The combination of higher job vacancies and a greater focus on gender diversity by employers is presenting more opportunities for women in trades than ever before.
National Skills Week 2024 is highlighting opportunities for women to pursue careers through vocational education and apprenticeships across a wide range of trades, industry sectors and locations.
More opportunities for women will be created with the federal government’s commitment to spend an additional $30 billion on Vocational Education and Training (VET) over the next five years.
The federal government’s latest Jobs and Skills Australia Skills Shortage Quarterly report shows fill rates, the number of positions filled relative to advertised job vacancies, in trades remain persistently low.
Fill rates for Technician and Trade Workers are consistently below 50% and are the lowest of all major group occupations.
The low fill rates indicate shortage pressures for occupations within this broad group are relatively more acute. Industry estimates indicate there is presently a shortfall of 90,000 tradespeople nationally, while only 3% of tradespeople in construction are women.
Perth-based Amy Hunt is a cable jointer with Cert III in Distribution Cable Jointing, prior to beginning her TAFE course she did not know what a cable jointer was. She’s now progressed into a supervisory role.
“Giving me a voice and leverage to raise issues and be identified as a leader in the workplace. It gave me what felt like purpose, a career I know love, and opened my eyes to the importance of trades," Hunt says.
Addressing the female participant imbalance is key to improving participation in trades according to Brian Wexham, Chair of National Skills Week.
“Gender gaps in trades need to be closed with a coordinated approach that begins with an emphasis on vocational training and apprenticeship opportunities,” Wexham says.
“National Skills Week continues to be a catalyst for those seeking careers as tradespeople. It’s no longer a matter of recruiting people of the right gender, it’s about recruiting people with the right skills and there are numerous success stories demonstrating women have those skills.”
The Building and Construction industry is also attracting female participation. Brick and block laying vacancies are high, and there are excellent career pathway opportunities in bricklaying according to Michael Morrissey CEO of Brick & Block Careers.
"We aim to fulfil the career aspirations of young Australians and job seekers, by providing employment opportunities in brick and block laying,” Morrissey says.
