In-demand tradie job paying $2,204 a week with 16,700 vacancies: 'Real opportunity'
Australia is facing a huge trades shortage in sectors like the building and construction industry, and there have been calls for more females to enter the industry. Female tradies still make up just three per cent of qualified workers, but there are some jobs where the percentage is much higher.
NextMinute analysed official labour market data, along with SEEK data, to find the roles where females are earning as much as $2,204 a week. NextMinute's CEO Alex Jenks said there were lucrative opportunities for women who entered a trade.
'Women are increasingly joining and succeeding in trades roles, bringing diversity, skill, and new perspectives to the industry,' he said.
'There is still work to be done, but these figures show real momentum and opportunity for women considering careers in the trades.'
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The trade job platform found handyperson roles had a higher proportion of females, with women making up 8 per cent of workers.
Handyperson roles currently have more than 3,000 job ads on SEEK, with a median full-time wage of $1,307 per week.
Other trades where female participation was increasing included fencing (5 per cent), cabinetmaking (5 per cent) and electricians (4 per cent).
Electrician roles are currently in high demand, with more than 16,700 job ads listed and a median full-time weekly earnings of $2,204 per week.
Separate data from Employment Hero found construction and trade wages had increased 8 per cent year on year in April, with the median hourly rate now sitting at $50.60 across the industry.
Here were the top 5 most popular trades for females and weekly average incomes. For some, only hourly wages were available.
Handyperson: 8 per cent female share and $1,307 median weekly wage
Building and plumbing labourers: 7 per cent and $1,634 median weekly wage
Cabinetmakers: 5 per cent and $1,216 median weekly wage
Fencer: 5 per cent and $30 median hourly earnings
Electrician: 4 per cent and $2,204 median weekly wage
It comes after the government announced it would spend $45 million to get more women into trades, with funding designed to increase advocacy, networking, recruitment and training for women in trades.
Minister for Women Katy Gallagher said Australia has 'one of the highest rates of industry segregation among advanced economies'.
Minister for Skills and Training Andrew Giles added that boosting women's participation in trades would be "fundamental to addressing skills shortages" and building Australia's future.
Master Builders Australia noted that women made up 15 per cent of the building and construction workplace, but only 3 per cent of them were actually on the tools.
The group said cultural change, along with industry structures like more flexible patterns of work, were needed to attract and retain women.
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