Tides are changing in the Australian transport industry. Traditionally, it has been a predominantly male sector, but as we continue to progress to a more equal future, some of its biggest achievers behind the wheel, at executive level, and everywhere in between, do not fit that traditional mould.
As the industry continues to evolve, education and information for those already embedded within it becomes more and more important. Teletrac Navman’s InRoads Diversity and Inclusion Program is one of the flagship enterprises in this space and is empowering individuals and organisations in the sector with the tools and knowledge to ensure anyone and everyone can comfortably take their seat at the table and contribute to the progression of one of Australia’s great pathways.
Eather Group Executive Manager Sally-Ann Eather, Eather Group driver Billie-Jean Poihipi and JATEC Transport General Manager Caitlin Barlow are three key players within this space and are shining examples that diversity can thrive in the transport sector once the opportunity is grasped.
Eather, Poihipi and Barlow sat down with ATN to discuss how the sector can continue to evolve, and what needs to change to ensure everyone is given the opportunity to prove their worth.
DW: I want to ask a general question to start off with. The transport and logistics industry is traditionally quite a male-dominated sector. How do you think the goalposts are moving in terms of women coming into the industry and thriving?
Sally Ann Eather (SAE): The first thing I’m going to say is I think that some of the language needs to evolve. So, for example, you’ve just said male dominated. If we’re looking for a diverse industry, nobody likes to be dominated. If we could use language such as ‘predominantly’ male, I think that makes the environment more welcoming for everyone and creates an equal power environment.
It’s not necessarily the women that need to change. It’s the men in the industry that need to change as well. I think it’s the focus needs to be more on the men changing and, for example, looking at the language that they might be using, or sexist terminologies – that kind of thing, and making sure that it’s decent conversations that they’re having to people with decent tones and in a respectful manner.
Billie-Jean Poihipi (BJP): To be honest, I don’t think the industry has changed. I think women have adjusted to being a truck driver, like here I see myself as ‘one of the boys’. We’re thriving, but in our own way. We do exactly the same things the men do – sometimes better.
I’m not saying it’s a feminine role or it’s not, but sometimes you have to adjust the way you drive or adjust the way you speak to other drivers because otherwise they’ll run all over you or take advantage of you because you’re a girl but, to be honest, we’re adjusting as fast as the industry is changing.
Caitlin Barlow (CB): There are some physical barriers that drivers face. In my instance, we’ve got a one female driver, Tiffany. Access to female bathrooms has been a massive challenge for us, and I’ve had to call around to different sites to ask them to either give her access or have it available. Some of them lost the key years ago, and no one’s accessed the toilet since then. Some of them don’t have any, and some of them only have women’s bathrooms inside the office. Sometimes even little things as simple as going to the bathroom can be a challenge.
DW: I’m sure you’re all aware Transport Women Australia has been made a member association of the ATA. How do you think having women more broadly seen in the industry and having a seat at the decision-making level will help in meeting some of these issues?
SAE: I think some of the challenges in being diverse in women and culturally is that lack of awareness, and that does lead to issues like progression and lack of representation and things like that.
For the ATA to recognise Transport Women Australia as one of their member associations, is fantastic. It shows women have a seat at the table in this industry, and the ATA takes that seriously. I think it’s also perfect timing in line with the changes about the psychosocial hazards. So, for Eather, being an employer of choice for diversity, we can create a psychologically safe environment internally, but there’s only so much that we can do externally, especially when the industry has been predominantly male. I think it’s perfect timing for the ATA to recognise that, because it’s legislated now about psychosocial hazards, so it’s representing women within the industry on that executive level, and those changes will filter down now as well.
DW: In this whole conversation so far we’ve been talking about barriers for women coming into the industry and changes that need to be made. It’s obvious to see how passionate you all are about this issue, so what mentorship initiatives or support initiatives have you been implementing, championing or experiencing during your journeys?
SAE: We have informal and formal arrangements. Right now, our pathway to becoming a truck driver is informal, but we’d like to have that formalised in our business. We’ve created entry level pathways where we can help people get a white card, so they can plug in at literally any stage.
We’ve just invested about a million dollars to buy four HR tipper trucks, eight wheelers. We’ve created those pathways where we can assist people to upgrade to get the HC or the manual. We’d like to formalise that with a Certificate III in Transport.
