The Housing Industry Association (HIA) says greater participation by women across the residential building sector — including in manufacturing — will be important to delivering the homes Australia needs, as the industry responds to housing shortages and workforce demands.
Marking International Women’s Day, HIA Managing Director Jocelyn Martin said attracting more women into the construction workforce, including manufacturing roles connected to home building, would play a key role in supporting the sector’s future capacity.
“With Australia facing a significant housing shortage and growing demand for skilled workers, attracting more women into the industry will be critical to delivering the homes Australia needs,” Martin said.
She said the residential building sector offers a wide range of career pathways beyond traditional trade roles, including positions in project management, design, manufacturing, technology and business leadership.
“While many people still picture construction as a traditional trades job, the reality is the industry includes everything from project management and design through to manufacturing, technology and business leadership roles,” Martin said.
According to HIA, women currently account for around 15 per cent of Australia’s construction workforce, highlighting what the organisation describes as a significant opportunity to expand participation across the sector.
“Increasing the number of women in construction is not only important for diversity but also essential to addressing the industry’s ongoing workforce shortages,” Martin said.
“Encouraging more women into construction is one of the most practical ways to strengthen the industry’s workforce and ensure we have the skills needed to deliver the homes Australians need.”
Martin said industry-led initiatives are also seeking to broaden awareness of career pathways into the sector. HIA recently launched the “She Builds the Future” initiative in partnership with MiTek to highlight opportunities across home building and encourage young women to explore careers in areas including manufacturing, design and business management.
“It helps young women understand that there are many pathways into construction, whether that is through apprenticeships, vocational education, university study or careers in manufacturing, design and business management,” she said.
As part of the initiative, HIA has also released the Australian edition of the children’s book The House That She Built, aimed at introducing young girls to the different roles involved in building a home.
“By showing young people what the industry looks like and the opportunities available, we can help ensure the next generation of women see construction as an exciting and rewarding career,” Martin said.
“A more diverse workforce brings new ideas, skills and perspectives that strengthen the industry and help it continue to evolve.”
