Cowboys turn pink for Women in Manufacturing

The Queensland Government are looking to lower the testosterone in manufacturing, pleading with women to apply for the many vacant jobs on offer, with mum-friendly hours and more.

Wholesale bakery business Jean-Pierre CEO Sylvie Danoy with Townsville MP Adam Baille with a Women in Manufacturing Round game ball.

The Queensland Government is looking to lower the testosterone in manufacturing, pleading with women to apply for the many vacant jobs on offer.

The state’s efforts to injecting females into heavy industry have even led to them paying for their initiative, Women in Manufacturing, to be the match day sponsor of Saturday night’s Cowboys v Tigers clash.

Sylvie Danoy works as CEO of Garbutt-based wholesale bakery business Jean-Pierre, and said the bakery’s numbers were starting to approach a 50/50 split and they were seeing the benefits.

“When we employ people, we look for attitude,” Ms Danoy said.

“40 per cent of our workforce is women and our leadership positions, our head pastry chef and head baker, are also women.”

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Naturally making their workplace attractive to 100 per cent of the population, rather than just 50 per cent, has helped the business find talent.

“We have one woman who started with us as a night packer, then she did a baking apprenticeship with us and has become our head baker,” Ms Danoy said.

“We’ve got another lady who’s just come back from raising her children. She was looking for a job and is now working as a day packer with us, she has full ownership over her section and she loves it.”

Wholesale bakery business Jean-Pierre CEO Sylvie Danoy with Townsville MP Adam Baillie with a Women in Manufacturing Round game ball.

Ms Danoy said at the wholesale bakery, they were interested in “anyone from 15 years old to 72” - but there were some jobs that still suited men best.

“Our pastry section is one-third women, but our bakery is 20 per cent women and that’s because the bakery jobs require a lot of physical strength and it was very hard work for women there,” she said.

“But at the end of the day, the manufacturing industry is changing. It’s becoming less hands on and more about operating machinery.”

Townsville MP Adam Baillie worked as an electrician before he stepped into politicians last year, and supported the Women in Manufacturing push coming from the state.

“I’ve spent the majority of my career in the trades and around heavy industries, and in general women have a better eye for detail,” Mr Baillie said.

“Adding women to a male-dominated space can have a great benefit.”

Hiring women not only unlocks a bigger potion of the workforce, but it can also improve the culture at the workplace and more cohesive teams.

Manufacturing Minister Dale Last, NRLW Cowboys player and TAFE student Makenzie Weale and Cowboys chief executive Jeff Reibel at TAFE Bohle campus, Townsville.

Manufacturing minister Dale Last attended a Women in Manufacturing breakfast at the stadium on Friday, May 30, alongside Ms Danoy and Mr Baillie.

“Manufacturing is significant for the Queensland economy,” Minister Last said.

“From small little workshops in backyards, to sugar mills.”

A quick look at job openings in Townsville shows Autocare Services Pty Ltd is looking for three people to held manage their holding yard in Bohle, Haynes is looking for someone willing to get a forklift ticket (and happened to use a picture of two women in hi-vis on their advertisement), and even Newscorp was advertising for a flat wrapper willing to work casual three to four hour nightshifts in their print centre.

Originally published as Cowboys turn pink for Women in Manufacturing