Community
21 March, 2025
TAFE to help build women’s careers
SOUTH West TAFE will lead a major new program that will introduce up to 250 south-west women to potential careers in construction and clean energy.
The Great South Coast Construction Careers for Women Program will start in early May after receiving a $900,000 federal government Building Women’s Careers Program grant.
The government this week announced 10 community-led, place-based projects would share $9.5 million in funding through the second wave of the Building Women’s Careers Program which is designed to increase the number of women working in critical industries.
This is the second wave of projects funded through the Building Women’s Careers Program.
The projects aim to increase women’s access to flexible, safe and inclusive training and work opportunities.
All projects are being delivered in partnership to address the barriers for women entering, remaining and advancing in the traditionally male-dominated industries of construction, clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and digital and technology.
South West TAFE director of strategy, research and clean economy innovations Dr John Flett said the Great South Coast Construction Careers for Women Program would create new opportunities for women.
“This is a great chance for South West TAFE to help women to improve their career options and transition into a sector that has a lot of fantastic opportunities for all south-west Victorians,” Dr Flett said.
The three-year program will run with industry partners Hansen Yuncken Australia and Ausnet Services.
South West Local learning and Employment Network (LLEN) will help with work placements and work experience connections.
The program will deliver a set of resources, activities and courses to develop the construction and clean energy sector’s capacity to attract, train and retain women in the workplace.
These will include a Gender Inclusivity Employment Kit with sample policies, procedures and templates, employer workshops, information sessions and employment leadership programs.
A series of women-only and mixed gender training programs will be offered, ranging from industry visits and speakers to short courses and full qualifications.
A Women’s Community of Practice will be established and a regional equity coordinator will be appointed to oversee the program.
Dr Flett said the program would support employers to employ female workers and apprentices in the clean energy and construction sectors.
“We’re looking to potentially reach 250 women over the next three years,” he said.
“We will work with our key partners Hansen Yuncken Australia, builders of the new Warrnambool Base Hospital. to cover construction while the clean energy side will be represented by Ausnet Services.
“It is the company rebuilding the high voltage transmission lines between Heywood and Portland, along with other projects in south-west Victoria.
“This is another way in which South West TAFE is trying to support the state and federal government’s net zero targets.”
The program will run from Warrnambool, with activities also in Portland, Hamilton and Colac.
South West TAFE CEO Mark Fidge described the new program as an exciting initiative to address the gender imbalance in trades.
Mr Fidge said it was important that women have equal opportunity to get involved in trades to fill skills gap needs.
“It has been shown that women are a fantastic addition across all trades and this will increase opportunities in critically important sectors,” he said.
In announcing the grants, Minister for Women, Senator Katy Gallagher said programs like these make a crucial contribution to supporting women into male-dominated trades and making sure they can succeed and be safe in these important industries.
“This also helps to narrow the gender pay gap and boost critical workforces,” she said.
Minister for Skills and Training, Andrew Giles said that boosting women’s participation in the workforce was fundamental to addressing skills shortages and building Australia’s future.
