Women remain underrepresented in Australia’s electrical trades, with a new report warning that structural and cultural barriers continue to limit participation at a time of mounting clean energy workforce shortages.
The Gender Impact Assessment (GIA) Report, released by Future Energy Skills, forms part of the organisation’s Powering Women into Clean Energy Apprenticeships Project.
The GIA report argues that improving gender diversity across the electrical industry is now critical to meeting the workforce demands of Australia’s energy transition.
Produced by Tradeswomen Australia, the GIA report examines the lived experiences of women working in the electrical sector through interviews, literature reviews and workplace analysis. It also includes a toolkit of policies and practical resources designed to help employers build safer and more inclusive workplaces.
One participant, identified as Juniper, an A Grade electrician, described the pressures women continue to face on worksites.
“[They think] you only got that because you’re a girl. It cheapens what you’ve worked for… all these little things that people say and do just add to that pressure to be better, be perfect,” she said.
According to the GIA report, women account for less than four per cent of Australia’s electrical trades workforce despite gradual increases in participation over the past decade.
The report identified several persistent barriers preventing greater participation, including rigid gender stereotypes, limited awareness of training pathways, exclusionary recruitment practices, unsafe workplace cultures and a lack of coordinated industry-wide action.
Interview participant, Charles, a mentor within the electrical sector, affirmed that broader cultural attitudes remained a major challenge.
Overarchingly, the report states the causes of the underrepresentation of women is well-documented, with the priority now shifting towards implementation and accountability across industry.
To read the full Gender Impact Assessment Report, click here.
Get involved
The Powering Women into Clean Energy Apprenticeships Project is one of ten large-scale partnership projects funded under the Australian Government’s Building Women’s Careers program, which aims to drive structural and cultural change across industries considered critical to the Federal Government backed Future Made in Australia agenda.
Employers involved in the initiative will gain access to tailored resources aimed at improving workplace culture, safety and apprentice retention.
Employers interested in hiring a woman apprentice, or currently supporting a first or second year woman apprentice, may be eligible to participate in the Powering Women into Clean Energy Apprenticeships Project. For more information or to express interest, click here.
