Program deliverables
A unique grants program which funds a diverse range of innovative industry ideas with the ambition to remove obstacles to women entering or staying in the construction sector.
Over two years, $5.9 million in funding has been allocated to 34 innovative initiatives.
The Program is piloting increased targets for women in trade and non-traditional roles on 23 major government infrastructure projects. These projects are working towards targets of 4% for women in trade (skilled trades roles including carpenters, plumbers, electricians) – up from existing targets of 2% - and introducing a new target of 7% for non-traditional roles (any role where women represent less than 25% of the workforce).
To support projects to reach these targets, onsite project officers are embedded within the principal contractor and work exclusively to support the employment, upskilling and retention of women, as well as working to improve onsite culture.
A first of its kind, the Women in Construction industry survey was undertaken in July 2023, shedding light on the experience of women in the industry. The results of the survey have been published in a Survey Report (PDF 947.21KB).
In 2024, the second annual survey was shared across the industry – the results of which built on our baseline data and provided critical insight into construction sector sentiment with over 1000 responses. The Year 2 survey report can be found here.
In 2025, we went to market with the third and final industry survey. Repeating the survey year-on-year has allowed for the creation of a rich evidence base built from the voices of women and men across the industry, revealing three-year trend lines, comparative insights, and evolving workforce dynamics that are shaping the future of construction in NSW. The Year 3 survey report can be found here (PDF 4.54MB).
A multi-faceted communications and engagement campaign is underway to promote positive and inclusive behaviours on-site, and secondly, raise awareness and desire for women to enter the construction sector.
The “Hard Work Knows No Gender” campaign was launched in December 2023 to increase and promote gender diversity on construction sites. The campaign images were refreshed in early 2025 and feature men and women from construction sites across NSW.
A dedicated LinkedIn page and Women in Construction quarterly newsletter have been launched to ensure stakeholders have the latest Program updates.
Creation of a quarterly Women in Construction newsletter sharing information and initiatives from across the industry - Subscribe here