A new partnership, believed to be the first of its kind for rural communities, aims to give regional women the tools to ensure their career sustainability across country Western Australia and beyond.
The partnership – between Curtin University and the Rural, Regional and Remote Women’s Network of WA – plans to collect data on contemporary careers in the regions and the challenges of the job market.
Head of Curtin’s School of Management and Marketing, Julia Richardson said the collaboration would equip rural, regional and remote women with the skills and knowledge to build and enhance their short and long-term career sustainability in the regions and beyond.
“Research shows that women are less likely to apply for a position or even consider it unless they think they can fulfil all of, or at least 80 per cent of, the criteria in the job advertisement, compared to men,” Professor Richardson (pictured) said.
“This ‘self-policing’ means that they deny themselves opportunities which could turn out to be very rewarding and developmental.”
She said that while there might be some limitations for face-to-face job opportunities in country areas, there were likely to be more jobs with a requirement for, or flexibility to work virtually, at least two-to-three days a week in the future.
“Given this greater flexibility and changing technology means that rural, regional and remote communities are no longer as ‘remote’ as they used to be,” Prof Richardson said.
“There will also be new opportunities for regional women to gain jobs in healthcare, agriculture, regional tourism and the tech industry.”
Experts from Curtin, along with industry and local community groups, will facilitate a series of targeted workshops that also include industry networking and peer-mentoring.
The program, which begins in May, also provides a foundation for future research, exploring career opportunities and trajectories in rural, regional and remote communities (RRR).
Information about the RRR network can be found at this PS News link.
