Col’s Chat – Locals through my Lens

Christine Rosher

The manufacturing sector contributes more than $20 billion to the Queensland economy and employs more than 170,000 people, yet women account for less than 30 per cent of this number.

For many women considering a career in manufacturing, the decision can be accompanied by both excitement and apprehension. Entering industries that have traditionally been dominated by men often means navigating environments where they may face unconscious bias, outdated stereotypes, unequal opportunities, or even overt sexism.

A new book, You Can Make It is making inroads among our primary school students, and local art director and creative Christine Rosher has been the driving force behind it.

“We were approached by Manufacturing Skills Queensland to help address the balance from a younger age than traditional career education. Attracting young people to manufacturing – boys and girls – is difficult, not least because there is a misconception that manufacturing means factory work.

The concept of the book was to showcase Queensland women ‘making it’ in manufacturing and show our kids age 7-12 how they can too.

A sole trader fashion designer is as much a manufacturer as a big company. “Manufacturing is about turning ideas into products – it’s not determined by scale.”

“We were lucky enough to meet and interview fifteen amazing female ’makers’. One rode motorcycles but couldn’t find protective gear to fit, so she created her own successful range. One has turned circuit board kits into art. One is an engineer building a plane that will launch satellites into space. To me, it doesn’t get much more inspiring than that!”

Christine led an all-female team to develop ideas and concepts. They needed to reach and engage every Year 3-6 student in Queensland.

“It was important to me to really spark kids’ curiosity, so I suggested we open the book with a graphic novel – something that the readers could relate to. So I wrote a story about group of kids that find that (shock, horror!) the internet has gone down. What can they possibly do to pass the time? The final book introduces different kinds of makers through kids’ eyes. The creator, helper, persuader, doer, thinker and organiser all work together to create something amazing.

The book is packed with fun facts and hands-on activities for students, and we even created accompanying teaching resources, all designed to inspire the next generation of innovators.”

With technological advances moving at a rapid speed, employment opportunities for our kids will look very different in ten years’ time. You Can Make It is a vital tool not only in opening doors for future careers but also inspiring young minds before gender stereotypes take hold.

“Sadly, young women must still find resilience while older generations’ attitudes catch up. As women, we not only have to succeed at our role, but often show we can do better. I am proud to see You Can Make It playing its part in closing the gender gap and making discrimination and inequality in manufacturing a thing of the past.”

Get your copy here: www.msq.org.au/you-can-make-it-career-book

Author: Colin Bushell / Image supplied by Christine Rosher