Women make up around 14% of construction industry professionals and this number can only be set to rise with more and more women working in construction jobs.

Several major construction companies in Australia have made it their business to implement more gender diverse initiatives.

Scholarships and grants are being made available within education and trades communities to encourage female graduates to upskill and further their careers with tickets and qualifications, aimed at increasing the number of women on construction sites.

Women’s rights in the workplace are now a common conversation, and the construction and building industry recognises that. Groups like the national association of women in construction along with social media movements and sexual harassment training for male colleagues all mean that women are treated better than they ever have been.

The construction industry has the capacity to change and create a new business as usual. In fact, a lot of time wasted through today’s culture of the pressure to be constantly “on the job” or just getting the job at hand done.

Ultimately, more women will want to take up construction careers, but, just as importantly, change will improve the work and personal lives of many men.