Women are taking the trade industry by storm and leading a revolution that empowers all workers in their industries.
Have you ever thought about getting into a trade, but been intimidated by the thought of being the only woman? Learn more about the opportunity for women in trades and how women are making a strong, positive impact on the industry.
The Numbers
Over the past few years, the trade industry has been flooded with women who are bringing their own unique skills to these trades. Though trades such as construction, automotive and plumbing may have seen like men’s work in the past, that image is quickly fading away as more women come into the trade and work alongside men.
The numbers are showing this to be true. According to Master Builders Construction Apprentice Mentoring Scheme (CAMS), 12 percent of the construction workforce is made up of women, and the numbers keep growing each year. In 2012 alone, there were “171 female apprentice carpenters, 138 female apprentice painters and 93 apprentice plumbers.”
Other trades are experiencing large shortages of labour, and they’re looking to women to fill those gaps. According to the New South Wales government, only 0.8 percent of the motor mechanics trade was made up of women in 2012, and in many other trades, such as roof tilers and floor finishers, barely any women entered the trade.
“Skill shortages can create critical short term and long term problems for Australia’s economic health and the quality of life for Australians,” says a report from the NSW government entitled “Why increase the participation of women in trades?”. “Increased female participation in the workforce will result in significant economic gains while improving women’s relative pay will result in an increase in female participation in the workforce.”
The bottom line is that more women in the trades industry means better economic opportunities for Australia.