The National Heavy Vehicle Regulator (NHVR) is partnering with Transport Women Australia Limited (TWAL) this International Women's Day to share the important message of gender equality in the heavy vehicle workforce.
Key findings from the '2023 Federal Government Skills Priority List' revealed only 4.4 per cent of truck drivers were female- despite the sector holding one of the largest employment shortages in Australia.
NHVR Executive Director Michelle Tayler said with the growing freight task across the country and increasing demand for more drivers, it was essential to promote and raise greater awareness of the opportunities that are available for women across the heavy vehicle sector.
"We are all aware of the growing challenge in attracting and retaining drivers to the heavy vehicle industry, with many retiring and fewer young people entering the profession," Ms Tayler said.
"We're part of an industry that services the needs of Australia 24 hours, 7 days a week, with the road freight industry forecast to grow by 80 per cent in 2030 and the Australian Trucking Association estimates the sector will require tens of thousands more operators to meet that demand.
"The theme of International Women's Day this year is to 'Accelerate Action', so we're calling on everyone in industry to do just that.
"Both women and men should feel empowered to play a critical role in keeping the country moving, and we need industry to help dismantle barriers and encourage women to pursue roles as truck drivers, operations managers and mechanics."
TWAL Chair Jacquelene Brotherton said women should feel emboldened to help strengthen the heavy vehicle industry to make it a more diverse workforce.
"There's a huge variety of career paths in our industry, and we don't just have a driver shortage- we have a people shortage," Ms Brotherton said.
"TWAL has initiatives in place to bring transport, logistics and supply chain opportunities to students in New South Wales to introduce and explain our industry and the variety of roles at an earlier stage.
"The 'Driving the Difference' scholarship program assists women in advancing their careers or enabling them to enter our industry for road, rail or marine roles, no matter the age or background of the applicant.
"We have many options in this industry with more flexibility in these roles than people think, and I encourage all women to explore these opportunities and career paths."
The NHVR is also continuing its support for Women in Trucking Australia (WiTA) through the Heavy Vehicle Safety Initiative (HVSI) 'Foot in The Door' project.
The project is aimed at bridging the employment gap and linking female drivers with training organisations and employers nationally.
Since April 2023, the program has supported 27 women into full-time driving employment, with an additional 14 women currently in training or job ready.
