Following on from our inaugural Advancing Women in Engineering & Construction (AWEC) Symposium in 2022, and the release of the resultant White Paper, we are excited to reconvene for our second AWEC Symposium on the 2nd of July, 2026. The AWEC initiative is at its core committed to supporting equity for women in their professional careers and is primarily aimed at supporting the development and retention of women in the engineering sector and associated parts of the building & construction industry.
Join us to set the direction – not carry the load!
The 2026 symposium’s tagline of ‘A Collective Voice for Change: Beyond the Barriers’, takes our foundational motivation of centring the experiences and voices of women, and aims to build on this by highlighting current barriers to achieving representation and a more inclusive and diverse profession, whilst also identifying tangible actions that could sustainably overcome these restrictions. Our objective here is for women to guide the way forward, but not be responsible for leading the change.
The full-day schedule is focused around encouraging networking and collaboration throughout, with a series of workshops intended to lead into the development of research topics and improvement initiatives that can prompt further action. Attendees will have access to an impressive range of experts and the unique format of the event will allow smaller group interaction.
Chantelle Bailey is a mum, a wife, and a Māori Pacific woman (Te Rarawa, Ngāpuhi, Ngāti Hāmoa; Lotofaga & Le’auva’a) with over 25 years of experience driving change and navigating large, complex infrastructure projects across engineering and construction. She sees challenges as opportunities, turns pivotal moments into growth, and uses adversity to sharpen her skills. From maintaining aircraft in the Air Force to advisory roles, Chantelle brings technical mastery, strategic insight, and bold, alternative thinking to deliver real-world impact that considers te āpōpō (the future), ngā tangata (people), me te taiao (the environment), all while purposely moving the dial in the sector. She draws on these experiences to inspire people at all career stages to embrace challenges, take risks, and influence the future of the sector.
As a Māori and Pacific leader, she understands the barriers people face in male-dominated industries and is committed to creating pathways for meaningful change. She is passionate about moving the sector from policy and tick-box exercises to action embedded at every layer. Through mentorship, advocacy, and fearless, pragmatic leadership, Chantelle inspires audiences to embrace their potential, challenge assumptions, and influence positive change.
Powrsuit will get us thinking about the labels and language that often have us questioning ourselves and self-policing our voices, and give space to acknowledge the subversions and other harms these classifications can have to the cause.
Nat and Kristen are experienced entrepreneurs. Their last venture, Hatch, revolutionised wealth-building for almost 200,000 people before being acquired for eight figures in 2021. Post-sale, they looked at the 123-year timeline to close the gender leadership gap and thought: We’re not waiting that long.
So they built Powrsuit, a professional development platform for busy women. Today, they have almost 800 members across Australia, NZ, Singapore and beyond. With a philosophy grounded in lived experience and behavioural science, Powrsuit delivers an outsized return on investment for both individuals and organisations.
The powrduo are based in Wellington and occasionally spotted on the trails, in the surf, or at the golf course.
In a rapidly changing world it is critical that we don’t allow ourselves to become locked into seeing our struggle only as it was when we joined the movement. Zina is a champion within our cause that brings with her valuable new perspectives that can expand on our understanding of what we can hope to achieve and what we are up against.
Zina Abu Ali (she/they/ia) is a researcher, storyteller, and DEI practitioner whose work is rooted in social transformation, justice, and lived experience. With a background in architectural engineering, Zina champions inclusive design and re-indigenizing practices across engineering, and infrastructure environments.
Zina has contributed to national studies on equity in the built environment, including Challenges Faced by Women in New Zealand’s Construction Industry: Impact of Demographic Factors, a project examining the persistent gendered barriers faced by women across construction sites and industry workplaces.
Her wider research and storytelling foreground the experiences of queer ethnic young people in Aotearoa New Zealand, with co-authored publications in LGBTQ+ Family, Journal of LGBT Youth, and SAGE. Zina has also held multiple governance roles, beginning as Community Vice President of AUTSA during her studies, and currently serves as an Executive Board Member of Rainbow Auckland, where she continues to advocate for systemic change and inclusive futures.
