Pilot program of the Advancing Gender Equality in Gender Segregated Industries

Future Makers

Driving cultural transformation through 3 interconnected initiatives:

• scaling the successful Chamber Change leadership program nationally
• development of an Online Resource Hub, Toolkit and webinar series
• hosting the Women in Small Business Summit.

Operating across all states and territories, the project will target women with aspirations towards leadership and business ownership, particularly in male-dominated industries, through leadership development, entrepreneurship support, and network building.

Breaking Barriers: Advancing Gender Equality in Manufacturing & Construction

This initiative consists of three key projects:

1. Project 1: Qualitative research to identify gaps and barriers to gender equality in the workplace (50 participant organisations)
2. Project 2: Solution development
3. Project 3: Implement solutions with the participant organisations.

The intended outcomes include increasing awareness of their obligations and the positive impact of gender equality on workers and businesses as well as developing targeted industry-level initiatives that can be scaled beyond the grant period.

The program will focus on the Manufacturing and Construction sectors. The project will be managed by the Australian Industry Group Head Office in Melbourne and will be delivered across Australia.

She Means Business

This project will advance gender equality in male-dominated industries through direct business support, research, and resource development. Working with 30 small businesses across Australia, the program will develop and test practical frameworks for implementing gender equality initiatives.

This $2 million initiative will directly support 150+ employees, create industry-specific toolkits, and establish a digital resource hub accessible to over 15,000 small businesses nationwide.

Focusing on male dominated industries, the program will deliver scalable solutions for workplace flexibility, facilities improvement, and cultural change.

Gender Equity Program

The project will have three pillars:

• The first pillar involves reviewing workplace data to understand barriers to gender equality.
• The second pillar focuses on providing tailored training to change workplace barriers and support women's career aspirations.
• The third pillar aims to develop best practices for gender equity, including policies for leave and workplace flexibility.

Workplaces for Women: Male-Dominated Industries

Workplaces for Women will promote gender equality in gender segregated industries and help to create workplaces where women are safe, respected, included and equal.

It will develop targeted gender audits, materials and training to improve workplaces by:

• Increasing workplace flexibility opportunities and build upon existing legislation to increase awareness
• Addressing industry specific OHS risks impacting women, and
• Improving workplace cultures and addressing harmful attitudes using OHS frameworks

The Workplaces for Women toolkit and resources will then be utilised in industry-targeted workplaces by trained women workers, leaders and other stakeholders to improve awareness and embed gender equality in their workplaces beyond legislative minimums.

Queensland Women Rise – Breaking Barriers, Building Equity

QLD Women Rise aims to advance gender equity by enhancing women's economic security and workforce participation in the construction, transport and maritime sectors, which are among Australia’s most gender segregated.

Building on workplace reforms and best practices, the project will deliver initiatives focused on flexible work, safe amenities, and improved WHS outcomes for women in up to four urban and regional pilot workplaces.

These will be developed, implemented, and evaluated with industry stakeholders, supported by research, education, and tailored resources.

The project targets supporting approximately 3,400 women.

A final report will assess outcomes, providing evidence-based recommendations to scale reforms across the three sectors.

Critical Inclusion – Building SA’s Prosperity Through Gender Equality

The project supports the attraction, retention and progression of women in gender segregated workplaces in South Australia by developing and delivering targeted gender equality initiatives focused on flexible work, work culture, work amenities and WHS – underpinned by consultation, quantitative and qualitative research, tailored for targeted SA workplaces.

The initiatives include the development of tailored tools and resources, supported by educational sessions and training – designed to be scalable. The project culminates in the delivery of training and the design of a Gender Equality Planning and Implementation Programme. A final report evaluates the Project, outlines evidence-based learnings and makes recommendations.

Workplace Gender Equality Project

This project will examine the drivers of gender segregation as they manifest in male-dominated industries in Western Australia. Informed by the findings of this examination and in consultation with key stakeholders and affiliated unions, it will develop tangible resources and skills, including best practice industrial provisions, policies, practices and strategies to address them.

Preliminary considerations are to focus on transport, and electricity and water. The project will develop resources and a training package to equip unions to be able to promote and enable gender equality in gender segregated industries. A training package will be developed based on these findings and delivered to unions in targeted industries within WA.

Gender Equity Works

The project promotes women’s economic equality and security in the transport, energy and utilities, and construction industries, engaging workers including at least 100 women, employers and industry stakeholders, and supporting up to 7,200 women in these industries.

Key activities: research into worker experiences and industry uptake of existing gender equality initiatives, development of tailored materials, training and workplace pilots.

Key outcomes: build knowledge and capacity to identify and act on gender equality workplace issues, supporting continued industry investment in gender equality workplace initiatives; and develop industry targeted initiatives that can be scaled or tailored beyond the Project life.

Equality Works: Empowering women in gender segregated workplaces

The Equality Works: Empowering women in gender segregated industries project will promote equality in male-dominated industries through activities designed to improve flexibility, inclusivity and conditions for women working in these industries.

The project activities will deliver materials to support workplace leaders to create an inclusive culture in their workplace. These materials will be packaged into an Equity Works Toolkit, that may include audit templates, model clauses and best practice policies.

They will be developed through research and consultation in relevant male-dominated industries in the ACT. Workplaces leaders will be trained and empowered to use these toolkits to create positive change in their workplaces.

WOMEN in MINING - Advancing Gender Equality in the Northern Territory

This is a research and development project to foster inclusive workplace practices and gender-responsive WHS training within the Northern Territory.

This project aligns with the Australian Government’s Women in Work initiative and seeks to drive gender and economic equality in mining by developing and implementing targeted initiatives that improve workplace inclusivity, flexibility, and retention of female employees.