Growing the pipeline: Lessons in inclusive practice for women in the trades.

What will it take to build a plumbing trade where women can enter, stay, progress, and succeed?

Join us for an insightful webinar with Colleen Upton, General Manager and Director of Hutt Gas & Plumbing, as she shares her perspectives on some of the challenges women can experience in the trades. Drawing on her leadership experience and work within the industry, Colleen will discuss topics including workplace facilities, work practices, access to support, and women’s experiences in traditionally male-dominated sectors.

Colleen will share insights from her experience leading Hutt Gas & Plumbing, including initiatives the business has introduced to support apprentices and foster an inclusive workplace culture. She will also discuss workforce participation and retention and explore factors that can influence people's experiences and career pathways in the trades. The webinar will examine the role of leadership and governance in understanding and responding to workforce challenges, and the contribution women leaders can make to improving outcomes across the sector. 

What you’ll hear from this webinar:  

• Colleen’s perspectives on some of the barriers and challenges women face in plumbing and the wider trades sector. 

• Examples of initiatives Hutt Gas & Plumbing has introduced to support apprentices and workplace inclusion.  

• Why retention, flexible working, and inclusion matters  

• The role women in leadership and governance can play in shaping workplace culture and opportunities .  

What you’ll walk away with:  

• A greater understanding of factors that can influence women’s participation and progression in the trades.  

• Practical examples from industry on supporting apprentices and fostering inclusive workplaces.  

• Insights into workforce retention and participation challenges from an employer perspective.  

• Perspectives on the role leadership and governance can play in supporting sector change.  

About the speaker: 

Colleen Upton is Director of Hutt Gas & Plumbing and a long-standing advocate for women in the plumbing, gas fitting, and wider construction sectors. In 2021, she was appointed an Officer of the New Zealand Order of Merit for services to the plumbing and gas fitting industry and to women. She received the inaugural Jackson Women in Plumbing Award at the 2020 New Zealand Plumbing Awards, and the Helen Tippett Award, NAWIC’s Supreme Award, in 2019, recognising her contribution to supporting women in trades. Colleen brings significant governance experience, including current roles on the NAWIC board and the Interim Regional Skills Leadership Group. 

Register now! You will receive a confirmation email once registered and the Zoom link will be shared one day prior to the event.  

If you require accessibility support to take part in this webinar, please include this when you register or let us know via email at event@women.govt.nz  by 21 October 2026.