Business
15 March, 2024
Pioneer picks up top award
A TRAILBLAZER in the aviation industry has become Cairns’ 2024 woman of the year for her tireless work to develop the industry in Cairns and her efforts and advocacy to encourage more women to pursue a career in non-traditional fields.
Skytek chief executive Alana McKenna was awarded the honour at Cairns Regional Council’s International Women’s Day ceremony last Friday for her pivotal role in aviation and her incessant fight to enhance women’s role in what has been a male-dominated industry.
Ms McKenna, who was also the keynote speaker at the event, began her speech saying she hated the word ‘male-dominated industry’, “they’re just industries and if we start by changing words like that, more women will feel empowered to take on these roles”.
“There’s so much ability here in Cairns, in sports, and arts, and science, so I didn’t expect to get this award,” she said.
“Cairns punches well above for a regional area, and we have an amazing array of women in different industries, and they do very well but we need to keep making them thrive.
“There’s still a lot to improve in aviation, we’re not there yet, nor in construction and we’ve made some progress in these fields, but we need to improve all industries, anything a woman wants to do she should be able to.
“My message to women would be: be who you are today and choose the right thing for you, don’t be pressured into something. Do what you want to do.”
Twenty-two-year-old First Nations woman Indianna Tillet was awarded the young woman of the year award for her work as a program coordinator and facilitator with Deadly Choices delivering better health outcomes to First Nations people in the community.
“Receiving this award means a lot to me and I’m really grateful, and it’s a representation of who’s brought me up and my ancestors,” she said.
High-profile Indigenous athlete Libby Cook-Black left such an impact on the judges that she took home two awards – the women’s recognition award and a highly commendation award for her advancement and advocacy of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women in sport. Her mother, Amanda Black, received the awards on her behalf.
