‘Girls with Hi Vis’ East Coast event a big success

Between 40 and 50 East Coast girls took part in the hands-on Girls With Hi Vis day in Ruatōria, getting to grips with a range of civil construction equipment and skills. Photo / Brennan Thomas / Strike Photography

A group of East Coast girls tried their hands at various civil construction skills at the Connexis Girls With Hi Vis event.

Hosted by Kat Kawai and Tairāwhiti Contractors, the event drew close to 40 female students from several local schools - Te Waha o Rerekohu Area School, Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o Kawakawa Mai Tawhiti, Ngata Memorial College and Te Kura Kaupapa Māori o te Waiu o Ngāti Porou.

“They tried out working with heavy transport [vehicles] like truck and trailer units, loaders, diggers and graders, as well as traffic management skills,” a spokeswoman for the event said.

Heavy machinery - not a problem for this East Coast student in the driver's seat at the Connexis Girls With Hi Vis event. Photo / Brennan Thomas / Strike Photography

“Girls with Hi Viz (GWHV) is an initiative by infrastructure industry training provider Connexis.

“As part of GWHV, throughout May and June, female secondary school students from around the country will take part in industry experience days,” she said.

“They will be on-site with companies in the civil infrastructure, electrical supply and water industries, and at some of the country’s major infrastructure projects and assets like wind farms, hydro power stations, highway construction [sites] and water treatment plants.”

The event started in 2015 in the electrical supply sector with just 50 students.

“It then grew to include the civil construction and water sectors in 2016,” the spokeswoman said.

“This year more than 800 students are expected to attend close to 50 events around the country.”

The event on the East Coast was described as “very successful”.

“The girls who attended in Ruatōria were pretty excited and really engaged.”