Victoria’s Women in Construction Strategy

The Victorian Government is launching a strategy to encourage more women to consider a career in construction in a bid to achieving gender equality in the workplace.

More women are active in the Victorian labour market now than ever, but they make up only 2% of the workers in Australian construction.

Victorian Industrial Relations Minister Tim Pallas announced the launch of Victoria’s first Women in Construction Strategy 2019 – 2022.

The attract, recruit and retain strategy will start with three initial programs:

1. An online jobs portal for women candidates looking for roles in the construction industry, this is part of the strategy to provide employment opportunities, recruitment and training support, career counselling and resume services.
2. A training program, developed by the Victorian Trades Hall Council, to create respectful relationships on construction sites. Trained officers will visit sites to educate workers and employers about gendered violence in the workplace and how to best support others.
3. A new set of recruitment standards and practices for the construction industry, to be developed by the Master Buildings Association of Victoria

Victorian Industrial Relations Minister Tim Pallas said, “We need to make women aware that construction is an attractive and viable career option. Women must be proactively recruited and have access to strong career pathways. Workplaces must be inclusive and adaptive to ensure that women stay in the industry.”

“Greater diversity makes our workplaces stronger. Greater representation of women in construction will benefit everyone in the industry. This strategy will help deliver just that.”

$500,000 will be injected into the strategy to implement the key three themes. It was developed alongside the Building Industry Consultative Council made up of employers, industry associations and unions.

Want to know more about the construction employment market? Give us a call on 1300 MARBLE.