64 | Hutt Gas & Plumbing T T Kelly Deeks Diversity is celebrated at Hutt Gas and Plumbing, with five of the plumbing staff females. Director Colleen Upton and operations manager Darren Smith with the Diverse Talent Award at the New Zealand Diversity Awards 2021 (bottom). CONTRACTING Progressive plumbing and gasfitting firm Hutt Gas and Plumbing is leading change withing the male-dominated construction industry, removing the barriers that have prevented women from making it even to apprentice level and flying the flag for the benefits to be gained by the industry having a diverse range of talent. Hutt Gas and Plumbing director Colleen Upton says the company’s diversity journey started more than a decade ago, when she was approached by Weltec where Shelley Sydow had completed and excelled at the pretrade programme, New Zealand Certificate in Plumbing Gasfitting and Drainlaying. “Shelley had approached 25 different businesses and she couldn’t even get an interview,” Colleen says. “Weltec thought Hutt Gas and Plumbing might be different, because I am a female general manager. Shelley did some work experience with us and she was excellent, and we took her on from there. She stayed with us for eight and a half years, got married and had a baby, and worked until she was seven and a half months pregnant.” The next woman to excel at Weltec’s pretrade programme was again sent to Hutt Gas and Plumbing, and although there was no opening for an apprentice, Colleen was so impressed by her passion and commitment to becoming a plumber that she created a position and snapped her up. “From there, we’ve had women approaching us because they know we have women in our team.” Gender no barrier at Hutt Gas Colleen has been with Hutt Gas and Plumbing for 32 years, starting out as a typist and then buying into the business. At her first Master Plumbers meeting, she says she was looked at like the rat that got into the cheese store. “They stared at me and no-one would speak to me after the meeting. It took about three meetings before they decided I wasn’t going away, and I’ve been quite an advocate within the construction industry ever since.” Colleen has an 11-year old granddaughter and she wants her to be able to choose an occupation without seeing gender as a barrier. “Some of those barriers are simple things, like having toilets with sanitary bins in them and clothes that fit properly. Women belong in the construction industry just as much as men do, and once you get them, they are fantastic employees. It has been so good for our business, having that mix of people looking at things differently. It makes you a stronger business.” As well as having five out of 20 female plumbers, Hutt Gas and Plumbing also employs a high proportion of Maori and Polynesian plumbers and apprentices. Colleen says her customers, particularly her domestic customers, want to see people like them coming into their homes. “As a company, we reflect the people we serve. When our Polynesian community sees a Polynesian plumber coming into their homes, they know we will have that element of respect for them and their homes because we have people like them.” Hutt Gas and Plumbing took out the Diverse Talent Award at the New Zealand Diversity Awards 2021, based on the fact that at the time of entering the awards, the company employed five out of 54 female plumbers in the whole of New Zealand. Colleen knows as a general manager she has the power to initiate change, and that construction is one of the last bastions of male dominated industries. “I’m just going to gently hit the rock and try to wear it down, then every now and then I’ll come around the side a give it a good whack.” Make a good call and choose a Master Plumber, Gasfitter or Drainlayer. ∙ Quality assurance ∙ Job done right ∙ Peace of mind Find out more at masterplumbers.org.nz
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