A new era in construction training has arrived, with Bendigo TAFE’s first ever female and gender diverse construction course, Certificate II in Construction Pathways, beginning earlier this month at The Mill Castlemaine.
Construction is amongst the least gender diverse industries in Australia, with women making up just 14% of workers in civil construction and 2% for onsite roles – figures that have remained constant for a decade.
Armed with 15 years of carpentry experience Bendigo TAFE female trainer and program champion, Su Hauck, expects the course to inspire more women and gender diverse learners to take up tools.
‘Giving women and gender diverse people a place to grow skills and knowledge in their own unique way is what diversity is all about,’ Su said.
‘Getting on the tools can be quite daunting – having female and gender diverse trainers and working alongside students that are ‘like’ you, can really help with confidence. My hope is that offering a tailored experience for learning will encourage those who want to learn trades, who otherwise might not have done so.’
Running 2 days per week for 9 months, Su says, ‘Enrolments have been through the roof, with one group filling within one week of enrolments opening and a second group also filling quickly.’
Su is looking forward to training the next generation of female and gender diverse tradespersons through this new program. This course may open doors to apprenticeships and careers in construction, helping to meet a strong demand for skilled workers.
‘As the industry has had more and more experiences with female apprentices and students, I’m hearing just how impressed they are,’ explains Su.
‘A lot of my customers have also had great experiences with female tradies. Having that diversity satisfies the needs of customers in various ways.’
For more information about the course, and to register your interest for the 2026 course, visit bendigotafe.edu.au
Images: Briefing participants begins before they even enter the workshop, and continues inside.
