Ai Group launches Apprentice to Leader Program at Wilson Transformer Company
Ai Group and its Apprentice & Trainee Centre (Ai Group ATC) recently held an exciting event at Wilson Transformer Company (WTC) in Glen Waverley, Victoria, to officially launch the Apprentice to Leader program.
Funded by the Victorian Government’s Women in Energy and Manufacturing Funding Program, this initiative is designed to support women entering and advancing within traditionally male-dominated industries such as manufacturing and energy, while fostering greater gender equality in the workplace.
The event also featured a tour of WTC’s advanced manufacturing facilities, showcasing Australia’s cutting-edge manufacturing capabilities. The tour highlighted the impressive technological advancements driving the company’s leadership in the industry and underscored the critical role of skilled apprentices in sustaining these achievements.
Our sincere thanks go to the Wilson Transformer Company team for their warm hospitality and ongoing partnership in promoting workforce diversity. As a committed Ai Group member, WTC has hosted many apprentices through our Apprentice & Trainee Centre over the past decade.
Special recognition is due to Heather Chandler, a second-year mechanical engineering apprentice hosted by JC Butko in Wodonga. Heather represented Ai Group ATC on a discussion panel with WTC Mechanical Design Engineer Maggie Man Duo and Production Engineering Team Leader Angela Liang. These inspiring women shared their career experiences and highlighted the importance of encouraging and supporting female apprentices in technical fields.
We are deeply grateful for the Victorian Government’s vital support of this program, which will provide invaluable leadership training, mentorship and development opportunities for women across these key industries.
The Apprentice to Leader program represents a critical step towards creating more opportunities for women and building a more inclusive and diverse workforce in the manufacturing and energy sectors. We eagerly anticipate the positive impact of this initiative as more women rise to leadership positions and contribute to future success of these industries.
For more information on the program or to express interest in participating, please visit here.
Special thanks to Minister for Jobs and Industry, Minister for Women and Minister for Treaty and First Peoples Natalie Hutchins and Member for Glen Waverley John Mullahy for attending and supporting this important initiative. We would also like to extend our thanks to the WTC team, including Managing Director Ed Wilson and General Manager James Wilson, for their support and continued efforts in advancing gender diversity in the workforce.