The Impossible Juggle
Most professionals are told they can have it all, but few are told how to manage the cognitive load of wearing too many hats. This workshop deconstructs the sanity tax paid by those balancing technical delivery, administrative burdens, and personal lives. We will explore practical boundaries and workload negotiation strategies to ensure women's career progression isn't subsidised by their mental health.
Where Lip Service Hurts
There is often a disconnect between corporate DEI promotions and the daily reality of being a minority in the room. This session focuses on the practicalities of being heard when inclusion is treated as a checkbox. We’ll discuss how we can identify when support is merely performative and share tactics for building genuine influence and securing a seat at the table where decisions are actually made.
The Confounding Workload of Intersectional Identities in Engineering
Diversity isn't a monolith. When you occupy multiple minority spaces, the emotional and professional workload compounds. This workshop aims to examine the specific hidden tasks, from code-switching to acting as an unofficial cultural advisor, that drain time and energy. We will discuss how to recognise this additional work and demand it be valued as a professional contribution.
The Meritocracy Belief
In theory, engineering is a meritocracy; in practice, the burden of proof is unevenly distributed. While some enjoy assumed competence, others must arrive with a mountain of ammunition to justify their inclusion in technical spaces and recognition of their expertise. This workshop aims to examine how to navigate this double standard, documenting women's impacts effectively without burning out, and how leaders can begin to spot and correct their own competence biases.
Building more Ladders
Does succeeding within the current system make women trailblazers or agents of the status quo? This session will explore the tension between individual career growth and collective advocacy for women and tackle the dilemma of sticking ones neck out. Participants will be encouraged to share and analyse pathways that have shown success and those that have resulted in frustration, with an aim towards mapping out how to achieve personal success while strategically opening doors for those following behind.
The Feasibilities of Part-time Work
Can you run a major project on three days a week? For too long, part-time has been synonymous with career-stagnation. This workshop looks at successful models of flexible working in technical fields. We will discuss how to redesign workflows, manage stakeholder expectations, and maintain a high-level career trajectory without the requirement of constant physical presence. Presented by Powrsuit
One Woman Succeeding isn't a Strategy
One woman at the top is a victory; a system that reliably produces female leaders is a strategy. This session moves beyond tokenism to define what collective success looks like in the engineering and construction sectors. We want to identify the systemic indicators, beyond headcount, that indicate when the industry has truly shifted from celebrating exceptions to changing expectations.
Bridging Cultural Expectations and Career Progression
In many cultures, questioning authority is a sign of disrespect; in Western corporate environments, it’s often seen as a requirement for leadership. This workshop explores the clash between migrant cultural values and the assertiveness expected in New Zealand workplaces. We will share strategies for navigating this tension that could help migrant professionals find their voice and helping managers broaden their definition of what leadership potential looks like.
Claiming Proven
Everyone wants more women in leadership, but no one is redefining leadership for women. The template for a leader remains stubbornly masculine. This workshop explores how to claim and wield power without being forced into a traditional command-and-control mould. We will discuss how to value and institutionalise different leadership traits, such as collaborative empathy and horizontal influence, as proven capabilities.
Moving Equity Beyond the Hype Cycle
Does equity need to be fashionable to be funded? Drawing on the outcomes of the AWEC white paper, this session reflects on the trend-cycles of DEI. We will discuss how to ensure that the drive for equity becomes a permanent structural fixture of the industry, rather than a fleeting corporate interest that fades when the next big thing arrives, or the political cycle swings.
Keen to add your voice to the collective?
REGISTER TODAY
Cost $170 +GST per person
Registration is open to all
If you have any question – please get in touch at AWECNZ@gmail.com
Registration includes full day attendance, morning tea, lunch, afternoon tea.
Alongside civil and structural engineers in particular, we also welcome architects, regulatory officials, and project managers and any others working/or worked previously in a technical role associated with the built environment.
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Diversity Agenda
PO Box 10247, The Terrace, Wellington, 6143
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