The Australian Human Rights Commission has released a report and toolkit to help recruit and retain women in the mining, utility, and construction industries. The Toolkit can be accessed at https://www.humanrights.gov.au/publications/women-male-dominated-industries-toolkit-strategies-2013. Read more about the report below.
The underrepresentation of women in industries considered to be male-dominated – mining, utilities and construction – is an issue that is not only undermining gender equality in Australia, but is having negative effects on industry performance and our economy. The Commission’s Toolkit was been developed to help address this problem.
“This is not merely a report, but an interactive website developed to encourage dialogue, engagement and sharing of approaches about increasing women’s representation in male-dominated industries,” Sex Discrimination Commissioner, Elizabeth Broderick said.
“It encourages employers, employees, government, community, and unions to think about the contribution women can make, and to actively share strategies for attract, recruiting, retaining and developing women in traditionally male-dominated fields.”
In Australia’s general workforce, women represent almost 46% of employees. However, in the industries of construction, mining, and utilities, women account for only around 12%, 15%, and 23% of employees respectively. Recent figures suggest that increasing women’s employment rates could boost Australia’s GDP by 11%.
“Australia ranks fourth in the world in talent shortages and many male-dominated industries are suffering a lack of skilled workers,” Commissioner Broderick said. “Encouraging greater women’s participation in these industries is one solution that could go a long way to addressing these skills shortages.”
The toolkit is broken into the areas of attraction, recruitment, retention and development of women in industries that have traditionally remained dominated by male leadership and employees.
“Users can work through or contribute to discussion in all four areas or any of the four that are most relevant to them,” said Commissioner Broderick.
In developing the Toolkit, the Commission, with the support of the Minister for the Status of Women and FaCHSIA, brought together members of these male dominated industries to gather information on their experience and knowledge.
See the original article at www.humanrights.gov.au.
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