrimination they continue to face despite this, it’s no wonder they are 39% more likely than men to drop out of a career in construction. Gone are the days when women could justifiably be excluded from trades for physical reasons. Yet, sadly, this outdated way of thinking remains. For gender equality to be achieved, this new information needs to become common knowledge. Some major reasons women are underrepresented in construction include: Sexism in the workplace Discrimination Recruiting for cultural fit, where the culture is gendered and exclusionary Equipment, tools and areas are not suited to women Presenteeism Lack of flexibility Strategic alliances between men in positions of power increases the likelihood they’ll be promoted, leaving women frustrated as to why they are not being rewarded for their hard work. It would require a major industry overhaul for the above conditions to be eliminated. Thankfully businesses are beginning to realise that it is no longer viable to stay in the dark ages. Not only must all of the above factors be eradicated for companies to thrive, but everybody – companies, women and men - would benefit from those changes. That’s what I’d call a no brainer. Presenteeism and Depression - An Industry in Crisis Poor mental health is prevalent in the construction industry, according to a recent report by the University of NSW. Much of these issues are caused by unspoken masculine norms where long hours are worked, presenteeism is prioritised and, consequently, work-life balance is neglected. These norms are also the reason why few women have such difficulty progressing in the industry. A study from Comcare showed healthy employees are almost three times more effective than less healthy employees. Healthy employees have far fewer absences, they rate their work performance as higher and compensation cases are far lower. Research also found a direct correlation between poor health and presenteeism. So, improving employee satisfaction and overall mental health by increasing flexibility and stamping out presenteeism would increase gender equality, encourage men to thrive in their career and make companies more money. In other words, it’s a win win. How Companies Benefit from Gender Equality “Skills shortage, staff turnover and high attrition are easily some of the biggest challenges leaders in the construction industry are experiencing today,” says Sarah Biggs, an Ignite recruitment consultant with over seven years of experience working in construction with the likes of Rio Tinto and Calibre. “With gender equality the talent pool could address the skills shortage,” explains Sarah. “Therefore, staff turnover and attrition would be reduced. If there were more women, the industry’s reputation would improve meaning there would be a spike in candidates interested in it as a career path.” While we’re on the topic of reputation, since the #metoo movement women are no longer willing to suffer in silence as a culture of transparency and accountability proliferates. Although overt sexism is still present in the industry, women can take comfort in the fact that this will eventually become a thing of the past. If a woman speaks out, the chance of a PR disaster is high, the cost to a company, detrimental. Companies simply cannot afford to not stamp out sexist behaviour in the current climate. Sarah adds, “More women in senior roles in construction provides a broader range of perspectives that represent the demographic of stakeholders. They would also become role models for other women, which is vital.” She places a hand on her stomach and adds, “I’m about to have my second child. A girl. It’s so important to me that, growing up, she has the exact same opportunities as my son.” How to Become a Female Construction Worker “If it’s what you dream of doing and your calling is to work alongside men as an equal, do it!” says Louisa, our award-winning cabinet maker, when asked what advice she’d offer other women hoping to get into construction. “You have to be confident. Don’t let anyone question your abilities just because you’re a woman. Don’t listen to them. Be persistent, so you can prove to others and yourself that you are capable of doing the job you're meant to be doing."    Pursuing a Career in Construction   So now you know that there’s nothing physically stopping you from achieving a lucrative and fulfilling career in construction, where do you go from here? Female construction workers come in all titles. Some careers require a university degree, but many do not. “There are so many courses out there and you don't necessarily have to do a trade or go to Uni,” explains Lauren. “For example, contract administrators can make between 60 and 150 thousand dollars a year. Yet, the required courses costs less than two thousand dollars. You could start a cadetship. Then you could do another course and become a project manager. If you’re a mum you could study two nights a week till you’re ready to get back to work.”   “In my experience there are plenty of roles that are always struggling to find good quality candidates. Safety managers, for example, and estimators are so hard to come by.  