A new initiative led by the Australian Constructors Association (ACA) is offering women the chance to experience what a career in construction is really like.
Supported by the New South Wales Government’s Women in Construction Industry Innovation Program grant, the new campaign sees major contractors coming together in efforts to attract mid-career women to the construction industry.
ACA CEO Jon Davies said this initiative is an industry-first.
“While it’s essential to engage school leavers, we see a tremendous opportunity in attracting women with life experience,” Mr Davies said.
“Many women don’t realise that the skills they have gained in other industries can easily transfer to construction.
“Bringing these women into our industry can accelerate the cultural shift we desperately need – it’s about more than just gender balance.”
The Attract Initiative was developed by ACA’s Culture Committee, led by Jayne Whitney, Chief Strategy Officer at John Holland. It is designed to showcase the industry’s evolving culture and the abundant opportunities available to women.
“As women, we often hesitate to apply for roles unless we have direct experience,” Ms Whitney said.
“We want women to know that construction welcomes them and that their experience in other fields is valuable. There’s a role for everyone in this industry.”
The initiative includes a public awareness campaign featuring a web-based portal, where women can learn about and explore careers in construction. But it goes beyond that—women will have the opportunity to visit construction sites and see firsthand what working in the industry is like.
“We are confident that once women see our sites and the scale of our work, they’ll be inspired by the important role construction plays in shaping our world,” said Ms Whitney.
“The opportunities to progress are endless, and few careers offer the same potential.”
Construction remains Australia’s most male-dominated industry, with women making up just 12 per cent of the workforce and less than 2 per cent of on-site roles. ACA’s Attract initiative is part of a broader pledge by member companies to drive cultural change within the industry.
In addition to attracting a new wave of talent, efforts to establish workplace flexibility policies and achieve the Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA) Employer of Choice for Gender Equality citation are well underway. Already, four ACA member companies have achieved this citation, demonstrating significant progress toward the ACA’s pledge to create a more inclusive industry from the ground up.
The ACA thanks the New South Wales Government for supporting the Attract initiative. The New South Wales Government’s Industry Innovation Program is one of four priority actions for the Women in Construction Program. The grants program was established to fund innovative ideas in industry to support the creation of inclusive workplace cultures, attract and retain women to the construction sector, support female employees and women in leadership roles.
The New South Wales Government is investing $20.2 million in the Women in Construction Program over three years. The program aims to attract and retain more women into the construction industry, with a focus on increasing the number of women in trade and non-traditional roles.
Year 2 of the Industry Innovation Program was announced in August with $2.2 million allocated to 13 industry recipients.
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