This International Women's Day theme is #InspireInclusion, which is something the team at Midland Brick aim to do each and every day.
'Inspiring inclusion' to us means to give everyone equal opportunity to be involved and to learn and grow in a safe environment.
To celebrate the work of some of our staff at Midland Brick, we'd like to introduce a few women who are all embracing the challenges of working in a male-dominated industry and making their mark.
Larissa's paving the way for a safe and inclusive work environment
After having worked in safety for almost 20 years within the logistics and heavy manufacturing industries, Larissa joined BGC Transport/ Midland Brick three years ago as the Health and Safety Manager.
Larissa's role includes working with high performing teams across Midland Brick, who are focused on ensuring continuous improvements for a safe workplace.
As a manager, Larissa wants to create an environment where everyone is included, is safe to learn and make mistakes in, and where everyone goes home safe every day.
Natasha's all hands on deck across various aspects of Midland Brick
Natasha is the Commercial Manager at Midland Brick and is a part of the Senior Leadership team.
As a Commercial Manager you are exposed to all aspects of a business; from business planning, operations, and strategy, to logistics, human resources and legal management.
"One of the benefits of working in Operations is that I have been fortunate to be able to grow and develop my career beyond my core finance and accounting background."
Having previously worked in teams with limited diversity, one of the biggest challenges Natasha has faced is visibility. Whether it was being the only woman in the room or having a different professional background, at times trying to be heard and have her ideas validated hasn't always been easy.
Despite this, Natasha says, "there are many ways one can deal with a situation and at times it just meant that I had to find a different way to convey my message. I am grateful for my experiences though, as career challenges such as this have taught me to be resilient, that it is ok to be myself and to bring a different perspective to the conversation."
Helen loves helping her co-workers to develop new skills
Helen has worked at Midland Brick since 2005, pausing to start a family, and later returning as a casual. Now, Helen works as a Laboratory Supervisor.
Her career hasn't been without challenges, particularly as she's juggling work and being a single mum. However, she's found Midland Brick to have a great team of leaders supporting her to succeed.
Moving forward, Helen hopes to continue in her supervisory role, as she learns a lot about herself when she's challenged. This position also allows her to continue teaching people new skills and helping other staff to challenge themselves to accomplish their goals.
Kristen likes the daily challenges of her role
Kristen has been with Midland Brick for over a decade, starting in the Retail Call Centre and working her way to her current position of Trade Department Supervisor.
In this role, Kristen manages a team of 13 people, supporting the Sales Representatives and Trade customers.
Kristen enjoys that there is never a dull moment and that something is always happening in her position. In the future, she wants to continue developing her skills and knowledge and lean more towards a career in leadership.
If you’re a woman thinking a career at Midland Brick would be something you’d enjoy, take that leap of faith and apply.
Find out more about our career opportunities.