44. Real Talk for Real Change - Improving Diversity in Engineering and Construction with Steph Alekna

Building Doors with Lauren Karan

Stephanie Alekna is the Regional Construction Manager for Keller and has a wealth of experience in the civil contracting industry built over the past 10 years.

With over a decade of experience in the construction industry, Steph's expertise spans various roles, particularly in the Foundation and Ground Engineering sectors across Australia. Through reflecting on her journey through pregnancy, raising a family and building a life and career in the construction industry at the same time, Stephanie provides valuable lessons on fostering diversity and inclusion in engineering and construction.

Here we leave no stone unturned and unpack some of the real challenges of balance, flexibility and ways we can get creative to build more opportunities for an inclusive workforce and industry.

Some of the points we cover incude:

• Empowering Female Leaders: Strategies for nurturing leadership among women in the industry.
• How Inclusivity Drives Diversity: The importance of inclusivity as a driver for diversity.
• Early Education and Attraction: Shaping perceptions of engineering and construction starting in primary school.
• Breaking Barriers and Stereotypes: Challenging the notion that construction is a "man's job."
• Balancing Work and Family: The significance of creating family-friendly work environments.
• Post-Motherhood Adaptation: Embracing changes and the new normal after maternity leave.
• Leadership Transformation: Shifting from a doer to a supportive leadership role to empower teams.
• Valuing Autonomy: Defining and fostering autonomy within teams.
• Attracting Talent: Making the industry more appealing to a diverse pool of talent.
• Innovative Work Models: Introducing job sharing, reshaping roles, and changing roster norms to enhance flexibility.

In this special bonus episode of "Building Doors," we reflect on the path to creating a more inclusive and attractive construction industry.

Discover how these changes can benefit not only the industry but also society as a whole.

Tune in to hear real stories and practical insights on driving meaningful change in the construction and engineering sectors.

Let's build a more diverse and inclusive future together.

You can connect with the inspiring Stephanie Alekna on Linked In to learn more about her personal journey too.

About your host:

Lauren Karan, Director, and Founder of Karan & Co.

With over a decade of experience as a recruiter and development coach, Lauren Karan found that her priorities rapidly changed after the birth of her two children. In 2022 she founded Karan & Co flipping the out-dated recruitment model with a focus on retention through career coaching and development.

Lauren believes that If opportunity doesn’t knock, you have to build a door – and it’s this same philosophy that inspired her to create the Building Doors podcast.
The Building Doors podcast is for anyone undergoing a transformation in their life. Regardless of whether you feel stuck in your current role, need some inspiration on what steps to take next, want to learn how to level up as a business owner or simply want to listen to the experiences of successful entrepreneurs and industry professionals, the Building Doors podcast is all about unlocking your potential.

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Time to stop waiting and start building…

In case you missed it:

You can listen to our previous episode #buildingdoorspodcast

👋 To say hello, provide feedback, or express interest in a guest appearance on The Building Doors Podcast get in touch with us at [e-mail].