a cultural lift as it moved away from the legacy mindset of “contractor” and toward the reality of being a valued part of the broader Barwon Water group. Leadership describes measurable gains in engagement and trust through the Victorian Public Sector survey process, with significant increases in employees feeling heard, supported by managers, and valued by senior leadership. SHIFTING THE GENDER BALANCE THROUGH PRACTICAL RECRUITMENT CHANGES One of BAS’s most compelling recent achievements has been increasing female participation in a fieldbased workforce, moving from two women in admin roles at inception to 23% women across all areas of the business today Rather than approaching this as a branding exercise, BAS asked the women already in the organisation what needed to change. The answer was practical: job ads needed to clearly describe the work, titles needed to reflect the actual role, and applicants needed someone relatable to speak to. BAS rewrote position descriptions to accurately portray field-based outcomessuch as working outdoors, finishing at consistent times, completing tangible work each day, and going home without “after-hours admin” overhang.The organisation also changed the listed contact person to a woman in the role so applicants could speak peer-to-peer, and created videos showing the real day-to-day work with women visibly represented. The impact was immediate. A campaign that previously might have drawn only a handful of female applicants resulted in 22 women applying, and BAS hired five women from that intake, an outcome that later received award recognition TRAINEESHIPS AND APPRENTICESHIPS AS A WORKFORCE ENGINE BAS’s traineeship and apprenticeship programs are central to how the organisation builds capability and improves diversity. The traineeship pathway provides a structured entry point, particularly for school leavers or career changersto build practical skills and determine whether the work is the right fit. Over five years, BAS expects to have supported around 22 trainees, and leadership notes that those who complete the pathway are far more likely to transition into permanent roles Apprenticeships in electrical, fabrication, and fitting are similarly critical and have proven to be one of the strongest mechanisms for bringing more women into trades where the external candidate pool remains limited. BAS also notes that, as a government-owned entity, it may not always outbid top-tier contractors on salary, but it can offer the stability and benefits that matter over the long term, including parental support programs and flexible working arrangements that are increasingly important to both women and men in field-based roles. NEAR-TERM PRIORITIES: SERVICE EXCELLENCE, SAFETY, AND EXTERNAL GROWTH Looking ahead 12 to 24 months, the vision is 31 BUSINESS VIEW OCEANIA VOLUME 08, ISSUE 02 BARWON ASSET SOLUTIONS
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