Women tradies are bursting through the construction sector’s glass ceiling with the help of a Centacare Far North Queensland multicultural program giving them the power to build their own destiny. Source: Cairns Post.
The Queensland Government awarded Centacare $50,000 to fund a successful pilot program that has increased the number of women donning hard hats across the Far North.
The program has given Cairns mum Abigail Booth new skills and the chance to better provide for her teenage daughter.
“It’s been great doing something new,” the Woree resident said. “I used to work in hospitality, and I never thought the opportunity would come up. It’s a big change but I’m benefiting myself and my family.
“I just want to be a good example for my daughter and Indigenous people in general.”
Centacare executive director Anita Veivers said about 50 women have participated in the program, with 80 per cent having moved into employment or other pathways since.
“The idea was that there are so many women out there who’ve got the capacity and the ability to work in construction but have probably never picked up a drill or a hammer,” Ms Veivers said.
“Some of those women are now part of our Skilling Queenslanders Work program as well.
“When they finish that they’ll move into an apprenticeship in construction. So, we think it’s been a fabulously successful program that’s really getting great outcomes.”
With cost-of-living on the rise, upskilling community members that were vulnerable to becoming homeless was even more important, Ms Veivers said.
“Women are particularly susceptible, particularly young single parents on a low income,” she said.
“To be able to get into housing and afford the increasing rents that we have, it’s really important to upskill these women, so they’re better prepared to get into the workforce.”
The grant is part of almost $2 million in funding to be distributed across 26 multicultural community-led projects recently announced by the Government.
FULL STORY
‘Good example for my daughter’: The program helping Cairns women break into the building industry (Samuel Davis, Cairns Post)