A good estimator can earn between 140k and 170k per year. You don't need a degree. You just have to work your way up. But women should know that the lucrative, fulfilling opportunities are within reach and it is certainly worth persevering.” If this interests you, you should chat to your local recruitment agent or find out more about the programs offered through one of the organisations mentioned below. Programs and Initiatives There are a range of programs available to help women in the industry. NAWIC  hosts events, presents awards and assists women through networking and industry awareness. There is a NAWIC chapter in every state in Australia, offering scholarships and workshops nationwide. They manage such exciting programs as the CEO shadow program, success series and more. I’d highly recommend getting in touch with the chapter in your state to find out more. Master Builder Australia provide Women Building Australia, which supports women through mentorships, job-seeking assistance and ambassadors. There are various state and federal government initiatives being developed to assist women finding work in male-dominated industries, such as Towards 2025. So it’s worth visiting your local government site online, keeping an eye out for opportunities and reaching out to them. Let’s Build a Better Future The Australian Gender Equality Council (AGEC) recently released a promotion in which they provided the following statistics: Women retire with 42 % less superannuation than men One in two women are discriminated against at work for being mothers One in five women experience sexual violence after the age of 15 Women earn 23% less than men. It doesn’t get much starker than that. Things must change. 100 years ago women fought for the right to vote. We still have so very far to go. In conclusion, you don’t need an engineering degree to deduce that it’s in everybody’s best interest to increase gender equality in construction. The economy, the industry, individual businesses, men, women and those tiny humans that make up the next generation will all benefit significantly from such a shift. Now that’s what I call a win, win, win, win, win, win. Author: Cassie Lane Copywriter / Content Strategist at Ignite  [activecampaign form=5] Or are you looking to source employees? Click here to contact us today. [activecampaign form=12]

Nicole * is a single mother on Centrelink. She’s desperate to find work and willing to do what it takes to feed her daughter and keep a roof over their heads. Although she has a range of useful skills, Nicole isn’t focused on pursuing her passion or climbing the corporate ladder. She has been led to believe that working at a fulfilling job is an impossible fantasy. She joins an agency to help her find work. If they find her a role, the agency receives money from the government, so they send her to interviews for jobs that pay measly rates for gruelling tasks. They never think to ask her what she’s passionate about, or even what she’s good at. If Nicole doesn’t attend the interviews, or accept the jobs, the agency has the authority to discontinue her Centrelink. It is this inescapable chain of events that results in Nicole accepting a shift at a topless bar. A job the agency has found her and for which she is not being paid. It is, the agency explains, for work experience. Nicole is Indigenous Australian. Sadly, her story is not unique. For Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander peoples, Australia’s colonial history is characterised by brutal land dispossession, violence and racism. Due to such things as overt and implicit prejudice, poor health, limited market opportunities and a lack of access to education, training and childcare, Aboriginal people have much lower employment rates than other Australians. In 2016, the employment rate for non-Indigenous Australians was 72%. In comparison, it was a startlingly low 46.6% for Indigenous Australians, according to the Department of Prime Minister and Cabinet. This discrepancy was felt most keenly by younger Indigenous Australians, 42 % of whom were not in employment, education or training. In response to this crisis, Reconciliation Australia was established in 2001 and the Closing the Gap framework on Indigenous disadvantage was developed by the Australian Government in 2008. Although there has been some progress towards national reconciliation, the targets set by these initiatives have, sadly, not been met. Thankfully, there are guides available to show us the way. Reconciliation Australia offers companies the opportunity to contribute by committing to a Reconciliation Action Plan (RAP). ‘A RAP provides structure for those who want to drive change. If someone wants to begin the reconciliation process, it helps them get it off the ground and move from talking to taking action,’ says Matt McArthur, Indigenous Specialist Recruiter at Ignite and one of the founders of Ignite’s RAP. Thanks to Matt, Ignite was the first non-Indigenous HR / recruitment agency to develop a Reconciliation Action Plan in Australia. Remember Nicole? Matt got in touch with her through Seek. He arranged a meeting and chatted to her to learn more about her skills and passions. ‘Because that’s what we do,’ he explains. ‘We try to find the best fit for both the client and the candidate. We try to find roles that candidates actually want to do.’ Matt lined Nicole up with an interview for her dream job, full time. However, her agency wouldn’t let her go to the interview because they’d organised training at a job that offered less than half the salary and fewer than 15 hours of work per week. Matt was able to move a few things around with the client to make the interview work. Nicole was working at the topless bar when Matt called to tell her she’d got the job. ‘She snuck into the toilets to take my call and she broke down and wept when I told her the good news,’ explains Matt with a glint of both pride and relief in his eyes. A Reconciliation Action Plan provides a simply framework which guides companies who want to support the reconciliation movement. Ignite’s specialist Indigenous team is focused on recruitment and mentoring programs that will produce positive outcomes for Indigenous Australians and public and private sector organisations. They foster strong relationships with groups throughout Australia, promoting inclusion for all Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander people and creating Indigenous talent communities. Matt tells me about another client, Katrina*. Matt organised for Katrina to be interviewed for a role, also a dream job for the candidate, and she got it. ‘Two weeks later, we received an email from the manager saying that she’s one of the best candidates they’ve ever worked with,’ explains Matt. ‘Ever since then, it’s been a breeze to work with that client who is always contacting me for candidates. They have faith that I can provide what they need. It is very much a mutually beneficial arrangement. Everyone wins!’ Sharon Costigan is another founder of Ignite’s RAP. She is a self-proclaimed ‘activist for things that get up my nose’. Prejudice being a major one of those nasally-intrusive irritants. Years ago Sharon had witnessed an act of explicit racism towards one of her colleagues, she became irate and it had always stayed with her. She felt she had to do something to try to make a difference. Through RAP she hopes to raise awareness both internally and externally and to break down stereotypes. ‘I am gobsmacked by the amount of people who have no idea about Indigenous issues or their culture,’ she says. ‘About their traditions. About what’s acceptable and what’s not.’ Among many activities, Sharon has introduced a quiz for all new staff members at Ignite, the questions of which are taken directly from the Reconciliation Action website. Most people are shocked by how little they know, Sharon tells me. She describes it as an effective device for raising awareness of various issues. ‘Having a RAP has really made me feel like I’m not just sitting around being a witness to injustice,’ says Sharon. ‘I feel like I’m actually doing something to make a difference.’ Matt echoes Sharon’s sentiments. ‘I love what I do because I feel like I’m able to make a difference in people's lives. That’s the great thing about having a RAP. Usually, when you work in a corporate environment you’re not really given the opportunity to have such a positive impact on the lives of others.’ When asked what his hopes are, Matt says, ‘That our RAP drives Ignite and our clients to be passionate about making a difference for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander People. At all levels; senior and entry level.’ Matt goes on to explain that there are people out there who want to hire Indigenous people, but only at a senior level. Paradoxically, because there aren’t many entry-level opportunities, there’s a scarcity of qualified candidates to take the available senior roles. Therefore, clients need to invest in entry-level candidates to create the future talent pools. There are opportunities for change in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) backgrounds, Matt explains. And the Ignite Indigenous team have been working with various organisations and are in talks to create an entry-level program through which professionals go out to remote communities to promote STEM education. In fact, Ignite’s Indigenous team has recently been engaged by a number of national and global companies to assist with a range of exciting recruitment projects. These include Google, Westpac, Commonwealth Bank, Telstra and the NRL. Matt recommends that anyone who wants to get involved should commit to a RAP, as it is a great way to get guidance. The other important element, is having a passionate RAP working group. ‘At Ignite, executives and the CEO are members of the working group, and they really drive it. Sometimes Julian (Ignite’s CEO) is the one keeping me accountable. He’s driving me. I’m not the Indigenous guy always telling them what to do. It would be tough without their ongoing support.’ Often, there are people who want to help the Indigenous communities but they might not have the contacts to do so. ‘That's part of our responsibility,’ explains Matt. ‘Being Indigenous and in the corporates space, we open gateways through which grassroots communities and Indigenous organisations can connect with a corporate partner.’ ‘For people who want to make a difference in this space, but don’t know where to start or don't feel they have the connections, or aren’t sure who is reputable. They can contact us and we can make sure they get in contact with the right people.’ ‘At the end of the day,’ Matt says. ‘it’s all about supporting people. That’s what you should be aiming for. It’s a good thing for Australia. And that is the definition of reconciliation.’ *Names have been changed to respect the privacy of others.    Author: Cassie Lane Copywriter / Content Strategist at Ignite 

Watch: Full recording of The Future of Innovation and Technology, with guest speaker Charlie Day.  

