While it’s traditionally been considered one of the least diverse parts of the property industry, the Design & Construction (D&C) division at Scentre Group has been going through a transformation.
Divisional director Ian Irving is leading the way and wears a double hat as the Group’s head of the Diversity and Inclusion Council. Scentre Group D&C is not only ensuring that more women are seen and considered for roles, but is actively encouraging women to be included in candidate searches so the pool is becoming broader and more reflective of an increasingly diverse candidate base.
Scentre Group has taken the initiative one step further by engaging with University of Technology Sydney, and in 2015 sponsored for the second year running an elective subject called Exhibition Design: Practice, in an effort to engage with young designers and expose them to real-life challenges that require innovative application of their talent.
“It’s an area of our business where we’ve see more and more women flourish. Not only in terms of pure design, but technology too. They are early adopters and their uptake of technology has meant they can have very meaningful and important careers in the design and construction of our shopping centres.”
