Women in trades: How a Tradeswomen Australia scholarship is helping Faith begin her apprenticeship

It’s not easy to complete an apprenticeship in the current environment. Struggling to afford work gear and cover essential expenses such as food and transport, Faith applied for a Tradeswomen Australia Start-up Scholarship.

“As the price of living increases, the pressure of succeeding in life gets hard,” she says.

Empowering women to enter and succeed in trades

Tradeswomen Australia works to educate, encourage, recruit, and retain more women in trade careers. The organisation raises community awareness, and supports women who may be in vulnerable situations to become financially secure.

“Women’s participation as apprentices and trainees in male-dominated trades is less than 3% and has changed little over the past 25 years,” says Tradeswomen Australia CEO Clea Smith. “These problems are compounded for women living with disadvantages or in vulnerable situations, limiting their access to secure employment even further.”

The organisation received a Community Grant to provide eight $2,000 and $500 scholarships to financially disadvantaged female Victorian trades apprentices, to help them deal with cost-of-living pressures and support them toward achieving their career goals.

Changing social attitudes in trades

Faith completed ‘Hand Brake Turn’, a five-week pre-accredited automotive work skills training program, through Concern Australia, and started working at the charity to continue gaining experience. Her goal is to begin a light vehicle automotive apprenticeship – so she was delighted to win the scholarship.

“I’m incredibly grateful and want to express my appreciation for this amazing opportunity,” says Faith. “It means so much to me as it brings me one step closer to my goals in the trades industry. Thank you for supporting women in trades and empowering us to break through traditional barriers.

“Women often face societal expectations to remain within the confines of their home where the only people that are given support are the men. This scholarship is not just financial assistance, it represents a powerful statement that women like me can pursue their dreams and thrive in fields traditionally dominated by men.

“Your support is helping to challenge and change these norms, allowing me to contribute to the trades industry and serve as a role model for other young women like me. This financial assistance will greatly ease the cost of living while I work towards my goals and I am deeply thankful for this incredible support. Thank you for believing in me and giving me this opportunity.”

Kasey: “Trying to juggle the financial burden of raising children is incredibly difficult”

Kasey is a 37-year-old first year apprentice, undertaking a Certificate III in Electrotechnology at the South West Institute of TAFE. As a single mother of three children – two with disabilities – she was experiencing significant financial pressures at a critical stage of her apprenticeship.

“I just wanted to say thank you for the scholarship,” says Kasey. “I’m a single parent of three kids. I used to be a teacher, and I took a leap to chase my dream of being an apprentice. Scholarships like this make that possible, so I can show my kids that you can always follow your dreams.”

Meran: “I need new tools, but I also need to eat”

Meran is a 34-year-old apprentice currently completing her third year of a carpentry apprenticeship at Melbourne Polytechnic. She was struggling to afford essentials like groceries and rent.

Living on her own in metropolitan Victoria, she receives no additional support and found it difficult to support herself independently, stating that covering essentials leaves her with no funds to replace her tools. Facing a new rent increase, Meran said the scholarship funds would provide a huge relief in covering the additional expense and can also go toward replacing tools to continue her apprenticeship.

“I’d just like to thank anyone and everyone involved in this scholarship, it’s going to make a huge difference to me,” Meran says. “With the rising cost of living I’ve been focusing on getting groceries, fuel, and there’s not much room left for anything else – so this is going to make a huge change.

“I’ll be able to buy some tools. My mum’s 60th is coming up very soon as well, so I’ll be able to get her something nice to thank her for all the support she’s given me over this time. Thanks again.”

Nicole: “I don’t have any family here for support”

Nicole immigrated to Australia nine years ago, and is now a mature-age mechanical engineering apprentice in her first year at Federation University. Living in regional Victoria, she was struggling to buy food and with mortgage repayments and petrol costs due to long work commutes. She was finding it very hard to get by on first year wages without any support network.

“I just wanted to say thank you very much as this money will help me purchase the tools I need to do my job efficiently,” says Nicole. “I previously haven’t been able to purchase what I need as most of my paycheck goes towards living expenses and housing, so thank you very much for this gift.”

Sharkira: “The scholarship will help alleviate the financial burden on my parents”

Sharkira is a 16-year-old wall and ceiling lining apprentice at the Murray Mallee Training Company. She confirmed that she was not able to afford essential tools or work gear, but also that her family was struggling with general cost-of-living pressures.

Living in an economically disadvantaged region of rural Victoria, Sharkira was extremely grateful for the opportunity to apply and be awarded the scholarship.

“Late last year I was fortunate enough to secure a school-based apprenticeship as a plasterer with a local company,” says Sharkira. “Receiving one of these scholarships is incredibly helpful for me, as it enables me to purchase my own tools for the trade and this will relieve some financial stress on my parents. Additionally these funds will be used to acquire more uniforms and work boots.

“I would like to express my gratitude for this scholarship.”

Jaimee: “The cost of renting, bills, trade school and transport are constantly on my mind”

Jaimee is a 24-year-old second year plumbing apprentice, studying at the Gordon Institute of TAFE. She was struggling with regional commuting, rent and training expenses, and said financial pressures were affecting her ability to participate in the apprenticeship. She stated that the scholarship would alleviate a great amount of mental health pressure, and allow her to purchase essential tools.

“As a plumbing apprentice the scholarship will help me pay for my current trade school fees, as well as purchasing quality tools to help me progress through my time as an apprentice,” says Jaimee.

Lan: “I’m a hard-working woman determined to survive the cost-of-living crisis”

Lan was in her first year of an electrical apprenticeship at NECA in metropolitan Melbourne when she applied for the scholarship. While determined to thrive in her apprenticeship, she was struggling with essentials like groceries, mortgage and bills on her wage.

Thankful for being awarded the scholarship, she said that not only will the funds help pay for essentials but also improve her mental health during the cost-of-living crisis.

About the Community Grants Program

Every year the Sisters of Charity Foundation provides grants of up to $15,000 to small not-for-profits across Australia, like Tradeswomen Australia, that use clever ways to fight disadvantage, loneliness, suffering and oppression.

Learn more at Community Grants Program.