Launch into Work

Meet our newest Steel Chicks as they launch into work

It’s been a pleasure working with this amazing group of women as they explore industry career pathways and learn the fundamentals of steel manufacturing and fabrication.

Alongside the Department of Employment and Workplace Relations (DEWR) and Apprenticeship Careers Australia, our founder Maria Mavrikos has had the privilege of working with the team during the pilot delivery of Steel Chicks’ Launch into Work program. During the last month, she’s been helping participants prepare to work in male-dominated and high-pressure environments with professionalism and resilience, and to connect classroom learning with practical applications in the workplace.

Last week, the team stepped inside a live steel fabrication environment at Structural Challenge, touring the facility from office to factory floor to see machinery, digital modelling and detailing, and CNC and plasma programming in action. They’ve been seeing firsthand how modern fabrication workshops integrate technology with trade skills, and learning how ideas become structures in real-time production. Other key parts of their journey have included exploring health and safety protocols, building confidence, and gaining a realistic, informed view of the steel industry—its opportunities, its expectations, and the standards required to thrive in it.

We’re incredibly proud of the commitment, courage and growth this group has shown. As they move into work experience and the next stage of their careers, we wish them every success—may this be the beginning of long and rewarding careers in steel!

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