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This report is part of a project that has been funded by economicSecurity4Women (eS4W). Women in Adult and Vocational Education (WAVE) was contracted to undertake the investigation and materials production that will inform an advocacy campaign. It aims to build a map of potentially viable work for Australian women by identifying industries and occupations with viable career pathways - work that is emergent and falls in identified areas of existing and/or potential skills shortages. It includes work in non-traditional male-dominated fields, where the existing participation of women workers remains at a very low ratio. The aim of mapping and investigating this topic is to provide a foundation from which to devise strategies to identify and target areas where initiatives for women and girls can be implemented to increase and support their engagement and inclusion in industries and occupations that offer career paths, sustainable employment, transferable skills and financial benefits.

Excerpt from publication.

The report covers: (1) an introduction to viability indicators; (2) the mapping approach; (3) the findings and discussion around the following areas: viable work for women and girls; women's participation in skills shortage and job growth areas; the greem economy; and promoting careers in trades to girls and women; (4) examples of best practice: gender sensitive programs and successful strategies for women in emergent and non-traditional areas of work; (5) strategies to attract women and girls to emergent and non-traditional occupations and industries; (6) policy action for improved viable employment for women; (7) recommendations for action; and (8) project products. Show less

Funded by a National Association of Women in Construction International Women's Day scholarship and supported by the Illawarra Institute, the author travelled to the United States of America to conduct research into the avenues for women to enter non-traditional trades and support mechanisms which facilitated this. Differences in the American system were explored, some of which hindered and others which promoted women's training and participation in the trades such as Proposition 209 and affirmative action. Of particular importance are the tradeswomen's own support organizations, older age brackets for apprentices and the role of the unions once they embraced equal opportunities after a rocky start in the 1980s. Also part of the research was a survey of tradeswomen from 11 different trades which found a large percentage engaged in physical activities such as gardening and going to the gym. Many had learnt about tools at a very early age (ages 5-12 years old) and coping with male attitudes at work was still a difficult factor in their work place. Pre-apprenticeship and the unions were the main access vehicles for women into the trades. Aspects of training which also support the women and are different to that offered in Australia, were components such as construction conditioning, mentoring and specific pre-apprenticeship training for women. The rigorous expectations of the support groups were backed up by training which prepared the women to cope with changes in circumstances and factors on the job site. Many of the aspects of the formal mentoring which supported women during training also fostered a more inclusive culture in the trades which benefits all in the workforce. The biggest barrier to women entering the trades has consistently been found to be the aggressive male culture and its advocates. Affirmative action was found to work but needs to be actively tracked and effectively enforced. Recruitment in America is substantially different to Australian recruitment in that it is more egalitarian. Recommendations are made for effecting change by: altering women's own attitudes to their abilities with suggestions for very early introductions of tool use; utilizing and extending family support from an early age; providing training and changing attitudes in trade training; and providing support in the workforce. Any strategies or incentives implemented in Australia will need to be long term and consistently supported at a federal and state level to have any hope of implementing change.

Excerpt from publication. Show less

Funded by a National Association of Women in Construction International Women’s day scholarship and supported by the Illawarra Institute, [technical and further education] TAFE NSW Fiona Shewring travelled to the USA to conduct research into the avenues for women to enter non-traditional trades and support mechanisms which facilitated this. Differences in the American system were explored, some of which hindered and others which promoted women’s training and participation in the trades such as Proposition 209 and affirmative action. Of particular importance are the tradeswomen’s own support organizations, older age brackets for apprentices and the role of the unions once they embraced equal opportunities after a rocky start in the 1980s. Also part of the research was a survey of tradeswomen from eleven different trades which found a large percentage engaged in physical activities such as gardening and going to the gym. Many had learnt about tools at a very early age (ages 5-12 years old) and coping with male attitudes at work was still a difficult factor in their work place. Pre-apprenticeship and the unions were the main access vehicles for women into the trades. Aspects of training which also support the women and are different to that offered in Australia, were components such as construction conditioning, mentoring and specific pre-apprenticeship training for women. The rigorous expectations of the support groups were backed up by training which prepared the women to cope with changes in circumstances and factors on the job site. Many of the aspects of the formal mentoring which supported women during training also fostered a more inclusive culture in the trades which benefits all in the work force. The biggest barrier to women entering the trades has consistently been found to be the aggressive male culture and its advocates. Affirmative action was found to work but needs to be actively tracked and effectively enforced. Recruitment in America is substantially different to Australian recruitment in that it is more egalitarian. Recommendations are made for effecting change by: (1) altering women’s own attitudes to their abilities with suggestions for very early introductions of tool use; (2) utilizing and extending family support from an early age; (3) providing training and changing attitudes in trade training; and (4) providing support in the workforce. Any strategies or incentives implemented in Australia will need to be long term and consistently supported at a federal and state level to have any hope of implementing change.

Published executive summary. Show less