When Far North Queensland’s Jennah Halley began her career in the trades almost two decades ago, she was the only woman in her class.
“I always knew there wasn’t many women around, but I just sort of never realised because it was just something that I wanted,” she said.
Ms Halley has been working as a tradie since she was 21 years old, following a short stint as a bank teller and stay-at-home mum.
The air conditioning and refrigeration technician from Cairns said she gets up every day to do the job she loves.
Walking through those same classrooms and workshops, the now 40-year-old said there is at “least one female in every class”.
She said it is becoming “normal” to see women “walking around wearing high-vis”.
Women employed in electrical trades has increased by 65 per cent since 2020 in Australia, according to the Powering Skills Organisation (PSO).
Ms Halley said she’s proud to see more women working in the industry.
“It’s more spoken about now. It’s more encouraged,” she said.
Increased female participation across all trades
Around 4,900 women signed up for electrical apprenticeships between 2018 and 2023 in Australia, according to the latest research by PSO, the energy sectors’ jobs and skills council.
PSO’s CEO Anthea Middleton said while the number of women taking up an electrical apprenticeship has “grown quite dramatically”, it’s a “drop in the ocean”.
“Women make up approximately 17 per cent of the energy sector workforce, but this drops to below 4 per cent when focusing solely on women employed in hands-on trade roles, such as electricians,” she said.
Ms Middleton said many of the new commencements are women who have spent time already working in other jobs.
“More than half of the women in trade roles [are] under the age of 30, so that’s compared to 36 per cent [of] their male counterparts,” she said.
Ms Middleton said there had been increased participation across all trades due to commitment and investment at the state and federal levels.
“It is a real watershed moment,” she said.
Ms Middleton said it is projected more women will take up apprenticeships.
“We would hope to see that the number of women participating in licensed trades will also continue to grow,” she said.
Ms Middleton says the number of women undertaking electrical apprenticeship has increased.
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'Sexist' and 'off-putting' environments
Donna Bridges, an Associate Professor in sociology at Charles Sturt University, said she is “not surprised” more women are entering electrical trades with the government’s focus on encouraging women to consider non-traditional trades.
But Dr Bridges said there has always been a problem with retaining women in the industry.
“There’s high attrition in the trades anyway, but it’s even higher for women.”
Dr Bridges said the classroom can be “quite a sexist environment, so that’s a bit off-putting”.
“We have heard from women that male apprentices may say that they only got their apprenticeship because they’re a woman,” she said.
Dr Bridges said women can feel socially excluded and experience some level of sexual harassment on worksites.
She said unless women have mentors and allies on site, it can be an “abrasive environment”.
“If they do have that support system, it makes things a lot easier.”
Dr Bridges said the classroom can be “quite a sexist environment”.
She said “all the research” shows that diverse workplaces are more productive, innovative and safer for all genders.
Ms Halley said she thinks there will be “a lot more women” in trades and management positions in the next few years.
“I can’t wait to be a part of that,” she said.
She said she wants more women to have the confidence to pursue the roles they want.
Ms Halley’s advice for women interested in joining is to “find out exactly what it is that you love” and “try some work experience”.Â
“Go and get it,” she said.Â