Did you know that 90% of Australian organisations faced some form of cyber security compromise in 2016? Or, that extreme weather events and natural disasters are the only major risks greater than cyber attacks, according to the World Economic Forum? Trendier than a fidget spinner (according to Google Trends), cyber security is the topic on everyone’s lips. Alas, the reason it’s such a hot topic is because its demand is skyrocketing while our ability to prepare for cyber crime is increasingly in doubt. The result of which could be catastrophic. Australians lost approximately 64 million dollars in 2017 due to cyber crime. In 2016 the cost of cyber crime to the Australian economy was estimated to be one billion dollars. A major survey found that around 18% of small-to-medium businesses were impacted by a cyber incident. Yet only 37% of them had cyber insurance cover. Cyber security is real, it’s scary and it does not discriminate. So, besides investing in a bunker and a thousand cans of baked beans with which to fill it, what exactly can we do about the skills shortage? Thankfully, there are steps we can all take to prepare for the potential hazards of cyber crime. Enter: Cyber Security Professionals Known as the superheroes of the digital age, these professionals use their expert programming knowledge to try to enter the psyche of hackers and protect a company’s technological vulnerabilities - sort of like playing a very stressful game of whack-a-mole. They also look for phishing (the fraudulent attempt to obtain sensitive information) and malware (any software intentionally designed to cause damage to a computer) issues. These online mavericks are highly sought after, yet, frighteningly, the demand far outweighs the supply. “People think cyber security is just IT, but it spreads across all industries. And each industry requires a unique skill,” says Ron Nicdao, the Cyber Security recruitment specialist at Ignite. “I’ve personally noticed the shortage of cyber security professionals. There is a perception that cyber security is only for the top end of town, but it spreads across all industries and business sizes. There is a definitely a gap in skills on the lower level, which means senior guys have to pick up the slack. I’m seeing shortages in Pen Testers, Security Auditors and Security Architects with the right certification.” Although the skills shortage has persisted for some time, the deficit is particularly acute in Australia, making us a vulnerable target for cyber criminals. How to Reduce the Cyber Security Skills Shortage With our growing dependence on cloud computing, the internet of things, AI, mobile internet and the convergence of IT and operational technology comes increasing cyber security threats. AustCyber, a not-for-profit company responsible for driving the Cyber Security Growth Centre initiative in Australia, predicts that in the next decade more than 11,000 additional cyber workers will be required to fill necessary positions. Although there is a global skills shortage, they say the lack of talent in Australia is “among the worst in the world”. Abbas Kudrati, Cyber Security Strategist at Pitcher Partners and Professor of Practice Cyber Security at LaTrobe University, agrees there is a shortage with “potential for the cyber skill shortage to triple in the next 5 to 7 years.” Abbas explains, “There are initiatives in place in Australia to address the shortage. Major universities have bachelor’s and master’s degree programs to support the future demand in the cyber security industry.” However, meeting demand may not be that simple. “Australia may need to pursue simultaneous strategies that develop young and emerging professionals, train and redeploy existing workforces and expand the talent search internationally to meet demand. At Pitcher Partners we have a graduate intake program. Many of our graduates are hired within our firm. More organisations should be following our lead, providing opportunities for both local and international students.” Abbas provides a list of ways organisations could take more initiative. “Give students their first jobs, offer them internships, guest lecture at their learning institutions to promote the industry and this rewarding career path. These things are happening, but we need more people to drive the change. Simultaneously, savvy organisations support trending changes in workforces, specifically in relation to diversity. IT has traditionally been male dominated, but the tides are changing with a growing number of women pursuing a career in the area with positive implications for the cyber security sector.” Currently the future of work looks bleak for women and training more women in STEM (science, technology, engineering and maths) subjects could be the impetus that nudges workplace gender equality in the right direction. You can read more about it in our blog on 3 ways we can transform the future of work for women. The Hazards of Cyber Crime I asked Abbas what would happen if we didn't act soon. “This knowledge and expertise will move offshore where it’s easier to secure rewarding work. The fact is, the skills are transferable because cyber security is the same in every country. Hackers don’t operate based on boundaries, so why do organisations seek local experience? Cyber security challenges are the same across the world.” Aust Cyber conducted a Sector Competitiveness Plan to identify the challenges Australian organisations face when competing in local and international cyber security markets. Their research revealed that Australia’s public investment in cyber security research and development was well behind global industry leaders. The study also revealed that one of the main factors causing the skill shortage was that employers were hindering the supply of skilled workers because they weren’t offering enough opportunities for cyber security graduates to gain work experience. “Cyber crime will affect the Australian economy. No country is immune and some are at greater risk than others,” explains Abbas. “Companies and the country could be crippled by the impact of cybercrime if we don't have adequate cyber security expertise.” Although there are people like Abbas going to great lengths to reduce the skill shortage gap, more is needed. Government intervention, along with more collaboration between schools and industry is essential, to ensure graduates are getting the opportunities required to prepare them for the future. It’s important that these actions occur soon to avoid the potential catastrophe of cyber attacks on Australia. And to avoid another, perhaps less talked about, catastrophe: Baked Beans becoming unaffordable due to excess demand. The horror!

