Recognition by the 2019 Women in Industry Awards

Co-owner Trish Chapallaz has been recognised as a finalist in the 2019 Women in Industry Awards in the category Mentor of the Year.   

The awards acknowledge women who have achieved success through their leadership, innovation and commitment to their sector and drive change by breaking down barriers and creating new possibilities for the next generation.  Trish has been involved in many formal and informal mentoring initiatives for women as part of her commitment to supporting women in industry.

Mentoring initiatives

Trish’s passion to empower others is demonstrated by her lifelong mentoring of staff, students, teachers, managers and business owners.  She committed significant time to a mentoring program for female secondary school students to develop their professional and interpersonal skills, expanded their horizons, improved their knowledge and assisted them to consider their future career journey.   She also facilitated the training program for business women to prepare them in their mentoring role and participated as a mentor to the students.  Trish formally participates as a mentor in the Australian Women in Resources Alliance (AWRA) e-Mentoring Program.  Mentoring was identified as a means to achieve greater participation and advancement of women working in these industries; however remote locations, complex rosters and a shortage of women peers has highlighted a need for an alternative to traditional mentoring programs such as regular skye, email and phone contact.   Trish is also listed in the Clean Energy Council’s “Women in Renewable’s Speakers Guide”

Challenges of working in an environment with limited gender diversity 

Trish understands the challenges of working in an environment with limited gender diversity and encourages and empowers women to trust their own judgement by drawing attention to the way they are approaching issues, challenges, changes and communication.  She believes mentoring at the earliest age can build a woman’s belief in her capabilities and get them engaged in building their skills and networks and overcoming obstacles.   When mentees face challenges, Trish encourages solution-based thinking rather than staying focussed on the problem.  Identifying and acknowledging when certain facts or people cannot be changed, particularly gender bias attitudes, enables the mentee to focus on what they can have control over and how to formulate successful strategies to overcome these challenges.

Award announcement

The award winners will be announced on Thursday 6 June 2019 at The Park, Albert Park Lake in Melbourne

Other Finalists in the 2019 Mentor of the Year category

Amber Burdett-Dow – Customer Experience Program Manager, BOCCeleste Ward – Process Engineer, StanceClaire Bennett – Principal Engineer, AECOMKristi Mandich – Projects Director, Varley GroupKylie Fraser – President FMGC, LinfoxMelanie Stewart – Principal Manager Corporate Communications, Roads and Maritime ServicesNada Zahr – Learning & Development Manager, CSR LimitedStefanie King – GM Engineerings Varley Vehicles, Varley Group