Local Leader Celebrated at Women in Industry Awards

Kangan Institute has received a truly worthwhile accolade at this year’s Women in Industry Awards.

Bev Williams, Industry Placements and Pathways Coordinator at Kangan Institute’s Automotive Centre of Excellence earned the special honour of Social Leader of the Year at last night’s awards.

The night celebrated the achievements of women in industry and created awareness of their contribution in road, transport, mining, engineering and manufacturing.

The competition was fierce, with nominations almost doubling since last year.

The audience heard several contributions from the pool of women and from various winners, and this made Bev’s award all the more profound.

Passionate about supporting students and advocating for their learning and employment opportunities to be maximised, it’s students who have come out on top as a result of Bev’s dedication.

When asked what she thinks has changed at Kangan Institute’s Automotive Centre of Excellence and how this change is supporting the automotive industry, Bev says “Industry partnerships continue to change and we’re working smarter than ever. We’re working closely with our partners and doing a lot of work with dealerships which means they can use us as a recruitment tool. Also, with students going out to work placements, students can use that as experience on their resumes.”

Working with industry to support workforce planning, recruitment and better outcomes for students, it’s fair to say that automotive students have reached extraordinary heights they may not have otherwise reached if it wasn’t for Bev and the team around her.

Making a contribution that ensures that learning and employment opportunities are maximised for students, Bev also finds time to work as an active volunteer with the Red Cross at a Metropolitan Corrections Centre. This is a testament to her commitment to social service and supporting a responsible community.

A finalist in the following two areas, Bev was awarded:

Social Leader of the Year – This award celebrates the achievements of individuals who have significantly effected positive change within their local or regional community.

Mentor of the Year – This award recognises individuals who have demonstrated a commitment to developing female talent within their organisation and wider industry.

Bev’s contributions both inside and outside the automotive industry have been enormous. Hearing Bev talk about the industry and education sector, she says that automotive is not just about doing automotive if you can’t do anything else.

“People are starting to recognise that cars have multiple computers in them now. You have to have really good maths and you have to have lots of other skills. So people are starting to realise that there is a pathway in automotive and it’s an exciting place to be.”

As Bev points out, “you can’t buy the right attitude” and this is the advice she would give students.

She urges them to “turn up on time, be polite. You never know who’s going to be looking at you. Always try to be your best. You can teach anyone the skills, but you can’t teach the right attitude. “