Expand Australia’s Tradie Pool with Female Talent | Tradify™

Skip ahead if you don't feel like reading!

1. Which trade are women searching for most in Australia?

In Australia, female tradies were most interested in becoming electricians, with more than 2,400 searches recorded from May 2025 to May 2026. Globally, painters and decorators were most popular in 46 countries, while mechanics topped the list in 27 countries.

These figures are based on research from MoneySuperMarket, published in August 2026. It looked at Google search data across 162 countries. The goal was to map where interest in female tradespeople is growing fastest.

2. How many women actually work in the trades?

Women make up around 4.8% of the construction industry in trade roles, and 14% of the construction workforce overall, according to the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC).

To put it plainly: more than 1.32 million people work in Australia's construction and building industry. Fewer than one in seven are women. In trade roles specifically, it's closer to one in twenty.

NAWIC Queensland Chapter President Emma McCaughey put it bluntly: "We can't not consider 50% of the population when we've got a resource shortage."

She's right. The traditional pipeline of young blokes coming through apprenticeships isn't keeping up with demand. The businesses that figure out how to recruit from a broader pool, and how to keep people once they're in, are going to have a real edge.

3. Customers are asking for female tradies

Research from the Federation of Master Builders found that more than a third of homeowners would prefer a female tradesperson. Of those, 61% said they believed a female tradie would be more respectful of their home, and 39% said they'd feel more at ease.

For trade businesses doing residential work, that's worth thinking about. Having women on the team isn't just good for culture. It can be a genuine point of difference when you're quoting against the competition.

4. Queensland needs 35,000 more tradies by 2027–28

Construction Skills Queensland (CSQ) predicts worker shortages in the state will peak at 35,000 in 2027-28, with the construction pipeline forecasted to peak at $75 billion at the same time. That's driven by the Brisbane 2032 Olympic and Paralympic Games, a major housing program, and the energy transition. A lot of work, and not enough people to do it.

CSQ works closely with NAWIC and Awesome Women in Construction (AWIC) to encourage more women to consider a career in construction. They regularly publish data on female participation rates across the industry, including women in trade roles and female apprentices, to track where progress is being made and where it isn't.

That work is now backed by serious money.

5. The $4 million grant program for women in construction

CSQ has launched a $4 million Supporting Women in Construction Grants Program for 2026-27. Grants of between $50,000 and $500,000 are available to eligible organisations. Projects can run for up to 12 months, with the option to apply for extensions of up to a further two years.

CSQ is looking for projects that focus on one or more of the following:

• Promoting construction careers to women
• Improving gender equity and workplace inclusion
• Supporting career progression and professional development
• Building stronger industry networks and connections

Eligible applicants include construction industry associations, not-for-profit organisations, charities supporting women in construction, and for-profit organisations delivering programs that encourage greater female participation. Applications close 25 September 2026 and can be submitted via swic@csq.org.au.

6. Queensland grant program and apprenticeships for tradies

The grants program sits within a much larger commitment. Queensland's Right Skills Strategy 2025-2028 is backed by $5 billion over four years. That includes free apprenticeships for under-25s, free construction apprenticeships for over-25s, and the TradieStart program.

TradieStart offers Queensland small businesses up to $16,000 for hiring their first apprentice, with a $10,000 base payment, plus up to $6,000 more depending on the apprentice's age and whether they're from a priority group like women, veterans, Aboriginal or Torres Strait Islander peoples, or people with a disability. It opened for registrations on 1 August 2026 as part of a $24.4 million joint initiative with CSQ and is designed to support 2,500 apprentices in their first two years.

The scale of investment reflects the scale of the problem. Queensland has decided that waiting for the traditional pipeline to catch up isn't an option.

Ready to give Tradify a go?

Start a 14-day free trial. No credit card required. No pressure. Or jump on one of our weekly 30-min live demos as we show you Tradify in action.