Amarapave aims to transform the asphalt paving industry one road, one opportunity and one person at a time.
Francieli Martin arrived in Australia determined to make a career and grab an opportunity to show a future employer what they could do.
After arriving from Brazil, Martin looked for an opportunity to get started in the asphalt industry. The trouble was that Martin did not know how to break into the industry despite believing she had the capabilities to thrive in it.
“I came to Australia around three years ago and while I’ve been studying some English, when I came to Australia, I had no English,” Martin told Quarry. “I used to work as a traffic controller, and that’s when I saw all of the opportunities out there. I saw how they’d lay out the asphalt and all of these things which I had never seen before.
“[Then] I saw Amarapave, and I felt like they really understood me, and they really helped.”
Amarapave was created by co-founders Jenika Stubelj and Ash MacMahon, who serve as managing director and field director within the organisation respectively.
The pair had been working on different sides of the asphalt industry, with Stubelj, a chief operating officer at an asphalt company and MacMahon, an asphalter and plant operator, prior to launching the company.
In many ways, they created Amarapave to help people in Martin’s exact situation; they wanted to break into the asphalt industry but were unsure how to take the first steps. By working with people from diverse backgrounds, MacMahon and Stubelj have a business which helps lift diversity and inclusion in the asphalt industry.
They supported Martin through the job interviews, helped her with paperwork, and understood her as she navigated her entry into the industry. Eventually, Martin joined the Citywide Asphalt Group’s Laverton and North Melbourne teams as an asphalt plant crew member.
“They helped me with the English barrier and provided all this support that made me feel very confident,” Martin said.
“They helped me with the onboarding process, documentation and finding a position at Citywide, where my fascination with the asphalt industry started.
“I started to have fun at work and see that there are places that respect you even when you’re from another country and don’t speak the language that well. They were patient with me and taught me what they knew.
“The reason why I am so fascinated with it is there is teamwork every day, and it’s like a second family. I don’t have a family living here in Australia, and these people support me a lot and make me feel comfortable every day.”
Martin said Amarapave and Citywide Asphalt Group had been critical in helping breakthrough into the industry and pursue their dream career.
“They gave me the support I needed at the stage, and they provided everything I needed like PPE and boots, and the feeling you get from these little things is a good feeling.”
“In this industry, I see a lot of career progression and opportunities. You’re recognised for what you do and there’s always people here to support you. It is very nice, I feel like a belong here,” Martin said.
Martin has positively impacted since joining Citywide Asphalt Group at its Laverton and North Melbourne sites. Citywide Asphalt Group general manager Sam Allan said including people from diverse backgrounds only enhanced the workplace.
“Fran’s employment has been fantastic, and it was merit-based appointment. We interviewed multiple people from many different avenues and Fran was the successful applicant.
“Fran really proved to be a great cultural fit for our business and a great contributor to our organisation.”
Diversity in the workplace can come in many forms, including gender identity balance, race, sexual identity, age, physical or mental disabilities, marital status, religion, place of birth and much more.
As an employer, Allan said all of these factors needed to be considered when recruiting new team members.
Citywide Asphalt Group will often go to organisations like Amarapave, Indigenous employment group Mob Jobs, APM (all abilities employment) and Reboot, which works with ex-offenders throughcare employment looking to re-enter the workforce. Alongside the conventional advertising approach on SEEK, this method enables Citywide Asphalt Group to reach people who may not have considered the industry a viable option.
“Amarapave made it really easy for us to recruit in that fashion. This approach helps us make sure we have the right balance of diversity in our work group,” Allan told Quarry.
“When we have diverse work groups, we can have fresh ideas and a greater understanding of how we can cater to all stakeholder requirements and not be focused on one patricular group.
“When we go to market looking for new people, we search for people with the qualities that fit our workplace culture, are reliable and have a good work attitude because if they’re a good cultural fit, we have the ability to train, coach and support them in the technical know-how. ”
Doing what matters
Before launching Amarapave, Stubelj and MacMahon were well-established in the industry, boasting careers they could be proud of, and they wanted others to share in that opportunity.
Their shared vision was to create something different—a business that not only delivers exceptional asphalt paving but also creates real opportunities for people who have often been left out.
“We were seeing women come through the industry. But a big issue was the retention side, so we would see them come in but decide not to stay, predominately because they felt like they didn’t belong in the industry and didn’t have equal opportunities to grow,” Stubelj said.
“It was something that Ash and I talked about a lot. Through a lot of conversations, we decided to start Amarapave and advocate for more opportunity in the industry for women and non-binary people and other minority backgrounds.”
As a social enterprise, Amarapave is built on the belief that business can be a force for good. It exists to bridge the gap between exceptional paving services and meaningful social change. By reinvesting a substantial portion of its profits into creating pathways for women, non-binary individuals, and other underrepresented groups, Amarapave are turning purpose into action. The company is not about ticking boxes or meeting quotas. It is about creating real opportunities that change lives, challenge outdated norms, and inspire a future where diversity is not just part of the process – it leads it. As they advocate, they hope the message of how a diverse workforce can help the industry will catch on amongst employers as the culture shifts.
“To change culture, it requires buy-in from everyone. When we start seeing asphalt crews out on the road that replicate the communities we’re working in, that’s when we’re starting to head in the direction we want to head in. The more opportunities we can provide people to grow their capabilities, the better. When we start to look at the industry and the future, we need to start building the capabilities of the future leaders we want to see now,” Stubelj said.•
For more information, visit amarapave.com.au
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