How Master Builders will boost women builders

Staff Writer News March 14, 2023 Comments Closed

Master Builders Australia highlighted key initiatives it hopes will boost the number of women in the construction industry.
Coinciding with International Women’s Day (March 8), Master Builders Australia CEO Denita Wawn said more action was needed.

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“Attracting more women to join the building and construction industry is not only a matter of gender equality and empowerment, but also a critical strategy for the industry’s growth and development,” she said.
“With only 14 per cent of the workforce in the industry being female, we are missing out on the skills and talents of half the population.”

The Master Builders-delivered Women Building Australia program is one such initiative aimed at helping women get into the construction industry. It includes a mentorship program, female-led business register, business resilience training and a harassment and discrimination support line.

“We recognise that the building and construction industry has been traditionally male-dominated, but we’re committed to breaking down those barriers and making this industry more inclusive for women,” Wawn added.

“Our goal is to create an environment where women feel welcomed, supported, and empowered to pursue careers in construction.”

Master Builders Australia has proposed several policies that geared at boosting women in construction before the 2023-24 Federal Budget.

These include:

A National Partnership Agreement to improve careers education
Developing an Apprentice Commencement and Retention Strategy
Publish data-backed VET quality indicators to help inform decision-making
Removing any unnecessary red tape from employers to ensure a smooth implementation of the Australian Skills Guarantee.

This feature first appeared in The Tradie.