Eight young women have been given the head start they need in seeking a potential career in the trades sector.

The Girls Can Too! program is designed to teach and empower the next generation of female tradies.

Held in Deniliquin, five of the participants came from Barham High School. The others attend Deniliquin High School and Finley High School.

They were given a ‘taste’ of careers traditionally filled by men and, for some, it has fuelled a passion they wish to explore further.

Barham student Eva Jones said she found out about the program from her teachers, and felt it would be a good opportunity to see what’s available to her outside the traditional classroom learning experience.

“It was good to do different things each week,” she said.

“I am leaning toward a career in construction, because I have always liked building things.”

For fellow Barham High student Summer Starr, it was a chance to explore her interest in woodwork.

“I have always enjoyed woodwork in school and have always wanted to make big things.

“I particularly liked the carpentry, but it was good to know more about the different choices out there.”

The Girls Can Too! program is a joint venture between the Regional Industry Education Partnerships (RIEP) program, TAFE NSW and employment and training organisation Squad.

The girls had the opportunity to try their hands at carpentry, plumbing, tiling, automotive, construction and fabrication with local trainers and employers.

They also had the opportunity to hear from women who work with Hutcheon and Pearce and Cummins, who shared their journey of what it is like to work in their respective industries.

At the graduation ceremony in Deniliquin on November 22, RIEP senior project officer Katie Friedlieb said the project was developed to help address the skills shortage of staff in the building and construction industry, and to encourage females in to non-traditional trades. 

“Women are underrepresented in trades, making up only two per cent of qualified trade workers,” she said.

“There are many options available to each student now that this program has finished, which include employment, further vocational education and training study and school-based apprenticeships and traineeships.

The team from Squad supported the program by donating work uniforms and delivering work readiness sessions, and gifted each of the girls a starter kit tool box along with their graduation certificates.

This article appeared in The Koondrook and Barham Bridge Newspaper, 30 November 2023.