Hacia Atherton, CEO and Founding Director at Empowered Women In Trades, is a passionate advocate for empowering women in trades and creating more meaningful economic opportunities and skills for women in the workforce. She envisions a future where women are inspired to pursue apprenticeships in skilled trades such as welding, plumbing, electrical, automotive, and other fields that they may not have considered before. Hacia recognises the importance of creating safe work environments where women feel valued and can return home feeling fulfilled from the work they have done. Her wish is to support and encourage women to pursue their passions and careers in the trades, while also promoting gender equality in the workplace.

Hacia is passionate about advocating for increased female participation in skilled trades and has established a not-for-profit organization called Empowered Women in Trades (EWIT). Her goal is to facilitate a cultural change in trade-based industries by providing resources and support to increase the representation of skilled female tradespeople in the workforce. Hacia envisions a future where becoming a tradesperson is a viable and attractive career option for all Australian women.

During her journey, Hacia met a female welder who shared her struggles in pursuing her passion for welding. This encounter further strengthened Hacia’s resolve to empower more women to pursue careers in the trades without societal barriers holding them back. She is committed to breaking down these barriers and creating a more inclusive and diverse workforce for the betterment of society.

Hacia established Empowered Women in Trades (EWIT) with the aim of inspiring women to view trades as viable career options and to support industries and society in shifting their culture to create a more supportive environment for women to thrive in these fields. Her organisation provides resources and support to facilitate a cultural change in trade-based industries, empowering women to pursue their passions and careers without societal barriers holding them back. Through her work with EWIT, Hacia is committed to promoting equality and empowering women to achieve success in the trades.

Family Background
Hacia’s family has a long history of making positive changes in Australia, particularly in skilled trades. Her great-great grandfather, Fred Atherton, played a significant role in the establishment of the Master Plumbers Association in 1891, leaving a legacy in the plumbing trade in Australia. Additionally, Hacia’s great-great-great grandfather, Sir Henry Pakes, is known as the “Father of Federation” for his instrumental role in uniting the colonies to form the Australian Federal Government. Through her family’s legacy, Hacia is inspired to continue making a positive impact in skilled trades and promoting gender equality in the workforce.

Despite her formal training as an accountant, Hacia has a strong connection to the skilled trades through her family company, which is a global leader in manufacturing sterilization equipment and infection control products for the medical and scientific industries. She has had the unique opportunity to work on the factory floor and learn the skills of manufacturing firsthand. Through her work at the Atherton family company, she has witnessed the negative impact of Australia’s shortage of skilled tradespeople, particularly in areas such as welding and tool making.

About EWIT
EWIT is a charitable organisation that aims to promote trades as viable career options for women by providing support to educational institutions and workplaces. All programmes and services are specifically designed to connect women, non-binary individuals, schools, industry partners, employers, unions, and VCAL/VET providers. Its goal is to make it easier for females and non-binary individuals to consider a career as a tradesperson. The organisation offers education and support to employers to help them create a female-friendly workplace culture.

Additionally, EWIT offers guidance and training to support female tradespeople in their career progression towards management and business ownership. Ultimately, the mission is to empower women in trades throughout their entire career.

EWIT also promotes gender equity and balance in the workforce by supporting skilled female tradespeople. It focuses on creating a future where becoming a tradesperson is a viable and appealing career option for all women and non-binary individuals. Through collaboration with educational institutions and industry leaders, it strives to increase women’s participation in trade skills education, which is essential for the growth and prosperity of its communities and businesses.

Committed to Women’s Empowerment
EWIT is committed to supporting women in the workforce by providing the necessary resources to thrive in trade-based sectors. It helps women enter the trades and progress to leadership positions across various industries. Additionally, it supports industry by providing resources to enhance the economic development of the sector. It envisions rebuilding Australia’s trade-based sectors with a more diverse and inclusive workforce.

Today, EWIT is creating a life-changing impact for its participants and for industry. However, it believes it can’t do this alone and needs everyone’s support to scale its impact on industry and the lives of vulnerable women.

Overcoming Adversity
In 2017, Hacia experienced a traumatic accident while training in dressage, resulting in serious injuries. The horse she was riding reared up, causing her to fall and be crushed under its weight. She was rushed to the Alfred Hospital by helicopter, where she underwent a nine-hour surgery. After the surgery, Hacia woke up in agonising pain and was told by doctors that she might never walk again in a meaningful way.

While recovering in the hospital, Hacia gained a new perspective on the limitations that women face in learning occupations and how disempowering it can be to have options taken away. Her experience made her realise the importance of promoting equality and empowering women to pursue their passions and careers without barriers.

“As I lay in my hospital bed, I realised how my once active lifestyle was now replaced with one where I could barely move. As the weeks passed, I began to find the courage to try to move, but the limitations of my physical pain and broken body meant that I felt my old life was certainly gone forever.” Hacia realised she didn’t want to sit in a wheelchair forever and that finding the courage to take her first steps would be a gradual process that was uncertain and difficult.

Following Her Passion
While Hacia’s passion is primarily focused on empowering women in trades, it is also evident that she is driven to inspire and empower individuals to reach their full potential and overcome challenges. She believes in the power of connecting with one’s courage to pursue their dreams and achieve their goals. She says, “We all have fears, but we often don’t know how to deal with them in a productive way. We let these emotions hold us back from living the life that we want or becoming the leaders we know we can be.” She further adds, “There are so many ways in which you can change your perspective on what scares you and even use these emotions to guide you towards new opportunities instead of letting them hold back progress. The key is to embrace your courageous self and communicate with yourself and your team with vulnerability and empathy.”