Uralla’s Michelle Knott is building pathways and showing success for women paving careers in traditionally male industries.
Michelle was recently a finalist for Australia’s Women in Business awards held in Sydney, an event highlighting women’s achievements and contribution to those following on their footsteps.
For Michelle, just being a finalist was winning.
“I was outside playing soccer with my two youngest and I got the email saying that I was a finalist and I burst into tears,” said Michelle.
“I was completely blown away when I found out I was a finalist and even more so when I looked at the people who I was nominated alongside.”
“Here I am, from a country family-owned quarry in competition with global companies, I was speechless.”
Michelle is the Operations Manager at Brooklyn Quarry in Walcha. But her job is so much more than her title entails.
Running the operation with her partner, Scott Blake, she has hands on everything at work and at home. She wouldn’t have it any other way.
And she wants others to know, they can do it to.
Women can be mothers, have careers, and those careers can be in any industry, male or female dominated.
“Being recognised as a woman in industry is kind of a double-edged sword because you think in our generation, you kind of hope that there wouldn’t be so much gender bias but there is, and it is out there, very evident and you can tell by the people who hand their resumes in, it’s all males.” said Michelle.
“In the two and a half years we have been here, one female has put her resume in.”
And as a mother of four children, three daughters and one son, she wants to address the elephant in the room and help everyone, including women, aspiring for a career in quarrying.
“I just feel really proud to be able to highlight that fact that hopefully by the time my children are ready to join the workforce, gender bias is not even a known thing,” she said.
“It’s not even a question, and I feel really proud that this these awards give spotlight to any woman who’s in manufacturing, transport, rail and any male-dominated industries.”
Inspired from the awards event, Michelle is ready to build more pathway opportunities into her own business and is eager to partner with like-minded businesses and organisations to make that happen.
“We can make a difference, so let’s do it, and make it loud,” said Michelle.
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