AECOM launches term-time only contracts for working parents

FlexCareers is incredibly excited to be partnering with global infrastructure firm AECOM on an industry-first, term-time only contracts for working parents!

Designed to encourage qualified engineers and scientists to return to an industry they may have left because it was impossible to balance work and family life, this new initiative will give employees 12 weeks leave, so that they can spend every school holiday with their children.

AECOM Chief Executive for Australia and New Zealand Todd Battley said, “There is a significant pool of talent who have stepped away from our industry because they were unable to nurture their families and their careers at the same time. That no longer has to be the case.  By working with FlexCareers, on what we believe to be an industry first, we will be able target an extensive network of parents and guardians who are seeking flexibility to manage childcare responsibilities. Roles will be advertised through the FlexCareers job board and our team will ensure the support is available to help parents transition back to the workplace.”

It’s a bold move forward in an industry that has lagged behind when it comes to workplace flexibility.  Fitting that it should come from AECOM, a company that already championed flexible working across the organisation, and has been recognised by Engineers Australia and the Workplace Gender Equality Agency as a leader on gender diversity and pay equality in a sector that has typically underperformed in this regard.

Natalie Goldman, Chief Executive Officer of FlexCareers said, “We are delighted to partner with AECOM on this innovative program. FlexCareers has more than 70,000 talented women in our network, many of whom have previously been unable to secure roles commensurate with their skills and experience, due to a lack of workplace flexibility. FlexCareers provides job seekers with transparency and the certainty that employers truly champion flexible working. We will be working closely with AECOM to ensure that all applicants for this program are fully supported throughout the recruitment process.”

The new term-time contracts are available to anyone that is responsible for school-aged children including, for example, foster-carers children and grand-parents.  Whilst AECOM hope that men will take the opportunity to spend the holidays with their children, where AECOM hope to make the biggest impact is encouraging women who may have given up on a career in engineering, to come back and give it another chance.

Leading the initiative for AECOM is ANZ Human Resources Director Helen Fraser, who said, “I regularly speak with women who express the challenges about school holidays and there is no doubt that many stop working because it is just too hard to manage the 12 weeks of school holidays each year.”

“This arrangement will take that worry away for people. Piloting the term-time contracts with up to 20 roles across Australia and New Zealand initially gives AECOM 12 months to test and refine it with our clients, our people and professional women who have not been actively looking for work in the infrastructure sector. We are confident that it will appeal to both men and women with caring responsibilities.”

If you have previously given up on a career in engineering because it was too difficult to juggle the demands of working with caring for young children, we encourage you to apply for this program.  Similarly, if you are still in engineering but don’t get the flexibility you need with your current employer, jump onto the campaign website and have a look at what AECOM and this program has to offer.

The first 17 roles to be advertised will cover a broad spectrum of technical areas, including mechanical and electrical engineering, acoustics, environmental planning and science, civil engineering, geotechnical and chemical engineering. FlexCareers will also be running a general Expression of Interest, as AECOM hope to extend this initiative across the whole business in the future.

The new term-time contracts will commence at the beginning of the 2018 school year and are in addition to AECOM’s existing commitments to flexible work practices.

For more information about the initiative and to see what vacancies are available, please visit: www.flexcareers.com.au/employers/aecom