Beyond the Surface: What I Learned at the Change Crafter’s Toolkit

Change Crafter's Toolkit training session day

Last week, I stepped away from my usual desk at BluLever Education to join a three-day journey called the Change Crafter’s Toolkit. As a Human Capital Manager, my role is centered on people, their growth, their challenges, and their success. But this training reminded me that even when you work with people every day, there is always a deeper level of understanding to reach, especially regarding gender sensitivity and equity in the workplace.

At BluLever, we often talk about transforming the trades. This training proved that transformation doesn't just happen in the workshop; it happens in the way we think, the way we support our Appies (apprentices), and how we hold space for one another.

Questioning the "Gut Feeling"

We kicked off Day 1 by diving into the heavy hitters: bias, privilege, equity, and equality. As a decision-maker, I’ve often relied on my "gut feeling." I viewed it as a seasoned internal compass. However, the workshop challenged this. I realised that while a gut feeling can help navigate the unfamiliar, it can also mask unconscious bias. If I rely solely on intuition, I risk undermining formal processes and, more importantly, people’s progress. To truly champion equity, I’ve learned I must interrogate my "gut" and ask: Is this insight, or is this a preconceived notion?

Support is Not One-Size-Fits-All

Day 2 shifted our focus to support. In the context of female apprentices entering male-dominated trades, support is a nuanced tool. A phrase that stayed with me is:

"Even the person with nothing has something to offer."

We discussed the delicate balance of holding our female Appies to the same high standards as their male counterparts while simultaneously acting as their sponsors. It’s not enough to just "mentor"; we must actively advocate for them and seek opportunities to correct systemic imbalances in their workplace experiences. Women in trades face the universal challenges of any worker, plus the added weight of gendered expectations. Our support must be as intentional as it is robust.

Values and the Weight of Disclosure

We closed the training by exploring "Safe Workplaces" and the complexities of disclosures. When an Appie or a team member comes forward with a sensitive issue, how we respond is a direct reflection of our personal and team values. It forced a difficult but necessary question: Does the way we handle a disclosure truly mirror the values we claim to hold? Ensuring that our "safe space" isn’t just a slogan, but a lived reality, requires a constant alignment between our policies and our empathy.

Change Crafter's Toolkit training session

The "I Thought I Knew" Realisation

Perhaps the most humbling part of the experience was the self-assessment. Many of us entered the room on Day 1 feeling confident in our understanding of bias and equality. By Day 3, our endline assessments told a different story. Most of us realised we actually knew less than we initially thought. We discovered that these concepts are not checkboxes to be ticked, but evolving landscapes that require constant learning. I am incredibly grateful to work for a company that prioritises this kind of "heart work."At BluLever, we aren't just training artisans; we’re building a more inclusive industry.

Exposure to these workshops keeps us grounded. It reminds us that to build better professionals, we must first be willing to do the internal work ourselves. I’m walking away not with all the answers, but with better questions and a renewed passion for creating a workplace where everyone, regardless of gender, can thrive.