Women in trades
The participation of women in male-dominated trades remains low in Australia. Trades where women make up less than 25% of the workforce are known as non-traditional trades. In Australian industries with major skills shortages, such as construction, electrotechnology and automotive, women make up only 2% of qualified trade workers.
The lack of women entering trades is a serious economic issue (The Productivity Commission White Paper released on 31 May 2021). Women are vital to addressing trade skill shortages across the state.
Trade careers offer women employment security in high-demand and high-pay industries.
Resources supporting women into trade careers
Working with the Behavioural Insights Unit in the Department of Customer Service, Training Services NSW has developed the following resources to support the attraction of women into trades:
Resources for students
Resources for parents
Resources for industry
- Employer’s Toolkit: Practical steps for attracting, recruiting, and retaining women in trades.
- Communications Guide – Evidence-based advice to help you communicate with girls and women about non-traditional trades.
Resources for educators and agencies of change
- Life Phases: Women in Trades - Behavioural interventions to help women start and stay in non-traditional trades.
- Women in Trades Promising Practice Review - Understanding the barriers preventing women engaging in trades and recommended interventions.
- Careers Insights pack for educators.
- Supporting careers advisers and educators promote non-traditional trades to high school girls.
Program and initiatives supporting women into trades
School students
- The Regional Industry Education Partnerships program (RIEP) connects employers with secondary schools across NSW.
- Girls Can Too – Part of RIEP, Girls Can Too exposes young women to a career in trade through a week-long taster course.
- The Educational Pathways Program (EPP) introduces young people to a range of vocational training and employment pathways.
- School-Based Apprenticeships and Traineeships (SBAT) allows students to commence an apprenticeship or complete a traineeship while at school.
Initiatives for women who have left school
- Women in Construction support – The NSW Government is investing $20.2 million over three years to attract and retain more women into the construction industry.
- GTO Recruitment Program – The NSW Government funds Group Training Organisations (GTOs) to recruit and support individuals to participate in pre-apprenticeship and pre-traineeship training to trial different apprenticeship and traineeship pathways in various industry sectors.
- Built for Women – Fee-free training for women is being offered in construction and related fields.