New women in water leadership programs
by Water Source
Two new initiatives aim to equip women with the skills they need to be leaders in the water sector.
The courses, from the Victorian Government and the International Water Centre (IWC), are aimed at women in middle to senior management roles who are ready to take the next step in their career.
Although women account for more than 50% of water sector board positions in Victoria, they occupy just 20% of managing director and CEO roles in water corporations and catchment management authorities.
Victorian water minister Lisa Neville said the government's 12-month Insight: Executive Leadership for Women in Water program aims to redress this imbalance and make water businesses more reflective of the communities they serve.
“Our water corporations and catchment management authorities are better organisations thanks to greater gender diversity at board level, and it’s now time to extend this to executive roles,” Neville said.
“This is about equipping our water sector with the right people and expertise to do its job for the community and protect Victoria’s water security.”
The program will support and guide women working in water and related fields to prepare them for future executive roles, with women in smaller and rural organisations particularly urged to apply.
“I encourage women who are ready and wanting to move into managing director and chief executive officer roles in our water sector to participate in this exciting program,” Neville said.
The IWC's Leadership for Executive Women in Water is a short course that was developed to addresses the unique challenges women in leadership face within the context of the water sector.
Women from all types of organisations (water authorities, utilities, NGOs and government) are encouraged to participate.
Applications for the Victorian program close on 3 October. For more information, click here.
The Australian Water Association runs the Channeling Change program to promote diversity in the water sector. Click here to find out more.
