1. OVERVIEW
The Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning will implement the Career Transitions Program, which allows eligible academic and professional staff employed in the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning to enhance or re-establish their careers after experiencing an interruption or disruption to their career.
This scheme provides financial support to redress disadvantages of career interruption/s which may be caused by one or more factors such as maternity leave, carer’s responsibilities, living with a disability, bereavement, gender transition or affirmation, domestic violence, long-term mental or physical health, or cultural responsibilities.
In 2026, two (2) grants of up to $5000 each are available for career development or enhancement opportunities which may include but are not limited to professional development and training, to support research-related expenses, provide childcare or pay for tickets and accommodation for a carer/companion when the staff member is attending a conference.
This program is intended to enhance but not replace the leave and associated support provisions available to staff under the 2024 Enterprise Agreement (link requires staff login). Eligible academic staff are encouraged to consider the Research Impetus Grants.
2. OBJECTIVES
The objective of the Career Transitions Program is to support the career progression of staff members of the ABP community who have experienced significant disruptions in their careers.
3. FUND CATEGORIES
Return-to-work funding will support your work, research and/or education-focused activities to assist in re-establishing your career during or following a major career interruption.
Carers’ travel funding will support your caring responsibilities or caring needs to assist in re-establishing your career during or following a major career interruption.
Career development funding will support staff who are experiencing the impacts of multiple forms of inequality or disadvantage to afford the kind of leadership opportunity (e.g., academic and/or professional career development) that will help address the impacts that you may have experienced in your career due to the intersection of your identities.
4. APPLICANT ELIGIBILITY REQUIREMENTS
4.1. Staff who wish to be considered for funding under the Careers Transitions Program must meet all the eligibility requirements listed below.
a) Be a continuing academic or professional member of staff with an appointment of 0.5 FTE or above who is employed by the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning, OR a fixed-term professional and academic staff with a contract appointment to at least 31 December 2026, and
b) who can demonstrate a serious career disruption/interruption resulting from any or all of the following in the period 1 January 2025 to 31 December 2025:
- maternity/parental/adoption/reproductive leave.
- living with a disability.
- significant caring responsibilities.
- exposure to major disasters or force majeure.
- long-term mental health conditions and impacts.
- medical/gender transition or affirmation.
- pregnancy loss, bereavement, and/or domestic violence.
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander employees with personal, community, cultural, and ceremonial responsibilities and obligations
c) who has maximised the relevant provisions of leave and associated support available to them under the 2024 Enterprise Agreement (as relevant), and
d) who has not received similar funding from other Faculty and/or University sources, and
e) who can demonstrate how the funds will be used to redress the disadvantage/s of the career interruption, and
f) who has the support of their line manager/supervisor.
4.2. The selection committee will comprise the Assistant Dean Diversity & Inclusion, the Dean, the HR Business Partner, the Faculty Research Manager or their delegate.
4.3. If there are more eligible applications than awards available, selection will be based on:
a) length of career disruption,
b) demonstration of how the fund will support the staff member to redress any disadvantage following a career disruption,
c) demonstration of the impact of multiple forms of inequality or disadvantage, such as non-binary staff living with disability, or Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander staff with carer responsibilities
4.4. The Committee reserves the right to not offer any, or the maximum number of available, funds if no or fewer suitable candidates apply.
5. PRINCIPLES GUIDING THE APPLICATIONS ASSESSMENT PROCESS
An intersectional approach to achieving workplace inclusion will consider the following principles when assessing applications:
Principle 1. This fund recognises the diversity of lived experience and the intersectional impact on one’s career. The committee will try to support a spread of intersectional considerations.
Professional and academic staff may experience significant interruptions or go through key transition points during the life course of their careers.
Principle 2. Supports systemic inclusion that considers intersectional identities.
The Faculty recognises the compounding impact of intersectionality on the experience, opportunities and challenges faced by staff of diverse identities and backgrounds. Depending on their social identities and the intersections of these identities (e.g., gender, age, race), these transitions and life stages, and the subsequent impact on their career, will vary significantly from one member to another. The faculty hopes that through this program, we will support members of the ABP community in making important career decisions that will help maintain and sustain their professional and academic careers and momentum.
Principle 3. Removes barriers to career progression by supporting flexible work arrangements.
Removing access and success barriers to career progression and workplace flexibility are known drivers of reducing inappropriate workplace behaviour and the gender pay gap. A flexible career “meets the individual’s needs and preferences for flexibility and sustainability as life circumstances change, and is influenced by the institutional environment, organizational factors, as well as individual career decisions”[1].
Principle 4. Aligns with the University of Melbourne’s Gender Equality Action Plan.
The University and its Faculty are committed to the gender equality principles set out in the Gender Equality Act 2020. This response to the outcomes of our university’s Workforce Gender Audit takes account of the University’s diversity and inclusion strategic priorities with a particular emphasis on actions that support career progression for staff of all genders, backgrounds, and abilities, nurturing a culture of growth and learning where both academics and professional staff succeed and thrive.
Principle 5. Aligns with the University Diversity and Inclusion Strategy and Policy, and the Action Plans that support the achievement of the Strategy and Policy
University is ready to learn from the past and rethink some of our approaches to ensure our university community is empowered and supported to pursue excellence while ensuring equality of opportunity for all.
Principle 6. Aligns with strategic priorities of the faculty as stipulated in the Faculty’s Designing Futures and Diversity and Inclusion Action Plan.
6. AWARD CONDITIONS
Eligible staff can apply for any of the fund categories as outlined in Section 2. If there are more applicants than awards available, an applicant will only be considered for one fund category. In subsequent years, first-time applicants will be prioritised.
The funds are available up to a maximum period of 12 months.
The fund supports the continuation of one’s career during an interruption/leave or to transition to and from an interruption/leave, within the Faculty of Architecture, Building and Planning.
Fund can be used to support salary and/or research-related or education-related expenses outlined in the guidelines and include travel costs, childcare for conferences or direct research costs.
The applicant is responsible for outlining a plan for the activity during the period of leave, including how project milestones and progress will be communicated to their supervisor, if applicable.
The supervisor has the responsibility of supporting the applicant's fund-related activities during the designated period, based on the proposed plan.
Successful applicants will be reimbursed for the actual cost where not paid directly via the faculty following the submission of relevant receipts via an expense reimbursement in Workday. As this is a pilot, recipients will be invited to provide a short report on the completion of the grant on the achievements, outcomes, and career benefits.
7. ACKNOWLEDGEMENTS
Initial Working Group on Career Transitions Fund: Iderlina Mateo-Babiano, Carl Jackson, Sally Jones, Nicholas Phelps, and Fabienne Brown.
Review of the Career Transitions Fund Guidelines: Natalie Galea, Masa Noguchi, Stephanie Morgan, and Hélène Frichot.
Fund Implementation: ADD&I, HR Business Partner, Faculty Research Manager and the Dean.