$60 Million Program Launched to Support Women’s Careers and Break Barriers in Male-Dominated Industries
Senator Katy Gallagher mentioned that the program’s goal is to address obstacles hindering women’s advancement in workplaces.
The Australian Government has unveiled the Building Women’s Careers Program and is inviting organizations to apply for partnership grants.
With a $60.6 million investment, the program aims to boost women’s participation in vocational education, training (VET), and the workforce.
This initiative seeks to develop partnership projects that improve women’s access to well-paid careers, focusing on addressing skills shortages in various sectors of the economy.
Specifically targeting fields traditionally dominated by men like construction, clean energy, advanced manufacturing, and digital technology.
Senator Katy Gallagher, Minister for Women, highlighted the program’s emphasis on helping women thrive in such industries.
Possible projects under this program could involve strategies like modifying workplace and training cultures to create safe environments free from gender-based discrimination and harassment. Additionally, implementing flexible rostering arrangements to accommodate both men and women with caregiving responsibilities is a priority.
Supporting women to acquire relevant experience and VET qualifications leading to senior or better-paying roles is encouraged. The program will also consider expanding successful initiatives that have boosted recruitment and retention across multiple sites on a state-wide or national level.
Collaborative Partnerships for Program Success
Partnerships will play a vital role in executing these projects, involving cooperation between industry, employers, registered unions, training organizations, and community groups.
Grants will be available for industry-led and community-led projects, with large industry-led projects needing a minimum of four partner organizations collectively employing over 1,000 individuals. Community-led small-scale projects will require at least three project partners.
Minister for Skills and Training Andrew Giles emphasized that every job should be accessible to all. He underlined the program’s approach to promoting flexible, safe, and inclusive work and training practices through joint efforts from various stakeholders.
Applications for the Building Women’s Careers Program will open on Nov. 14 and the deadline is 5 p.m. AEDT on Dec. 2.
National Gender Pay Gap Analysis
According to data released by the Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS) in August, the national gender pay gap stands at 11.5 percent.
The data indicates that women earn 89 cents for every dollar men earn on average, resulting in a weekly difference of $231.50 and an annual gap of $12,038.
Former Employment Minister Kevin Andrews, however, holds a different perspective. He believes that surveys and research on income disparities fail to delve into the reasons behind gender discrepancies in the workforce, like differences in job choices or hours worked.
“It does not examine the underlying reasons for the differences.
“Instead, companies are being named and shamed for a misleading assessment of their whole situation relating to men and women,” he added.
