Connecting Women to Trades Celebrating International Women’s Day
The theme for International Women’s Day 2024, "Count Her In: Invest in Women. Accelerate Progress," underscores the importance of ensuring economic inclusion for women and girls worldwide. This theme aligns with the priority focus of the United Nations 68th Commission on the Status of Women, which aims to examine pathways to greater economic inclusion for women.
Program overview
The Connecting Women to Trades program offers grants to eligible organisations to deliver skills, training and career development projects that support women to pursue a career in trades.
Funded projects from Connecting Women to Trades grant (round two)
There are 26 funded projects identified in the Connecting Women to Trades grant program (round two) conducted by Training Services NSW.
Connecting Women to Trades grant program (round two) aims to address the underrepresentation of women in non-traditional trades and trades experiencing skills shortages.
Funded projects will deliver a wide range of activities to encourage and support more women to access trade qualifications and employment pathways.
The projects’ objective is to boost the number of women in trades through increasing the appeal of trades, removing cultural and societal barriers, and supporting learning to maximise vocational outcomes.
Projects will be delivered through partnerships, aligned to the three pillars of action and outcomes of the Women’s Strategy and include multiple outputs, such as accredited training; careers information; job readiness training; marketing and promotion; work tasters and placements.
List of funded projects and organisations (round two)
| Organisation | Project description | Project location(s) |
|---|---|---|
Empowering Women in Maintenance Trades This project will promote trade experiences in meat processing and attract and encourage women considering trades in the meat processing industry. This project provides three engaging job rotations over a 12-month period to women participating in the program. They will be immersed in meat industry maintenance trades including what it is like to work as a fitter and turner, electrician, and plumber. | Hunter & Central Coast, North Coast & Mid North Coast, Western NSW, Riverina | |
Building Lady Tradies 2.0 Building Lady Tradies 2.0 is specifically designed to deliver on the interventions detailed in the Women in Trades Promising Practice Review to increase women's participation in male-dominated industries. The project will encourage and support women of all ages and backgrounds to participate in accredited training, workshops, guest speaking events with tradeswomen and build play equipment to be donated to the local community. | Hunter & Central Coast | |
An Innovative Approach to Improving Participation and Retention of Women in NSW Civil Construction Trades The aim of the project is to attract and retain more women in non-traditional trade roles within the male-dominated civil construction industry with initiatives to promote awareness of trade careers available through targeted career information and industry awareness sessions and by developing a Personal Skills Audit tool and automated Job-Matching service. The project will create and build a strong community and network to support women to stay in their trade, industry, create combined job and training opportunities for women in the civil construction industry. | Southern & South Western Sydney, Western Sydney and Blue Mountains, North Coast & Mid North Coast, Western NSW | |
CPB Contractors 2023 Women in Construction Program CPB Contractors 2023 Women in Construction Program aims to support women build rewarding careers in the construction industry through the provision of training and development. Participants will complete their Certificate III in Civil Construction Plant Operations and career development training. Women participating in the program will be offered full-time roles and ongoing development opportunities on one of CPB Contractor’s projects. | Central & Northern Sydney, Southern & South Western Sydney, Western Sydney and Blue Mountains | |
Sydney Metro Western Sydney Airport – Station Boxes and Tunnelling Works CPB Contractors Ghella (CPBG) is building the twin rail tunnels between St Marys and Aerotropolis for the Sydney Metro- Western Sydney Airport project. The program will offer full-time employment opportunities for women participating in work on the infrastructure supporting the construction of two rail tunnels. The project will provide participants with information on local careers and pathways into trades, accredited training and job-readiness training to increase their employability in civil construction. | Western Sydney & Blue Mountains | |
Trade Up to a Better Future The Trade Up to a Better Future project aims to increase the inclusion and diversity of the Australian trade sector. It will do this by targeting the cultural and societal barriers faced by women from culturally and linguistically diverse communities (CALD) backgrounds and newly arrived communities who wish to pursue trade careers. The program aims to engage local business owners and employers to actively create pathways and strategies to reduce these barriers for these women and increase their uptake of trade careers. | Western Sydney and Blue Mountains | |
