Central Coast engineers in doubt as Metal Matriarchs program faces uncertain future

A group of Central Coast First Nations women have celebrated a significant career milestone, completing the 'Metal Matriarchs' program to earn a Certificate II in Engineering after 12 months of intensive training. Yet the achievement is shadowed by uncertainty about the initiative's future.

According to reports, the now-completed cohort represents an early win for an effort designed to build engineering skills and open pathways into a sector where First Nations representation has historically been low. But the program's continuation is now in doubt, raising questions about whether the Central Coast will continue to develop its skilled workforce in trades where demand remains strong.

The Central Coast has been actively promoting careers in construction and trades, with recent initiatives like the Build Your Future: Try a Trade Day drawing hundreds of high school students. The potential loss of Metal Matriarchs would remove a targeted program designed to ensure First Nations women can access those opportunities, and would represent a setback for regional efforts to build a more inclusive and diverse engineering and construction workforce.

Sources: nbnnews.com.au, coastcommunitynews.com.au.

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