Why We Exist

Currently

Australia is experiencing an ongoing skills shortage in construction, infrastructure and other trades industries. This shortage is impacting our productivity and national wellbeing. Yet despite equal talent, ambition, and capacity – women represent a mere 3-4% of Australia’s skilled trades roles due to deeply entrenched systemic barriers: outdated gender stereotypes, conscious and unconscious bias, workplace discrimination, inflexible work systems, limited vocational training opportunities, limited career pathways, inadequate facilities, exclusionary and, at times, unsafe workplace cultures​​. An enormous national pool of talent and economic contribution is being wasted.

More women are entering the sector – an 80% increase in female apprentices since 2019 – thanks to investment in awareness and recruitment campaigns. However, they leave at alarming rates as the system fails to support them – female apprentices are twice as likely as men to cite poor workplace conditions as the reason they drop out. The largest national gender pay gap is in the trades — with construction as high as 31.8% — which no doubt also contributes to the problem.

However

Supporting women to succeed in trade roles creates transformative life and community impacts. Secure, skilled, and financially rewarding careers lift women – and their families – out of economic vulnerability. When women thrive in skilled trades, they also become strong role models who inspire the next generation and help dismantle the false perception that trades are “not for women”​.

The clean energy sector, construction, and other critical industries face acute skills shortages[5]​ – 42,000 more qualified energy workers are needed by 2030 and 90,000 additional construction workers by 2029 – yet these male-dominated industries continue to reinforce inequitable systems that undermine their own and the nation’s growth.

Employers often worry that inclusion work adds cost or slows productivity. In reality, the opposite is true: high turnover, absenteeism, and conflict are far more expensive. Retention delivers stability, protects training investments, and creates safer, more productive teams. For SMEs, this is particularly critical — with limited HR systems, the cost of losing an apprentice or tradesperson is felt immediately on the bottom line.

Modelling estimates that removing barriers to workforce participation for women would increase Australia’s GDP by up to $60 billion over 20 years and at an Employer level – workplaces with DEI policies are 21% more likely to outperform on profitability.

That’s why

Tradeswomen Australia is committed to building supportive workplaces and influencing national policy change to reduce systemic barriers that block success for women in trades.