Empowering Women in Trades The aim of the program is to introduce more women into the tunnelling and construction industry and provide a robust pathway for a meaningful and sustainable long-term career. The program also aims to showcase the benefits of working in construction and provide opportunities for women who are keen to join the industry but feel their lack of industry experience is preventing them from taking that first step. | Western Sydney | |
Breaking the Barriers The Breaking the Barriers project aims to reduce barriers to women living in the Northern Rivers region of NSW entering trades and to engage them in trades where there are skills shortages. The project provides women with skills to help alleviate the chronic trades skills shortage in the flood affected Northern Rivers region. | North Coast & Mid North Coast | |
Novaskill's Tradie Ladies | Hunter & Central Coast, North Coast & Mid North Coast | |
HIA Building Women’s Doorways The project aims to increase women’s participation rates in the building trades by linking participants to existing Housing Industry Australia operations and programs. It focuses on increasing the number of women seeking to enter trade apprenticeships and encouraging employers to seek women as trade employees. | All NSW | |
| Lendlease | Breaking Ground The Breaking Ground project aims to equip Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women with the insights, information, and introductory skills required to make an informed and confident decision when pursing a trade career pathway. The program will provide participants with an introduction to the construction sector, combining careers exposure and trade experiences. | Southern and South Western Sydney and Western Sydney and Blue Mountains |
Empowering Women into Trades The Empowering Women into Trades project aims to improve career outcomes for CALD women by providing them with vocational training and education pathways. Mas National Limited is partnering with group training organisations (GTOs) and employers to increase awareness of gender discrimination across trade sectors. | Western Sydney and Blue Mountains & Illawarra & South East NSW | |
FLORENCE - Constructing A New Perspective for Women in Construction The project will develop a dedicated web information portal called FLORENCE. It will provide career information for women looking for careers in construction. The portal will provide pre-apprenticeship courses and employment opportunities for women, resources for employers on recruiting, retaining, and supporting women in construction and will promote women ambassadors and encourage female mentorship. | All NSW | |
Girl Power The Girl Power project provides targeted support to break down barriers for Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women entering trades by providing work experience, placements, and education sessions. Participants will be informed about trade career pathways and associated remuneration for trade job roles. The pre-apprenticeship program and work experience paired with mentoring and skill development services will benefit and other jobseekers in the community interested in trade careers. | Southern & South Western Sydney | |
WITS About Us! The WITS About Us! project is a series of 6 podcasts aimed to provide women with trade career pathway information to motivate them to consider a trade career and assist them in starting an apprenticeship or traineeship. | All NSW | |
Jump Start: Trades Edition The program is a Multiplex mentorship initiative aimed to female secondary students in Years 10-12 with work experience in trade related areas. The program will be delivered through a range of workshops, career events and site walks within the year. Following these sessions, career and work experience opportunities will be available for women who are interested in continuing their journey with Multiplex or their subcontractors. | Western Sydney and Blue Mountains | |
Tasting Success – Unleashing Your Potential as a Chef The Tasting Success – Unleashing Your Potential as a Chef project aims to improve the culinary, personal, and business skills of participants to provide them with the necessary skillsets leadership roles and long-term culinary careers. The project includes mentoring for women participating, workshops and development opportunities. | All NSW | |
Construction on Country The Construction on Country project will introduce trade opportunities to women living in the New England and North-West region of NSW. Young women, Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women and CALD women will be encouraged to participate in a range of pre-employment sessions, including pathways to a career in trades, such as construction, electrical, metal fabrication, carpentry, and bricklaying. | New England | |
Fill the Gap The Fill the Gap project aims to increase vocational training outcomes for women who pursue non-traditional trades. The project will develop a professional network for women participating. It will help them build confidence in entering male dominated trade careers and those areas with skills shortages. | Southern & South Western Sydney | |
SisterShip CareerShip The SisterShip CareerShip project aims to provide support and training to women to pursue a career in the maritime industry. The project will introduce women to a network of maritime professionals to provide participants with mentorship, support, training, and development opportunities. | Illawarra & South East NSW
| |
