Funding encourages Queensland women into resources sector

Young women in Brisbane will reap the reward of greater career options through a $10,000 Bligh Government grant.

The grant is one of ten awarded by the Office for Women as part of its Women in Trades Grants program.

Women in Trades grants are designed to encourage women to enter careers in non-traditional industries and to support them to stay working in these industries, including mining and construction.

The Queensland Resources Council (QRC) is launching a program aimed at encouraging girls and young women to pursue careers in Queensland’s booming resources sector.

Minister for Women Margaret Keech said she was pleased to support QRC’s efforts in addressing the barriers women can face entering traditionally male-dominated industries, such as mining and construction.

“The Bligh Government is looking over the horizon by creating new career paths for young women in well paying jobs,” Mrs Keech said.

“Our Toward Q2 strategy is about fairness, it is about solving the skills shortage and through clever programs such as this, we are tackling these issues and making a real difference in communities.

The program, Trade Secrets - Unveiling Trades for Girls, will enable young women from Queensland Minerals and Energy Academy schools to hear from other young women already working in trades and test some trade skills for themselves.

The first program starts on 28 October 2008 at SkillsTech Australia 247 Bradman Street, Acacia Ridge, Brisbane.

Mining representatives are being flown in from all over Queensland to attend.

Member for Algester Karen Struthers said the Bligh Government was committed to providing opportunities for women to embrace a wide range of careers paths.

“I thank the QRC for holding this program in Algester as it spreads the message that these interesting and challenging careers are available to our local women and girls,” she said.

“Toward Q2 we are diversifying the workforce and providing the pathways for women and girls everywhere,” Ms Struthers said.

The QRC will also match the Office for Women grant to provide scholarships to ten participants who show a significant interest in taking up further study for a non-traditional role in this sector.

QRC Chief Executive, Michael Roche, welcomed the partnership with the Office for Women.

“This initiative is an important element in QRC’s Women in Resources Action Plan to encourage girls and young women from across Queensland to pursue a career in the resources sector,” he said.

“Through the Trade Secrets - Unveiling Trades for Girls program, we aim to expose the many opportunities also available to women in trades in the resources sector and encourage them to consider further study in this field.

“We are pleased to be able to match the $10,000 grant to help kick-start the trade careers of 10 program participants.

“The QRC aims to increase the proportion of women working in non-traditional roles in the resources sector from the current 7 per cent to 12 per cent by 2020.”

For more information about the Women in Trades Grants, visit

www.women.qld.gov.au or phone Women’s Infolink on 1800 177 577.

Media enquiries: 3235 9236 - Minister’s Office or Caroline Morrissey (QRC) 3295 9560.