Driving Gender Equity at Transport

Welcome to the Transport Women in Leadership Site. This is a space for you to find information, tools and resources about gender equity, and collaborate and connect with other people across the cluster.

For information about our commitment to driving gender equity, key programs and initiatives and our discussion board, you can visit the pages under 'Key Information'. For upcoming events, announcements and articles of interest, check out the 'What's New' board below.

This page is for you, so we encourage you to share your suggestions for what you would like to see more of on the discussion board.

Inclusion and Diversity Team

Welcome to the Transport Women in Leadership Site. This is a space for you to find information, tools and resources about gender equity, and collaborate and connect with other people across the cluster.

For information about our commitment to driving gender equity, key programs and initiatives and our discussion board, you can visit the pages under 'Key Information'. For upcoming events, announcements and articles of interest, check out the 'What's New' board below.

This page is for you, so we encourage you to share your suggestions for what you would like to see more of on the discussion board.

Inclusion and Diversity Team

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    Darkness to Daylight - Jo Withford

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    It was wonderful to be apart of TfNSW's Darkness to Daylight Team for 2020. My goal was to walk/run 110km in October and I achieved 135km and raised $573.00 towards raising awareness for Domestic and Family Violence - what an important cause. Thank you to everyone for your support and encouragement.

    Jo Withford, Project Engineer, Regional and Outer Metropolitan

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    Darkness to Daylight Challenge - Samiha Najem

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    "For me joining a cause as important as this one - is to unequivocally show support in raising awareness on this important issue. If I (we) can in any small way make a difference and improve the outcome for others that don't have the opportunity to have that voice/stance, then that is all the more reason to step up, do more and stand behind this. There is still a lot more that needs to be done."

    Samiha Najem, Associate Director System Integrity, Engineering & Maintenance, Sydney Trains

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    Darkness to Daylight Challenge - Transport team

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    This past October 2020, a team of 22 Transport employees took part in the Darkness to Daylight Challenge to raise awareness and funds for Domestic Family Violence and Abuse (DFVA) prevention. It was a 110km run or walk, which each km symbolising on average the lives lost to DFVA in Australia each year. A whopping $10,331 was raised, well over our target of $3,000.

    Money raised will go towards not-for-profit organisation Australia's CEO Challenge (ACEOC), so they can continue their work in supporting workplaces to support those affected. Transport has partnered with ACEOC to run a pilot DFVA learning program with 117 people across our cluster in August 2020. It will also ensure that they can continue to build their partnerships program which has positive impacts for frontline services including women’s refuges, men’s behavioural change programs and DFVA frontline services.

    Together, we can bring the issue of DFVA out of the darkness and into the daylight.

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    Happy Father's Day

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    Happy Father's Day to all of our dads across our Transport family! Have a great day on Sunday.

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    Inspiring Women in Conversation Series

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    Have you heard about our new 'Inspiring Women in Conversation Series'? People & Culture have been running a fortnightly interview series with some of our fantastic women across our Transport cluster as part of our 'Inspiring Women in Conversation Series, aka 'Leaders on the Virtual Lounge' and we'd love to have you along! It's an initiative to connect our future female leaders with today's Transport leaders in the comfort of their lounge room, via an interview-led, informal and personal conversation via MS Teams. Find out more here https://www.stayinformed.com.au/inspiring-women-in-conversation


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    Congratulations to our Women in Industry!

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    We’re proud and delighted (and not at all surprised! 😃) that Nadine Youssef (pictured) has received the Safety Advocate Award in this year’s Women in Industry Awards for her outstanding contribution to safety in Sydney Trains.

    Congratulations also to Sonja Malcolm, Noelani Reardon, Jo Withford, Lidija Dumbaloska and Camilla Drover who were all recognised as finalists in this year’s awards for their leadership and commitment in their respective sectors. Acknowledgement of their contributions across Transport shines a well-deserved light on our industry as a great career choice for other women. 👍 Congratulations as well to all of the finalists and winners.

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    Kids Virtual School Holiday Programs

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    School holidays coming up and stuck at home? Cure at-home blues and enrol your little one into a super fun and educational virtual school holiday program! An activity kit with all the resources needed for your chosen programs will be delivered to you, and qualified teachers will be online the entire session to assist when needed. Find out more here: https://www.redballoon.com.au/product/kids-virtual-school-holiday-programs---kidsco---5-days/KSC063-M.html

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    Meet Celine Chakhtoura | Inspiring Women in Engineering

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    1. Tell us what you do at Transport

    I am a Transport Planning Coordinator, working in the Temporary Transport Planning Team in charge of organising rail replacement services for the Bankstown line that is

    to be upgraded to metro standards for the Sydney Metro Project.


    2. What's your proudest moment?


    The Sydney Light Rail Project was the first big transport project I worked on, the day it opened to the public has been the best moment of my career so far.

