When thinking of mechanics, carpenters or electricians, many of us will find ourselves picturing well-built men sporting coveralls and work belts, which isn’t surprising considering that women account for just around 2% of tradespeople in Australia.

But although men still greatly outnumber women in most skilled trades jobs, the number of female tradies has been slowly rising in recent years, which is a good thing not just for women, but for Australia’s economic growth too.

Research shows that increasing women’s participation in the workforce, and especially in male-dominated industries such as construction, has the potential to boost GDP by 11% and economic growth by $25 billion over the coming ten years.

A steady change in the number of female tradies in Australia is already evident from the number of signups at hipages, with 28,600 lady tradies joining the platform since 2008. And, although males still make up over 80% of accounts on hipages, 2015 saw a tremendous 490% increase in female tradie signups, and 2016 is shaping up to be an equally strong year.

So what is driving this change?

Why more women are entering trades

For Sally Liddell, who owns Right Connection Electrical in North Melbourne, the lack of women in trades wasn’t a deterrent; rather she saw it as a new challenge.

“I had done three years of a 4-year teaching degree and had worked in call centres and offices, but I just didn’t feel like I had found the right job for me,” explains Liddell.

“I couldn’t see myself going to work at the same place every day and doing the same thing, and since my Uncle was an electrician before moving into property development, I saw the electrical trade as a challenge that I would enjoy. I also liked the prospect of owning my own business, and this was a career that could allow me to have that.”

Of course, working in a male dominated environment brings its own set of challenges, but Liddell says it didn’t take her long to adjust.

“You’ll still encounter a few people that doubt you can do it because you’re a woman, but usually once they see your work this idea goes out the window. I find that these days most people are very accepting, and some are even excited about having women in trades, which is great.”

Meg Solly is a passionate advocate of women’s rights and the co-founder of She Skills, an organisation that runs workshops for women with the aim of equipping them with non-traditional skills such as the use of power tools and timber construction.

She believes one reason so few women enter trades is that they’re simply never taught that it’s something they can or should be doing. “I think there are opportunities that women are missing out on, as trades can be particularly well-paying and interesting jobs,” she says.

“We’re targeting these skills in the hope that we can increase the amount of female role models that are doing these things. So we’ll have mums showing kids how to do these things, and then in 10 or 15 years, we’ll hopefully start to see more women represented in non-traditional trades and areas.”

Rhea Bonsey, a self-employed Radio Mechanic and Aircraft Maintenance Engineer based in Nowra, NSW, says the decision to work in a tradie environment was driven primarily by boredom with secretarial and clerical work, but her dad’s interest in teaching her non-traditional skills from a young age also played a role.

“As a kid I exceeded my brothers when it came to Lego, Meccano and figuring out how things worked, so my dad taught me how to use tools and I preferred his garage to Mum's kitchen.”

Why female tradies have the potential to be hugely successful

Despite exaggerated stereotypes about women being more emotional, less adept at taking charge, and thus better suited to careers that involve caring for others, the reality is that female tradies are just as effective as their male counterparts, and in some cases even more so.

Of course, there’s no denying that there are differences in the way men and women communicate and tackle problems, but these differences can work to women’s advantage in some cases.

For instance, one study found that men are generally more adventurous and are twice as likely to take risks at work. Women, on the other hand, tend to be more cautious and leave less room for error.

Other research shows that women are better at multitasking than men, with men being slower and less organised than women when switching quickly from one task to another.

Women also have a knack for communicating clearly and effectively, which can make it easier for them to connect with clients and personalise their services.

In fact, Meg Solly points out that for women working in non-traditional occupations; one of the first and biggest challenges is often overcoming their own mindsets.

“I started a welding course a couple of weeks ago and I had to set foot in a room full of blokes,” she recalls. “Before I even got through the door, I started thinking ‘What am I doing here? I don’t belong here, I’m not going to be good at this.’”

But, she explains, because she’s been around construction sites and around trades a lot, she was able to squash that fear in herself and carry on.

“The truth is that I usually get really great responses to what we’re doing at She Skills, particularly from men. So I think it’s often a mindset and something that we women set ourselves up for,” says Solly.

“We might work ourselves up with the thought that everyone else is thinking that we shouldn’t be doing something, when in fact others might be thinking ‘Oh, that’s awesome, she wants to be a carpenter or she wants to be a plumber.’”

4 tips for making it as a female tradie

Despite the numerous benefits of working in the trades, including a stimulating and varied work environment, plentiful job opportunities and a higher earning potential, entering a male dominated industry for the first time can be daunting, especially for women who are making a switch from a more traditional occupation.

So with this in mind, here are a few tips for making it as female tradie in a male dominated industry.

1 Seek out a supportive work environment

Although it may not always be possible, Meg Solly says finding a work environment that’s supportive and having bosses or colleagues who trust you and are willing to invest their time in teaching you and sharing advice can make a big difference.

“Try to find a supportive crew or a supportive tribe, and look for an employer where you feel you’re likely to be successful,” she suggests. “Use your networks to find someone who is going to be really supportive.”

2 Develop a support system

Sally Liddell says developing a strong support system is important when you’re first starting out, and having people you can talk to, who also understand what you’re dealing with, is especially valuable if you’re not getting a lot of support at work.

“In terms of support, I was lucky enough to have a female trade school teacher who gave me some good advice,” she says. She also using suggests organisations like Lady Tradies Australia and Fanelle to connect with other women working in non-traditional roles.

3 Embrace your strengths

While it can be tempting to try to blend into your new work environment, you shouldn’t be afraid to play to your strengths even if they seem stereotypical.

Being good at communicating or empathising with others might seem like a gender stereotype, but it’s still a positive quality and shouldn’t be played down if it can help you get the job done more effectively.

“My advice for girls or women wanting to work in a male-dominated environment is to avoid playing the princess, but not trying too hard to be one of the guys either,” says Rhea Bonsey. “As long as you focus on working hard and doing your job well, you will gain respect.”

4 Leverage your networks

Networking is important at every stage of your career, but it’s especially vital when you’re first starting out. “Networking is really the key thing, because all of my roles have come about through networks,” says Meg Solly.

“I think there is a real movement at the moment and I’m in touch with a lot of women who are doing these sorts of things. I guess it’s about strength in numbers and joining the sisterhood and supporting each other and wanting to see more opportunities for women in the trades.”

If you’re not sure where to start, she suggests checking out organizations like the National Association of Women in Construction (NAWIC) that link female trades people and can help you to expand your professional network.

Key Points:

28,600 female tradies have joined the hipages platform since 2008.

Almost 5,000 (18%) joined in 2015, the strongest year for female tradies.

At the halfway mark of 2016 we are on track for an equally strong year.

Males still make up the majority of accounts that have signed up to hipages (about 84%).

In 2015 we had a 490% (almost six fold), increase in female tradies joining the platform. Males also increased substantially but by close to half this proportion (259% or 4 fold).

Case studies:

Female tradies / organisations: