Two women leaders in the construction industry have been awarded a National Association of Women in Construction NSW (NAWIC NSW) scholarship to further their careers.
The scholarships were awarded at today’s NAWIC NSW International Women’s Day lunch 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.
“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,” said Minister for Women, Jodie Harrison.
“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.”
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.
Ms Duffy said 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.
Ms Hallam has had a 20-year career with TTW and is the firm’s first and only female director in a technical role. She will use the scholarship to undertake the Advanced Management Program at Melbourne Business School to elevate her leadership capability and strategic influence.
“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,” said Infrastructure NSW Chief Executive, Tom Gellibrand.
“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.”
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.
NAWIC NSW Co-President, Taleah Stofka said the organisation was committed to collaboratively driving gender equity through culture change.
“We are proud to offer two scholarships this year to support women in leadership roles to strengthen their capability, influence, and industry impact,” she said.
“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.”
To find out more about the Women in Construction program visit:  Women in Construction | NSW Government and NAWIC NSW Scholarships.
