Mail trucks welcome women

By Nicole Williams
AUSTRALIA Post is leading the way in employing women in the transport industry.
The Australia Post Dandenong transport facility was well below the industry average of employing women in transport when it started its Women in Trucks program in 2008.
The program is now in its fourth year and Australia Post Victorian human resources manager parcels and transport Sharon Robinson is proud to say Australia Post is now well above the average. “The industry average is two per cent and Australia Post was well below that,” Ms Robinson said.
Before the program in 2008 there was only one female driver and now there are 16 women working in transport in Australia Post in Victoria, she said.
The program operates from the Dandenong transport facility and encourages women to move into non-traditional areas like transport.
It offers women already working within Australia Post the opportunity to undergo training, experience and licensing needed to drive heavy rigid vehicles.
Ms Robinson said the six-month program was a success and each year there were far more applicants than position available.
“The demand from women in Victoria is huge. There are just not enough places for the demand,” she said. “The women are looking for a career change and they love it because it’s like they’re their own boss in the trucks.”
She said the women have had a dramatic impact on the culture in the division and customers are responding really well to the change. “Women are a bit more customer orientated so they bring a different flavour and different face to Australia Post.”