    Similarly, when Sydney Metro Southwest opens I will be thinking back on the amount of work my team and I performed and will feel extremely happy and proud of having been part of such an iconic transport project.

    3. What advice do you have for other women thinking about a career in Engineering?

    I ended up in Engineering not only because mathematics was my favourite subject at school but also because I wanted to be able to see the end result of my work and contribute to the development and improvement of the city I live in. If this sounds like you, go for it !! J

    4. How can we transform the future of women in engineering?

    I think we should change some of the ways we tend to approach gender diversity in engineering.

    For example, I strongly disagree with the measures one of Sydney’s universities has been wanting to implement by lowering engineering ATR entry bar to “encourage” gender diversity and I am sure a lot of women agree with me.

    I am also not really in favour of quotas, as it seems to be somewhat devaluing the true reasons why someone is the right person for a particular job (right skills, right experience etc.) – but I might be wrong, that is another debate.

    5. Tell us something that people may not know about you?

    I was born and raised in Tahiti in French Polynesia. It is a beautiful island with an amazing tropical culture, but transportation is highly unsustainable. Public transport is extremely poor and non-existent at times. Along with my studies in urban planning, this background has developed my passion for reliable, effective and sustainable public transportation.

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    Meet Marina Chambers | Inspiring Women in Engineering

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    1. Tell us what you do at Transport

    I am a Senior Systems Assurance Engineer deployed on the Digital Systems Program within Infrastructure & Place.

    2. What's your proudest moment?

    My proudest moment was being a part of the successful delivery 3 projects under the More Trains, More Services Stage 1 Program as a Site Engineer. It’s rewarding seeing something you’ve been working on be successfully implemented and operated, and knowing you played a role in its delivery.

    3. What advice do you have for other women thinking about a career in Engineering?

    - Engineering is a field where you will always challenge yourself. Resilience is not a skill we are born with, but it’s a skill we all need. Spend time developing yourself. Your success starts with you.

    - If you have a passion for engineering, drive it because it’s rewarding. At the end of every milestone, you know you have made a difference.

    4. How can we transform the future of women in engineering?

    We all have a part to play in transforming the future of women in engineering. Let’s recognise our successes, let’s support each other. Most importantly, if you see unacceptable behaviour call it out, even if you’re not involved.

    5. Tell us something that people may not know about you?

    I have a dog who is bigger than me, and is also named after Ghost from Game of Thrones. I spend my Sunday nights, meal prepping for him.

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    Meet Jia Li | Inspiring Women in Engineering

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    1. Tell us what you do at Transport

    I’m a Project Manager responsible for delivery and development of rail systems projects, including traction power, track and signalling. I manage all phases of the project life cycle and am heavily involved in technical management, commercial management and of course management of staff, stakeholders and delivery contractors.

    2. What's your proudest moment?

    Successfully commissioning a design and construct high voltage feeder project after only 3.5months from project kick off. This was achieved by thinking outside the box, open and honest communications with all stakeholders, close collaboration with Sydney Trains colleagues and our alliance delivery partners, and gaining the trust and support of internal colleagues.

    3. What advice do you have for other women thinking about a career in Engineering?

    If you enjoy challenging your brain and using logic, creativity and interpersonal skills to solve problems, then a career in Engineering and Project Management is for you.

    You never know where a degree in Engineering may take you as it opens doors to a world of opportunities. Employers love hiring Engineers for their lateral thinking and problem solving abilities, which are qualities valued in any industry.

    To give you some of my personal experiences, I’ve been lucky enough to work on the delivery of many very different types of projects such as petrol station reconfigurations, Chatswood Chase redevelopment, firing range upgrades at Liverpool Military Area, submarine shore services upgrades and wharf dredging projects at Garden Island, the new Chalmers Street and Lee Street Traction Substations as well as business case development work on the current More Trains More Services 2 and 3 programs.

    So if you can’t bear the thought of being stuck in a mundane job that repeats day after day, a career in Engineering is the answer.

    4. How can we transform the future of women in engineering?

    I believe the key is to instil interest in STEM subjects from a very young age, from the selection of STEM toys to parents and caregivers role modelling a keen interest in how the world around them works, and having strong female role models at home and/or in school.

    Similarly, having strong female role models, female leadership presence and women in engineering advocates in the workplace also goes a long way to creating an environment conducive to promoting the desired cultural shifts.

    Transport’s flexible work practices and inclusive culture has certainly been one of the key reasons why I enjoy coming to work every day.

    5. Tell us something that people may not know about you?

    My first job out of uni was a Project Engineer at Caltex where I was responsible for developing the first set of storage and handling procedures for E10 Unleaded, then engaging contractors to roll it out to the first 30 Caltex petrol stations in NSW and QLD. I believe those storage and handling procedures are still used today, 14 years on.

Page last updated: 03 Sep 2020, 03:40 PM