Connecting Women to Trades The project is an innovative, regionally based trade careers program that will highlight the benefits of trade vocations for women across five Central Western local government areas (LGAs). The project will forge stronger trades-industry networks for women and girls to increase participants’ confidence when entering trade careers. | Western NSW | |
Breaking Barriers, Creating Connections with Squad The Breaking Barriers, Creating Connections with Squad project aims to partner individuals and businesses to build the confidence and opportunities for regional women to enter non-traditional career pathways. The Squad project will break down the barriers and create real connections and a network for women, industry, and educators to support non-traditional trade pathways in the Murray and Riverina regions of NSW. | Riverina | |
SALT Generating Resilience and Diversity The SALT Generating Resilience and Diversity project will reconnect with schools and communities in flood affected areas of NSW to promote careers in the trades for women. The project will empower women participating by building they need to help in rebuilding their communities and work to change firmly held stereotypes of individuals working in trades. | Southern & South Western Sydney, Western Sydney and Blue Mountains, Hunter & Central Coast, North Coast & Mid North Coast, Riverina | |
Women in Auto The Women in Auto project aims to address skills shortages within the heavy and light automotive industries. The program will help women to access training and employment opportunities in the automotive trade. | Southern & South Western Sydney, Western Sydney and Blue Mountains, Hunter & Central Coast, North Coast & Mid North Coast, Western NSW. | |
Supporting Women's Pathways to Trade The Supporting Women’s Pathways to Trade project mirrors the Tradeswomen Australia Foundation’s mission: to support more women into trades. This project helps achieve this goal through, marketing campaigns to women interested in trades education, ambassadorship, access to support, and trade workshops for women. | All NSW | |
Building Your New Career The Build Your New Career project is an introduction to women to the construction and infrastructure industries. The project focuses on building women’s confidence to these industries. It provides onsite experience to women in participating in the program with Western Sydney Women (WSW) supporting partners as well as accredited training and support. | Western NSW and Blue Mountains |
About the grant
This grant is now closed and is not open to new applications.
The NSW Government has allocated $5 million to help women get a head start in trades as part of its Connecting Women to Trades program.
The grant program aims to achieve three goals outlined in the Women in Trades Strategy 2021-2024:
- Increase the appeal of trades to raise female participation rates.
- Remove social and cultural barriers to women entering trades.
- Support women’s learning to increase their job opportunities.
Round one of the grant program is complete. Round two offers up to $5 million in grants to fund projects aimed at increasing the number of women embarking on a career in trades.
Grants of up to $300,000 are available for projects commencing in February 2023 and delivered over 14 months.
$500,000 from the grant fund will be prioritised to fund projects delivered in NSW local government areas (LGAs) affected by floods in 2022.
Eligibility
Applications will be accepted from group training organisations (GTOs), industry associations, industry training advisory bodies (ITABs), local government, not for profit organisations, registered training organisations (RTOs), trade employers, trade unions and women's networks.
To apply for a grant, an eligible organisation must:
- Be a legal entity with the capacity to contract
- Currently operate in NSW
- Be registered for GST and have an Australian Business Number (ABN)
- Be covered by public liability insurance
- Be financially viable
- Demonstrate partnerships across industry, community organisations and/or women’s trade advocacy networks to co-design and deliver projects
- Have the capability and capacity to deliver projects in line with the Connecting Women to Trades grant guidelines.
Application criteria
Applications for grants will be judged on:
- How the project addresses the pillars of action and desired outcomes of the Women in Trades Strategy 2021-2024
- How the Women in Trades Promising Practice Review will inform the project
- How the project uses networks to recruit and engage suitable participants
- Capability and capacity of organisation to respond to challenges and deliver a project achieving value for money
- A project proposal including the aim of the project, project scope, proposed activities, and project timeline.
Review the Connecting Women to Trades grant guidelines for more detailed application information and requirements.
Information webinar
Find out more about the Connecting Women to Trades grant round two program.
Key dates for grant applications
- 22 November 2022: Applications open for grants
- 21 December 2022, 11 pm AEST: Applications close for grants
- From 21 February 2023: Successful applicants are announced.
How to apply
To apply for a grant you need to have a SmartyGrants account. If you do not already have an account, visit the Training Services NSW SmartyGrants account registration page to create one.
