Australia has made great strides in tackling gender inequality in recent years. Despite improvements in combatting gender discrimination and bias nationwide, its effects continue to be felt in the workforce.
With International Women's Day fast approaching (8th March), it's time to shine a spotlight on the worthwhile progress made, while simultaneously addressing the work that still needs to be done.
In 2024, Australia was ranked 24th globally for gender parity1 – a jump from 43rd in 20222 – and has the fourth highest level of tertiary educated women among OECD* countries3. Employers also played their part, with around two thirds (68%) of businesses in 2024 setting targets to increase the number of women in leadership positions (up from 57% in 2023), and over half (56%) of employers successfully reducing their average gender pay gap4.
Despite this progress, only 63% of women were reportedly employed or actively seeking employment towards the end of last year, compared to 71.3% of men5. In fact, data from employment services provider atWork Australia further suggests that women over 55 years of age find it especially challenging to secure employment, where the likelihood could be limited to a one-in-seven chance for success6.
atWork Australia believes in the importance of equipping women with the confidence and skills they need to secure employment in the workforce, including in more traditionally male-dominated industries. Less than half (47.4%) of women participate in the labour force in Australia7, with only 13.6% of women in fields such as building and construction8.
It is undeniable that the construction industry is a male-dominated industry. In the past decade, atWork Australia has focused on removing the gender label from job roles, encouraging its clients to consider all industries and opportunities – the result being that in one sector of the construction industry, women make up one third (33%) of all atWork Australia job placements. These results are a promising shift to challenge the status quo and pave a path for more women to enter male-dominated industries.
Not only does atWork Australia support its clients into a broad range of roles regardless of historical stereotypes, it also ensures that this value is engrained within its internal culture, with close to 70% of all management roles currently held by women.
Candice (aged 41) from Marsden Park, Sydney, works as a fence installer and fixer, a job that is often associated with men. "Many people told me I couldn't do fencing because I was a woman," she recalled. "When I first started 12 to 13 years ago, it felt like I was one of the few women out there in the construction industry."
Candice was introduced to the world of fencing through her best friend, who was a fencer. The two planned to launch a business together before he was unexpectedly injured, leaving Candice to manage the business independently, and she has since had to overcome gender biases throughout her career.
"Men in this industry aren't used to seeing a woman on site," she said. "I initially thought it wouldn't work because I was a woman and thought gender inequality would be a barrier, so I made sure I knew everything. I didn't want to be that female out there that didn't know her stuff – they were testing me at times."
With the help of atWork Australia, she was able to obtain all necessary licenses and complete the TAFE courses required for her business. She said, "atWork Australia helped me with policies, workers' compensation and tools to support my business. They've also been very helpful and understanding with things that were going on in my personal life."
"We are so strong as women," Candice says when reflecting on her experiences. "When you're friendly and know what you're doing, you should know your worth." She offers this advice to any women fighting against gender inequality in their own workplaces: "It takes a bit of patience but if you can do the job well, people will notice."
atWork Australia offers tailored services to support individuals facing various challenges, helping them not only enter the workforce, but thrive within it. These programs provide individuals with the skills, confidence and support necessary to overcome barriers and build successful careers.
