The Albanese Government is partnering with Master Builders Australia to mark its commitment to increasing the female workforce in critical trade industries.
Today Minister for Skills and Training Andrew Giles joined Master Builders to announce they are the successful recipient of a grant under the government's flagship Building Women's Careers Program.
Right now, women make up less than 8% of all female apprentices in male-dominated trades, and less than 5% of in construction.
Less than one third of apprentices in all trades are women.
Research by the Master Builders Association shows that for every new qualified tradie, an extra 2.4 houses will be built each year, so it is critical to hire and retain people from all backgrounds.
Master Builders Australia will lead the Give Her a Chance project to tackle bias in the construction industry through education campaigns, mentoring programs, networking opportunities and best-practice resources and partnerships.
The project will create an environment where women actively consider, succeed and thrive in the construction industry, empowering influencers such as male advocates to shift culture and foster a collective effort to improve workplaces.
To maximise its success and reach all parts of the supply chain, Master Builders has partnered with the Australian Workers Union, Civil Contractors Federation, Brickworks and Bunnings to deliver the project.
Under the first stream of Building Women's Careers funding, ten projects will receive a combined $45 million under the Building Women's Careers program.
The projects focus on creating scalable, high-quality and inclusive training and employment opportunities for women, through partnerships with industry, by:
- encouraging industry-wide male advocacy for women
- undertaking targeted recruitment activities to boost participation
- providing tailored training packages that build skills
- implementing national frameworks that guide industry action
The Building Women's Careers Program was announced in the last budget as part of the Australian Government $22.7 billion Future Made in Australia package.
These partnership projects will address barriers for women entering, remaining and advancing in the traditionally male-dominated industries of construction, clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and digital and technology.
