Engineer Nicole Waterman wins Executive Women’s Leadership Scholarship

The National Association of Women in Construction NSW (NAWIC NSW) has awarded a prestigious government sponsored $30,000 scholarship for women in property and construction to Engineer Nicole Waterman, Project Leader at Laing O’Rourke.

The Minns Government is focussed on increasing opportunities in the construction industry, funding the 2025 NAWIC NSW Executive Women’s Leadership Scholarship.

“Congratulations to Nicole Waterman for being an inspiring leader,” says Minister for Women Jodie Harrison.

“The NSW Government is committed to bringing about change in the construction industry by removing barriers and creating opportunities for women to succeed.

“It has the potential to change the career trajectory of the recipient and reflects the Minns Labor Government’s commitment to attracting and retaining women in construction.”

The scholarship was created to recognise women who have made a significant impact on the construction industry and demonstrate potential as future leaders. 

It provides funding for executive level further education to equip senior women in the construction sector with the leadership skills to drive industry change.

“Nicole stood out for her strategic thinking, collaborative leadership and passion for the construction industry,” says NAWIC NSW Co-President, Taleah Stofka.

"She is a leader with deep technical expertise and site-based experience, a gift for communication, and an ability to inspire teams at scale.

“The judges look for industry role models – leaders with a clear vision and commitment to giving back. Nicole is exactly that.

“This year’s scholarship saw a record-breaking number of applications, thanks to an expanded reach through our partnership with the NSW Government Women in Construction Program.”

The scholarship was awarded to Waterman at the NAWIC NSW International Women’s Day lunch on Thursday 6 March 2025. 

As a talented engineer who has led teams of up to 250 people, Ms Waterman has contributed to the delivery of multi-billion-dollar infrastructure projects and championed women in the industry through mentoring and advocacy.

Waterman is currently leading the TAP3 Footbridge Project at St Marys NSW, was Delivery Partner Lead on the $2 billion Western Tunnelling Package and played a key role in the Central Station upgrade for Sydney Metro.

The scholarship is set to provide her career a boost, enabling her to enrol in the Massachusetts Institute of Technology Global Executive Academy in the United States.

Previous scholarship recipients include 2023 winner Talia Keyes, General Manager for Design with Scentre Group and 2024 winner Jua Cilliers, Head of the School of Built Environment at UTS.

"We are thrilled to announce Nicole Waterman as the recipient of this year’s NAWIC NSW Executive Women’s Leadership Scholarship,” says Infrastructure NSW Chief Executive, Tom Gellibrand.

“Nicole’s dedication to the construction industry and her leadership in advocating for women in STEM make her an outstanding choice. This scholarship will further empower her to drive positive change and inspire future leaders in the industry.

“The NSW Government Women in Construction Program is proud to support this initiative and remains committed to promoting diversity and inclusion within the construction sector.”

To find out more about the Women in Construction program visit Women in Construction. 

Image: Nicole Waterman / supplied