Increasing Women’s Representation in Construction

As our sector grows and diversifies, it is more important than ever to increase women’s representation. Not only do women bring invaluable perspectives to the table, but they are also compassionate and intelligent leaders. In an industry forecasted to boom in Australia by an average annual rate of 3.4 per cent between 2020-2030, as revealed by Oxford Economics, a commitment to making the industry more inclusive and safer for women is crucial.

Advocacy for change is not new. There are several advocacy groups which have long campaigned for women in construction. For example, the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) is steadfast advocate for an equitable construction industry, offering education, networking, support and more for women in construction. NAWIC 2025 Goals can be seen below.

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This need is also being recognised by the Government, with the NSW Government who recently announced an investment of $20.2 million over three years to attract more women into the construction industry, setting a goal of women holding 15per cent of trade and non-traditional roles by 2030. While this goal is less ambitious than NAWIC’s goal of 25% participation by 2025, it demonstrates there is a real issue and attention is catching.

Although increased funding is important, there must be a wider attitudinal and cultural shift to support women in construction.  

Empowering women in the infrastructure and natural resource space is of key importance for us here at Comacon. We are proud to be a female-led and have a 90% female workforce. We will continue to strive for change, keep the discourse going and promote the perspectives of our female employees and clients.

Together, we can create meaningful change within the construction industry.