Empowering Women Through Construction: A Canberra Success Story

A construction industry veteran is helping women fleeing domestic violence, addiction, or homelessness find stable employment in Australia's booming construction sector.

From High-Vis to Helping Hands

Canberra mum Annalisa Fox has spent 25 years working in the mostly male-dominated construction industry. Her extensive experience revealed how female employees can thrive when given the opportunity. This insight sparked her to launch Fox Traffic Control, a social enterprise dedicated to helping struggling women secure jobs in traffic control.

Annalisa Fox runs Fox Traffic Control in Canberra. (Supplied)

Breaking the Cycle of Dependence

"Our real philosophy is that we want these women to have an independent income," Fox explained. "We don't want the women who come to us to be limited by the fact they may have never had a job before."

After over two decades as a foster parent, Fox understands how women can become trapped in difficult situations without financial independence or work experience. She has witnessed how abusive partners can drain funds and systematically erode their partner's agency over time.

Why Traffic Control Works

Traffic control jobs offer the perfect solution - they're well-paid and abundant, particularly in growing cities like Canberra. Fox recognized this field could serve as a valuable launching pad for individuals who might otherwise be overlooked due to resume gaps, recent incarceration, or lack of skills.

"What a lot of people don't get is... you might see a person who is homeless or is on Centrelink and you think, 'Why don't they just go and get a job?'," Fox said. "If you've never had a job before... it's not that easy to do it."

Traffic control jobs are both well-paid and in abundance, particularly in a growing city like Canberra. (Supplied)

The Program in Action

Since launching in September, Fox Traffic Control has helped around a dozen women find stable employment. Fox and her former husband operate Jonox, a crane, forklift and labour hire company in Canberra, providing shifts holding stop signs at construction sites.

Employees work on a contractual basis and are deployed to sites throughout Canberra. They receive award wages and typically stay with Fox Traffic Control for just a few months before securing full-time positions elsewhere - exactly the outcome Fox hopes for.

Beyond Just a Job

The support extends far beyond employment. Fox helps participants with CV writing, obtaining their White Card certification, and understanding basic employment essentials like tax returns and pay slips.

"We will tell them, if you've had 15 jobs in three months because everyone sacked you after two days, you don't have to write that on your resume," Fox explained. "It really is such a life changer for people."

Looking Ahead

Currently at capacity, Fox plans to ramp up hiring ahead of Easter. Her ultimate goal is to partner with the federal government to create a pathway program available to the one in four Australian women who experience violence by an intimate partner or family member.

Support is available from the National Sexual Assault, Domestic and Family Violence Counselling Service at 1800RESPECT (1800 737 732)