Launch of NSW Government Women in Construction annual survey

The NSW Government Women in Construction Program has launched a survey to deepen the understanding of women’s experiences in the construction industry and shed light on the cultural and diversity challenges across the sector.

As one of the most male dominated industries in Australia, women make up just 13% of the construction sector and 2% trade roles. With construction facing severe skills shortages, particularly in trade roles, the need to take steps aimed at making the sector more diverse and inclusive is critical to deliver the State’s infrastructure pipeline.

The survey, targeting construction businesses and workforce, builds on baseline data collected in last year’s inaugural survey. In addition to providing insights into the experiences of women in construction, the findings enable Government to make data driven decisions on allocating resources to shift the dial and improve women’s participation in the construction sector.

Results from last year’s survey revealed a lack of work-life balance and flexible working hours as the top issue for both men and women, as well as insights into the working conditions and policy implementation across businesses.

These results have informed policy changes aimed at improving workplace practices and highlight the importance of the continued partnership between Government and industry to deliver change.

The survey is being delivered as part of the Women in Construction Program alongside a range of initiatives aimed at increasing and retaining women in construction trade and non-traditional roles, including:

• The Women in Construction Infrastructure Skills Legacy Program, which is piloting targets of 4% women in trade and 7% women in non-traditional roles on NSW Government projects across the State. To date, 16 project officers have been embedded on 19 projects across the State to recruit and retain women in construction site-based roles, with projects tracking at 3% and 6% respectively.
• The Industry Innovation Program (IIP), a competitive industry grants program which saw $3.7 million funding allocated to 21 projects in Year 1. Recipients of Year 2 IIP funding will be announced from July 2024.
• The Hard Work Knows No Gender campaign, which was launched in December last year to promote gender diversity on construction sites. The campaign will continue through 2024.

The Women in Construction Program Year 2 Industry Survey is now open and survey links will be shared widely across the construction sector and made available on the Women in Construction website and LinkedIn page.

To view the results of last year’s survey, please visit the Women in Construction website – https://www.nsw.gov.au/employment/women-construction/programs

Infrastructure NSW Chief Executive Tom Gellibrand said:

“By shining a light on the issues women face in the industry, we can take steps to address them and help attract and retain more women in the construction sector.

“We are encouraging men and women from the construction industry to complete the survey, so we can get an accurate insight into construction culture and look at ways to continue to improve the sector.

“To create real change in the industry, we need to know where to focus our efforts and how we can best partner with industry to make this happen.

“We need the help of the entire construction industry to create a safe, diverse, and inclusive working environment for the benefit of everyone.”