Improving employment opportunities and skills development

• $8.0 million to establish a new Working Women’s Centre to help women navigate workplace issues including sexual harassment, underpayment, wage theft, and parental leave.
• $5.8 million in 2023-24 to establish a Future Women’s Jobs Academy to support women to become job ready and boost women’s workforce participation

Case study: NSW Women in Construction Program

The NSW Women in Construction Program (the Program) aims to improve diversity and culture in the construction industry and attract more women into the sector in trade and non-traditional roles.¹⁰⁶

This is important as more women in the male-dominated construction industry will help to reduce industry segregation and enhance gender equality.

In partnership with the Department of Education, Infrastructure NSW is responsible for delivering the Program and is working collaboratively with the construction industry to achieve program aims.

Currently, women make up approximately 13 per cent of the construction sector¹⁰⁷ with only 2 per cent of trade-based roles held by women.¹⁰⁸ The Program is trialling a target of 4 per cent women in trade roles and 7 per cent women in non-traditional roles on select government infrastructure projects for 2023-24.¹⁰⁹ Early reporting indicates that these targets are on track to be met.

The NSW Government is increasing reporting on the participation of women in construction. From 1 September 2023, all new NSW Government construction projects valued more than $10 million will be required to report on the number of women working in trade and non-traditional roles.¹¹⁰

Infrastructure NSW has progressed other key actions under the Program:

• partnering with the Culture in Construction Taskforce to improve industry culture and workplace flexibility, including piloting the 5-day work week on select major government infrastructure projects
• launching the Women in Construction Industry Innovation Program, a grants program which will allocate up to $10 million over three years to support industry initiatives that encourage female participation and retention in the construction industry
• launching the Women in Construction website which outlines career path information for students and parents, and is a key resource hub for industry and employers
• developing a behaviour change campaign to influence positive behaviours on construction sites.

Case study: Skills and training boost for women facing disadvantage

An innovative government initiative is investing in job-focused social enterprises that advance the economic wellbeing of women facing disadvantage.

Social enterprises that provide employment, or pathways to employment, are a growing model both locally and globally for supporting those most disadvantaged in the labour market. These businesses are making a significant contribution to their communities and economy.

After an open and competitive selection process, five social enterprises have been selected to deliver this initiative to support around 650 women, equipping them with the skills needed to achieve sustained employment or start their own business.

These programs are targeted towards women, including single mothers on parenting payments, female ex-offenders, unemployed young women, female refugees and victim-survivors of domestic and family violence.

These programs were designed with and for women. Outcomes of the social impact investment are rigorously measured, and payments are linked to the achievement of outcomes.

Case study: Pathways to Prosperity: First Nations Women’s Economic Participation Review

According to the 2021 Census, 56.0 per cent of Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women participate in the workforce, compared to 59.1 per cent for non-Indigenous women.¹¹² Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women face distinct barriers, such as discrimination and racism, intergenerational trauma, a lack of intergenerational wealth and remoteness.

The Pathways to Prosperity: First Nations Women’s Economic Participation Review is the first step in identifying how the NSW Government can better support First Nations women to access and participate in the economy in ways that align with their aspirations.

Released in August 2023, the Review provides a policy framework and problem definition to guide the NSW Government to build effective policy responses that will meet the current and future needs of First Nations women. Informed by an independent First Nations Women’s Expert Advisory Panel, the Review acknowledges that to support First Nations women to participate in the economy, we must first understand what economic prosperity means to First Nations people.

The Review provides a baseline of First Nations women’s current economic participation and identifies five areas that could help elevate their economic potential:

1. Put First Nations women at the centre of decision-making and delivery of programs targeted at increasing their economic participation.
2. Support First Nations women to be homeowners, improve access to culturally appropriate childcare services and domestic and family violence support.
3. Enable First Nations girls to achieve their full learning potential with culturally safe and flexible education options and community-led mentoring programs.
4. Evaluate current anti-discrimination policies and regulation, in consultation with the First Nations community.
5. Foster a supportive environment for First Nations female entrepreneurs and social enterprises with targeted procurement, business and mentoring initiatives.