Applications for Connecting Women to Trades grant round two are open:
Please allow sufficient time to complete the application and upload all necessary documents. Hard copy, incomplete or late applications will not be accepted. Applications must include sufficient information and associated supporting documentation to enable the assessment panel to adequately assess the application.
Key documents for grant applications
Frequently Asked Questions
Need to contact us?
Enquiries regarding the application process can be sent to WomeninTrades@det.nsw.edu.au. Please allow up to 48-hours for a response to your enquiry.
Funded projects from Connecting Women to Trades grant (round one)
There were 13 funded projects identified in the Connecting Women to Trades grant program (round one) conducted by Training Services NSW.
These projects engaged Smart and Skilled providers to deliver fee-free part qualifications.
They offered an introductory experience and targeted support for women considering a career in trades.
The projects will boost the number of women in trades through:
Increasing the appeal of trades
Removing cultural and societal barriers
Supporting learning to maximise vocational outcomes.
They provided targeted training (accredited and non-accredited) and career information sessions to achieve outcomes.
List of funded projects and organisations (round one)
| Organisation | Project description | Project location(s) |
|---|---|---|
| Australian Training Company Ltd | Connecting Women to Trades-Laying the Foundation for Women in Construction will support women by providing an introductory experience in the building and construction industry. Participants will complete fundamental pre-employment courses and a career development workshop to help them obtain apprenticeships or trainee opportunities within trades. | Illawarra, Southern Highlands and Shoalhaven Capital Region and Far South Coast |
Connecting Women to Trades - Tiddas in Trades will encourage participant engagement in the construction and earth-moving industries, with a particular focus on creating opportunities for Aboriginal women. | Dubbo, for whole LGA (Dubbo Regional) which includes Wellington | |
Connecting Women to Trades - If You Can Then I Can provides a ‘hands on’ introduction to trade industries for young females. Participant support will be provided through resume assistance, supplementary skill development and confidence building activities. | Central & Northern Sydney | |
Connecting Women to Trades- Building Lady Tradies will provide women with a holistic approach to overcoming barriers to a career path in construction. Participants will gain exposure to various trade career pathways by completing workplace construction-related courses and engaging with female trade guest speakers. | Central Coast | |
Connecting Women to Trades - Career Connections will encourage women to pursue a career in the manufacturing and engineering industries. The project will engage employers to facilitate employment opportunities. | Hunter & Central Coast | |
Connecting Women to Trades - Muslim Women in Hospitality will attract CALD and vulnerable women to the hospitality industry and reduce barriers that prevent engagement with trades. The project will offer pathways to further training and employment. | Southern & South Western Sydney | |
Connecting Women to Trades - A New Approach will address skills shortages in the mining, manufacturing and construction industries. The project will be focussed on creating training and employment opportunities for Aboriginal women. | Western NSW – Gunnedah North West NSW | |
Connecting Women to Trades-Women in Power will provide women with on the job training, professional and personal development and mentoring. Participants will complete employer training courses to understand the NSW electrical and construction industry better. | Central and Northern Sydney, Southern and South Western Sydney, Western Sydney and the Blue Mountains Illawarra | |
Connecting Women to Trades - Training Rural Women in Trade Skills will create pathways for local women to become a tradesperson. Participants will gain insight into construction and carpentry industries. | Western NSW | |
Connecting Women to Trades – Fit for Change Civil Construction will attract young women to trades by offering a pre-apprenticeship program in civil construction. Participants will be inspired to pursue a career in this industry and gain a stronger understanding of career pathways. | Western Sydney and Blue Mountains Region | |
Connecting Women to Trades - Try a Trade will support women to commence a career in the civil construction and engineering industries, including opportunities to pursue local employment. | North Coast & Mid North Coast | |
Connecting Women to Trades - Tailored Training for Seaworthy Women will enhance workforce participation by making the maritime industry trades appealing and accessible. | Illawarra & South East NSW The Bega Valley, NSW | |
Connecting Women to Trades - Licenced to Build will assist young women who have been in contact with the criminal justice system or are at risk of long-term unemployment. Participants will be introduced to construction-related trades and obtain skills for future employment. | Southern & South Western Sydney Western Sydney and Blue Mountains |