Last week, more than 100 ACT high school girls tried their hands at building and construction as part of the Try a Trade event at the Canberra Institute of Technology (CIT).
Students from five Canberra high schools – Harrison School, Mount Stromlo High School, Alfred Deakin High School, Calwell High School and Melba Copland Secondary School – took part in the inaugural Understanding Building and Construction Program, an initiative to boost career pathways for women in the building and construction industry.
The girls were guided through carpentry, landscaping, concreting, tiling, painting, plastering, and brick laying.
It is estimated that 13 per cent of Australia’s construction industry workforce are women, although less than 3 per cent work directly in the building and construction trades.
More women have enrolled in these trades at the CIT over the past five years.
“It’s encouraging to see an increase in women enrolling in building and construction trade qualifications at CIT, but women still make up only about 5 per cent of our total students in these trades,” CIT interim CEO Christine Robertson said.
She believes a collective approach from education, government, and industry is important to address the under-representation of women in trades.
“Australia faces a skills shortage, these trades are in demand, and CIT is consistently engaging with education and industry to expand the training and career opportunities for more women in building and construction,” Ms Robertson said.
“We’re collaborating with industry to offer women in construction scholarships. The new CIT Woden Campus being built in Woden is a real working example of progress, setting a target of 15 per cent women in the design and construction process.
“A day like Try a Trade is important to show young women what’s possible, and CIT would be excited to see some of these high school students progressing to training and apprenticeships at CIT.”
CIT also supported the high school students to get white card qualifications in areas such as asbestos awareness and silica prevention.
Keith Brown, CIT head of construction, said programs like Try a Trade were powerful opportunities for education and change.
“These students have chosen to be curious, to be bold, and to choose what is currently considered an alternative career path,” Mr Brown said. “This is how we drive change.
“Trade skills are enduring and transferrable. Working with tools, troubleshooting, problem-solving, and adapting to new situations are invaluable traits applicable across various industries.”
The Understanding Building and Construction Program is supported by the ACT Government and the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC).
Prospective students can discover more about CIT’s courses, including building and construction trades, at cit.edu.au
