As Australia’s mining and automotive sectors face rapid technological and structural shifts, the question of who gets to participate – and how – becomes more crucial than ever. This year’s International Women’s Day theme, “Balance the Scales,” encourages us to reflect not just on representation but also on equity and the systems that shape opportunity.
For AUSMASA Chair Nicky Firth, the theme is both timely and necessary.
“Balance the Scales goes to the heart of equity,” she says. “Equity asks us to look beyond surface measures and examine the systems and dynamics that have shaped our industries – and to question whether, left unchanged, they will deliver a different future.”
“We often speak about a ‘level playing field,’” Nicky says. “Earlier in my career, I believed strongly in that idea. Yet lived experience suggests the starting point is not the same for everyone.
“Access to education, networks, encouragement and visibility can vary significantly. Acknowledging that difference is not about diminishing achievement – it is about recognising context.”
Mining and automotive have made progress. Yet overall representation and representation at different levels tell us there is more to do. These measures point to deeper drivers: who is attracted to the work, who is developed and promoted, and who stays.
“Each of these areas – attract, develop and retain – deserves honest examination,” Nicky says. “That includes looking at invisible barriers such as bias, team culture, leadership behaviour and systems that unintentionally exclude.
“If we avoid these deeper conversations, we risk focusing on surface-level fixes – for example, increasing enrolments without ensuring the workplace is ready to fully embrace the capability and contribution of the women entering it.”
For Nicky, under-representation should not be viewed purely as a “supply” problem.
“If we treat it only as a pipeline issue, we miss the opportunity to shape demand,” she explains.
“Every leader can influence the environment they create.”
That environment matters not only for attracting talent but also for retaining it. Listening to women already working in mining and automotive, and understanding why they stay or leave, offers insights that no strategy document alone can provide.
“Retention is as important as attraction,” she says. “If we develop and keep the women we already have, those insights strengthen our ability to attract more.”
Leadership, she believes, play a defining role.
“Boards and senior leaders set the tone – not just through statements, but through what they measure, reward and tolerate,” she says.
“Inclusion becomes real when it is embedded in how performance is defined. It shows up in KPIs, succession planning, and development opportunities.”
Importantly, she does not believe change has to be uniform or immediate across every team.
“We can begin where enabling conditions exist,” she says. “In some areas, leadership support is strong, and culture is stable. By piloting pathways there, learning quickly and scaling what works, we make the challenge more tangible.”
Her perspective is shaped by experience. Often the only woman in the room, she has seen how visibility can both empower and isolate. Earlier in her career, she believed opportunities were evenly spread. Over time, she realised that stability, education, and encouragement are privileges not everyone has, and recognising this shifts how leadership is practiced.
“Over time, I’ve shifted from thinking purely in terms of ‘gender gaps’ to thinking about the kind of workplaces we want to build for all people,” Nicky says. “Gender remains an important lens – but sustainable change comes from creating environments that are genuinely inclusive.”
For Nicky, inclusion is not simply a moral aspiration – it is foundational to performance.
“When people feel respected, supported and able to contribute fully, organisations are stronger,” she says. “It strengthens decision-making, resilience and innovation.”
Her advice to young women considering careers in mining, automotive, EV or hydrogen reflects both pragmatism and encouragement.
“These industries are evolving rapidly,” she says. “They need people who are curious, capable and willing to learn. You don’t need to have everything mapped out – but you do need to back yourself.”
She encourages women to select teams that prioritise safety, respect, and growth and to look for leaders committed to developing capability.
“Back yourself. You may sometimes be the only woman in the room. That can feel uncomfortable – but your perspective adds value. Don’t shrink it.”
Balancing the scales requires honesty, curiosity, and courage. However, it also helps our industries become stronger, more innovative, and better prepared for the future, not because equity is a separate goal, but because it is vital for building workforces capable of handling change.