What’s been really nice is seeing the more experienced drivers assist those coming through that pathway to learn the art form of driving. It’s one thing to get a licence, but there’s a lot to it. One of the support initiatives has been enrolling the rest of our staff to create that psychologically safe environment.
Some of our staff are also involved in external mentoring programs, so I’m a mentor and some of our staff and operators are mentees. We’re trying to create that whole support network around our staff.
CB: The first, formal thing we do at JATEC is in partnership with the ATA and Teletrac Navman with the new InRoads program. It’s a lot of training around different aspects of diversity and inclusion, and it’s a really important training we’ve implemented.
We’re working through it with our company to bring awareness to the different aspects of inclusion and how to leverage that. Then, we do things like learning barbecues and family days, and I’ve found it’s those informal things that are the best place to foster inclusivity because you’re getting to know everyone outside of the stresses of work, and away from that you get to know about them and their families. Things like that have been key to fostering an inclusive environment within our team.
I also believe there is an important sentiment in breaking the stereotype of what a woman in transport has to ‘look’ like, and my mentor Phillipa Wood has been crucial for me. The first time I met Phillipa, I was struck by her professionalism, elegance, and confidence. They way she presented herself completely broke my perception of what a person in the transport industry had to look like. Phillipa opened my mind to the idea that you don’t need to fit into a specific mould to be successful in this field.
Over the years, Phillipa has become a mentor and friend. Her support has been a source of motivation and encouragement and helped me navigate challenges and pursue growth opportunities as a woman in industry. I’m incredibly grateful for her influence, and she continues to inspire me to make the industry more inclusive for future generations of women.
DW: Taking a step back, Billie have you as a driver experienced some of these programs, and what do you love about the industry?
BJP: I just cannot work in an office, it’s not for me. I like being a driver, I like having my own space, just being out on the road and doing my thing at everyone on the radio.
I just recently upgraded, I went from a HC auto to a HC manual so I now drive a Kenworth T909 Road Ranger. I’ve learnt so much here and I’m so grateful they’ve given me the opportunity to be a driver. Everywhere else I went they wouldn’t give me a chance because I had no experience. I came here with nothing, no experience, and I’m here now.
DW: What’s the biggest change that needs to happen in the industry to attract women and diverse people to the transport industry, and what do you think needs to happen to foster that change?
SAE: I think the first thing is making the industry visible, especially to young people. Conversations I’ve had with young people at careers expos have often centred around them not really knowing the transport industry was an option. There’s so much noise to go to uni, or to become this or that, so we’ve got to fight for attention amongst all the noise and distraction. People don’t realise that within this industry there are so many avenues a person can take.
CB: I enjoy explaining to students just how fast the career progression can be if you choose to be a driver. I have a little graph that shows you taking the four-year course on minimum wage, and then how you can progress through the licence stages and how much you can make.
Compare that to uni where you have to pay a HECS debt, you can be 21 and earning really good money driving a truck and not have to worry about that debt. I love that low barrier to entry, and it’s key that people know about it.
BJP: What made the career appealing for me is I didn’t have to go to uni or TAFE, the career and the money is literally sitting there waiting for you to go and get it.
DW: You’re all involved in different areas of the transport industry, you’re all at different stages of your career, and you all have different experiences and perspectives. What would you say to advise a young woman or diverse person who might be considering a career in the transport industry, but just doesn’t know how to get started.
CB: You just have to have a go at it and understand you can do it. From my perspective, the transport industry is like one big family and everyone is here to help you out.
I’ve worked in a lot of different industries in my past and was quite gobsmacked when I came here, because everyone is trying to help out and give you a helping hand. Knowledge is shared openly and if someone can help you get a leg up, they tend to help.
I think it can be quite daunting for people to reach out and ask someone if they’ll give them a go, but the people are so welcoming. As much as we’re having this discussion now about how to make the industry more inclusive, the people are great and we’re all learning together. Once you’re in, you’re in, you just have to have the courage to reach out.
SAE: Just get started. It could be as simple as a 15-year-old who is working at a truck yard on a Saturday to understand the environment, the lingo and some of the career pathways.
They might spend time with the mechanic, or wash the trucks, or spend time with allocations, and it opens up. You just need to take action, particularly if you’re a woman. Just go in, take your space, and hold it. If we don’t do that it isn’t going to be given to us, but we’re all welcome here, we just have to be confident and give it a go.
Read more ATN:
Daimler Trucks opens new Geelong dealership
Netstar Australia opens new APAC head office
ATA welcomes NSW speed camera trial