WA/AA SETS PROGRESSIVE AGENDA AT SUMMIT
WA/AA SETS PROGRESSIVE AGENDA AT SUMMIT
At the inaugural Women in Aviation/Aerospace National Summit in Melbourne recently, industry leaders committed to a number of key initiatives to dramatically improve diversity in the sector.
Chairman of Aviation/Aerospace Australia, Adam Burford opened proceedings by announcing the association aims to achieve a minimum of 30 per cent of women on the board by mid next year; and then a further increase to a minimum of 50 per cent by the end of 2014.
Director of Domestic and International Programs, A/AA, Tamara Bell said the summit was an important beginning for the industry's drive to attract more women into aviation and identify pathways to develop and promote women into leadership roles in the industry.
Outcomes of the Summit
/ Women in Aviation and Aerospace working group to steward and drive the key initiatives of change
/ Mentoring program for leaders to help develop women in the industry
/ Aviation/Aerospace Champions of Change group facilitate change in their networks
/ Education program for primary, secondary schools and tertiary levels, greater representation at university open days
/ Data bank of women in aviation
/ Senior executive briefing program
/ Partnerships with other like minded associations in the sector, including Women in Aviation International & Australian Women’s Pilots Association
/ Retention program to keep and develop women in the industry
Commander Trish Beckman, Flight Test Director, Boeing Test & Evaluation
Carolyn Nichols, Australia F/A-18F and EA-18G Program Manager, The Boeing Company
Group Captain Margot Forster, Director Personnel Coordination, Royal Australia Air Force
Leah Gray, Consultant, Audrey Page
Cathy Riach, Recruitment and Resourcing Manager, BAE Systems Australia
Strategies for Gender Diversity and Career Management Panel
Kirsty Bateman, Project Design Authority, Thales
Tracy Lamb, Airline Pilot, Virgin Australia and RMIT University UAS Research Team
Flight Lieutenant Sarah-Jane Leech, Pilot Systems Instructor, Royal Australian Air Force
Sally Fielke, General Manager, Corporate Affairs, Sydney Airport
Larissa Tilley-Smith, General Manager, Bankstown Site Leader, Boeing Aerostructures Australia
Merren McArthur,Group Executive, Virgin Australia Regional Airlines
Role of industry in changing the status quo panel
Jim Carden, Executive General Manager, Government Relations NBN Co and Director, Aviation/Aerospace Australia
Michelle Fitzgerald, Partner Management Consultancy, PwC
Cindy Sfeir, Project Manager, Project Development Services Team, Jones Lang LaSalle
Yolanda Vega, Executive Director, Australian Women Chamber of Commerce and Industry
Adam Burford, Vice President, Air Traffic Management, Thales Australia and Chairman Aviation/Aerospace Australia
Kathryn Fagg, Boardmember, Reserve Bank of Australia
Cathy Riach, Recruitment and Resourcing Manger, BAE Systems Australia
Captain Deborah Lawrie, Airline Pilot, TigerAir
Session: What other sectors are doing
Session: Importance of role models
Where we’ve come from – Captain Deborah Lawrie – First women to become a pilot with a major Australia airline
Assoc. Prof Tom Steiner RMIT University and Dr Asintha Nanayakkara, DSTO