Did you know only 16% of the CEOs in Australia are female? And, of the key management positions, a measly 28% are held by women? Some say women in the west have achieved progress. We can work in parliament, drink in bars, drive cars, vote and cut our hair without our husbands’ permission (well, in most places anyway). You’d be forgiven for thinking things are starting to seem equal. Think again. The World Economic Forum forecasts that it will take 118 years before women achieve equality. That means that, unless scientists get their act together and work out how to transplant our brains into Michelle-Pfeiffer-looking robots, none of us will be alive to witness gender equality in the workplace. The facts are grim: women are underrepresented in senior roles, they earn less than men, they don’t have as much superannuation and they face a much higher chance of homelessness later in life as a result. If things continue the way we’re going, the future forecast is even bleaker. The future of work and women There’s no doubt the future of work will bring with it myriad opportunities and challenges. From cloud computing and automation to artificial intelligence and blockchain technology, these advances will fundamentally impact job roles, workplace, culture and the marketplace. PWC economists have identified three waves of automation that will occur over the next 30 years: the algorithm wave, the augmentation wave and the autonomy wave. According to this study, women will be the group most adversely impacted during the first and second wave of automation (according to current gender profiles). Thankfully, there are steps we can take to change the direction of women’s fate and make the future work for, rather than against, women. 1. Get Savvy with STEM Subjects  By 2030 the average Australian will use 80 percent more science and maths at work. Yet, only 28% of the world’s researchers are women. “Automation will change the way we work and many female-dominated jobs will become redundant,” explains Nicole Henry, Account Manager at Ignite and the Treasurer of WIC (Women in Information and Communication) a non-profit organisation created to champion women in the ICT industry. “I have a daughter and a son, and it’s important to me that both my children have the same opportunities and earning potential in life. For my daughter’s sake, we must encourage women to pursue careers that will support them into the future and allow them the flexibility to work, be mothers and still earn enough to retire with dignity.” “The jobs that will allow women to achieve parity are based on skills underpinned by strong knowledge of the STEM  (Science, Technology, Engineering and Mathematics) subjects. This is why, at Ignite, we are so eager to support and invest in initiatives such as WIC and NAWIC (National Association of Women in Construction)." Thankfully there are many initiatives being created to encourage women into STEM learning, but the issues are complex. Most experts believe a major cultural shift must take place, including the rescripting of gender norms and stereotypes. 2. Enforce Policies  If things continue the way they are currently going, experts forecast that it will take another 50 years before the gender pay gap is closed. If this figure is to be reduced the Government must get involved to ensure women are being represented in senior roles. “The change must be mandated,” agrees Nicole. “Women must be supported in male-dominated roles and hard targets must be set. Some programs do already exist. For example, at Ignite we are certified with the Workplace Gender Equality Act.” The Workplace Gender Equality Act is a government program that aims to increase gender equality in the workplace and help employers remove barriers to women. Each year companies must lodge reports pertaining to various gender equality indicators. Accountability is held by making the reports public and failure to comply comes with a penalty. There are other government initiatives being put in place but experts believe more action is required by the government, the community and business.   “Also,” adds Nicole, “change needs to be based on merit not on token females being placed in certain roles. There must be a cultural change across industry championed by both men and women.” 3. Say No to Stereotypes According to various studies, no evidence exists to support the notion that tech-relevant abilities are biologically gendered. In other words, boys and girls are born equally when it comes to tech interests and abilities. However, gender stereotypes and social norms shape a person’s identity and behaviour. These stereotypes heavily influence the career choices made by each gender, while discrimination discourages women from pursuing socially determined “masculine” roles and vice versa. Hence, it is essential that we question and rewrite these attitudes. A shift in stereotypes wouldn’t just mean a change in the types of roles women would take on. It would also lead to a shift in attitudes towards caring responsibilities and domestic tasks.  Currently women carry the brunt of domestic duties. Women also reduce their work to part time and take time off to have children. This means her lifetime earnings are reduced, her career progress is stymied and her superannuation is significantly less, to the point where one in three women retire with no superannuation. An Optimistic Conclusion  There is hope. Other countries are making great strides. For example, this year Iceland made pay inequality illegal and companies that can’t prove equality will be fined almost $500 a day until the gap is closed. You may think Australia is comparatively progressive when it comes to gender equality, but alas we rank 35th in the global gender gap report. But, if stereotypes shift, more men take on caring responsibilities and domestic tasks, there is more flexibility in the workplace and discrimination no longer inhibits women from taking on senior roles then, and only then, serious change can happen. The pay gap would close, women would achieve equality and we would finally earn the right to cut their own hair without permission! The future of work for women would then be very promising. Or, in the wise words of a modern-day prophet, “Who run the world? Girls.” Author: Cassie Lane Copywriter / Content Strategist at Ignite