“Arriving in a new country without local construction experience was a huge challenge. At first, it felt impossible. But having people believe in me changed everything, and eventually, gave me the chance to start again here in Australia.” Thanks to the team at Wingate, we were honoured to hear Hickory building cadet Manizha Shirzad share her incredible journey. From war-torn Afghanistan to contributing to major construction projects in Melbourne. Her story is a powerful reminder of resilience, opportunity, and the impact of believing in people. With support from the Building & Construction Foundation, Manizha has joined Hickory and is now playing a vital role in delivering our 50 Queens Road project. At Hickory, we’re committed to supporting initiatives that break down financial and social barriers, helping individuals access the tools and opportunities they need to succeed in construction. Learn more about the incredible work the Foundation is doing for our industry: https://lnkd.in/gb6g4ydy
Last week, the Building & Construction Foundation was honoured to join Wingate, as the charity partner at their annual End of Year Luncheon, where the incredible generosity in the room helped raise $18,000 through raffle ticket sales. These funds will help more people facing financial and social barriers to access education, training and real pathways into the construction industry. Our Chair George Abraham shared the impact of the Foundation’s work and why community and industry backing is vital to building a more inclusive, diverse and future-ready construction workforce. Our Executive Director Sara Abraham then joined Manizha Shirzad, one of our support recipients, for a conversation about her journey. Manizha came to Australia from Afghanistan with a construction degree but faced major barriers having her skills recognised and finding work. Referred to the Foundation by Wingate’s Mark Harrison, she received advocacy and wrap-around support and is now working in a cadet role with Hickory, rebuilding her life and career here in Australia. Thank you, Wingate and their event partners Hamilton Locke, Ready Media Group, Marsh and Newpoint Advisory, for inviting us to be part of such a special event and for your genuine commitment to creating opportunity in our industry, and to prize sponsors: Levantine Hill Estate, ALTIS, and Saint Haven. A heartfelt thank-you to Manizha for sharing her story, Vinage Customs Signage for their continued support of our media and printing needs and to our wonderful volunteers, including Suzanne Jones, Karlie Hunter, Thomas Hoffman, Daniel Mazzei, Samuel Mazzei, Jessica Carter, Nina D’Angelo, Veronica Roberts, Hayley Roberts, Abbey Glassenbury, Dale Kennedy, Andy Ridings, Belle Ridings, Millie Ridings, Emily Cosgriff, Lucia Trindade, Amy Holland, Pranali Dhoke, Tayaba Hakim, Shakira Dharmasena, Vincent Jiang, who gave their time and energy to make the day such a success. If you or your organisation would like to support as a donor or scholarship sponsor, include us as charity partners/beneficiaries at one of your events, or get involved through work experience, employment pathways, mentoring or pro bono support, we’d love to connect. Together, we can create opportunity and build the future of a stronger, more inclusive construction industry. #BCFoundation #Wingate #CommunityImpact #MakeADifference #ConstructionIndustry #WomenInConstruction #FutureWorkforce #BuildTheFuture
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