Palaszczuk Government unveils Women in Manufacturing strategy

The Palaszczuk Labor Government has officially launched the Women in Manufacturing (WIM) strategy.

The aim of the new strategy is to attract and retain women in the industry, with particular focus on increasing participation in traditionally male-dominated roles.

Manufacturing Minster Glenn Butcher said experts have identified four priority areas, which will be the focus points, to help women get good manufacturing jobs in Queensland:

1. Supporting diversity, equity and inclusion in the manufacturing industry
2. Building on our existing capabilities and skills to further women’s leadership and development
3. Boosting women’s participation in VET (vocational education and training), building the STEM (science, technology, engineering, and mathematics) pipeline and promoting advanced manufacturing capabilities throughout secondary and tertiary studies
4. Celebrating and showcasing the women in Queensland’s manufacturing industry.

The Queensland Government’s Manufacturing Ministerial Council Sub-Group for Women contributed to the development of this strategy.

Established in 2022, the sub-group brought together experts to provide advice on the WIM Strategy action.

The WIM strategy can be found here 

Quotes attributable to Minister Glenn Butcher:

“This International Women’s Day, I’m proud to launch this strategy aimed at achieving a more gender-equal manufacturing industry in Queensland.

"Manufacturing has consistently contributed more than $20 billion per annum to the state’s economy over the past decade, and that number continues to grow.

“Increasing women in manufacturing by promoting an inclusive culture, makes employees feel they belong and contributes to a more diverse, robust industry” he said.

“I’ve visited a large number of Queensland manufacturers, where women are working in a diverse range of roles – from the shop floor, to CEO – and there’s no doubt the diverse working culture leads to better outcomes.

“Having a bigger workforce of people with broad range of lived experiences will help Queensland cement its reputation as a world-leading manufacturing powerhouse.”

Sub-Group Policy and Project Lead Mel Ireland:

“Women bring valuable and highly prized qualities to the workplace and therefore we should be encouraging them to consider manufacturing as a career option,” she said.

“We know that 29 per cent of the manufacturing workforce is women, however, those women are over-represented in administrative roles. Our goal is to open up a range of pathways, from the factory floor to the boardroom, so that women might find their place in the manufacturing sector as easily as their male counterparts do.”

“The Sub-Group for Women has been proud to contribute and shape this strategy and we look forward to seeing it implemented and making a real improvement for women in manufacturing,” she said.

Further information:

The WIM strategy was formulated off the back of the Queensland Advanced Manufacturing 10-Year Roadmap and Action Plan.

The Palaszczuk Government is continuing to work with the manufacturing industry to support businesses transition to advanced manufacturing, under the roadmap.

An advanced manufacturing sector that is innovative, diverse, and agile presents many opportunities for women including exciting new career pathways.

ENDS

Media contact: Emilia Hutchinson – 0437 060 435