Two incredible women leaders in the construction industry have each been awarded a National Association of Women in Construction NSW (NAWIC NSW) scholarship to further their careers.
This NSW Women's Week, the Minns Labor Government is boosting women's advancement, with the sponsorship of two National Association of Women in Construction NSW (NAWIC NSW) scholarships.
The scholarships were awarded at NAWIC NSW International Women's Day lunch on Friday 6 March to:
- Isabel Duffy, Principal Structural Engineer at Northrop who received the inaugural $15,000 Emerging Women's Leader Scholarship.
- Nishmin Hallam, Director at Taylor Thomson Whitting (TTW) Engineers who received the $30,000 Executive Women's Leadership Scholarship
Created to recognise women who have made a significant impact on the construction industry and demonstrate potential as future leaders, the scholarships were funded by the NSW Government's $20.2 million Women in Construction program.
These game-changing scholarships have the potential to change the career trajectory of the recipient and reflects the NSW Government's commitment to attracting and retaining women in building industry.
The program provides funding for executive-level further education to equip senior women in the construction sector with the leadership skills to drive industry change.
Isabel is already an outstanding leader in Northrop, growing the organisation's largest business units, as well as leading the charge for 30 per cent representation of women across all management levels by 2030. She also co-founded Tomorrow's Women in Construction to build a sustainable pipeline of women entering the industry. She will use the scholarship to undertake the Graduate Certificate of Social Impact and the Accelerated Leadership Program at UNSW's Australian Graduate School of Management.
Nishmin has had a 20-year career with TTW and is the firm's first and only female director in a technical role. She's committed to mentoring talent, particularly women, advocacy and advancing gender diversity within the profession. She will use the scholarship to undertake the Advanced Management Program at Melbourne Business School to elevate her leadership capability and strategic influence.
Previous Executive Women's Leadership Scholarship recipients include 2025 winner Nicole Waterman, Project Leader at Laing O'Rourke, 2024 winner Jua Cilliers, Head of the School of Built Environment at UTS, and 2023 winner Talia Keyes, General Manager for Design with Scentre Group.
To find out more about the Women in Construction program visit: Women in Construction | NSW Government and NAWIC NSW Scholarships.
Minister for Women Jodie Harrison said:
"The NSW Government is proud to sponsor the NAWIC scholarships as part of our ongoing work to empower and create opportunities for women in the building and construction industry.
"Through our Women in Construction program, we are working towards creating a more diverse and robust sector. Part of that is attracting and retaining women in the industry, as well as making sure they have pathways to leadership, which is what these scholarships are all about.
"Congratulations to Nishmin and Isabel. You're both an inspiration to up-and-coming women in the industry - and I look forward to seeing where these scholarships can take you in your career."
Infrastructure NSW Chief Executive, Tom Gellibrand said:
"Congratulations to Nishmin Hallam, recipient of the 2026 NAWIC NSW Executive Women's Leadership Scholarship and Isabel Duffy, recipient of the Emerging Leader Scholarship. Both accomplished women exemplify the leadership, capability and commitment these scholarships are designed to support, at different but equally important stages of their careers.
"Nishmin's progression from cadet to Director at Taylor Thomson Whitting, alongside her long‑standing commitment to mentoring and industry leadership, and Isabel's work as a Principal Structural Engineer at Northrop and co‑founder of Tomorrow's Women in Construction, demonstrate the impact women are having across the sector.
Through the NSW Women in Construction program, we are proud to partner with NAWIC to support initiatives that strengthen leadership pathways and build a more diverse, inclusive and future ready construction industry."
NAWIC NSW Co-President, Taleah Stofka said:
"NAWIC NSW is committed to collaboratively driving gender equity through culture change and we are proud to offer two scholarships this year to support women in leadership roles to strengthen their capability, influence, and industry impact.
"The Executive Women's Leadership Scholarship and the inaugural Emerging Executive Women's Leadership Scholarship enable further study for two amazing leaders who are already making a significant difference in the construction sector with strong ongoing support from their employers.
"Congratulations to our 2026 recipients Nishmin Hallam and Isabel Duffy, we look forward to seeing your careers develop further through your studies funded with these scholarships. Having women represented at decision-making levels helps to create inclusive, productive, and high-performing workplaces and we thank the NSW Government for their support."
