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Tahlia Quinlivan is vastly outnumbered by men every time she steps into her workplace, but that only spurs her drive to succeed.
Key points:
- Wodonga TAFE has reported an increase in women enrolled in male-dominant courses
- Employers are reporting the benefits of a more gender-balanced workforce
- Data shows women are increasingly breaking into male-dominant work sectors
Ms Quinlivan received her forklift licence in 2019, and while working at the Woolworths Distribution Centre at Barnawartha, in north-east Victoria, became fascinated by the process of supplying the nation with goods.
She has just completed studies in Warehousing and Supply Chain at Wodonga TAFE, and is excited for a bright future ahead.
"It's boss as, girls getting around with forklifts and [doing] something males always do," she said.
"Even at work, I am one of the only girls that go out and load the trucks, and you have got these big burly truck drivers and got this little girl, I am pretty good at what I do.
"I think people are seeing that [women] can actually do it."
Educational incentives sweeten the appeal
The Workplace Gender Equality Agency's (WGEA) Gender Equality Scorecard 2022-23 showed women made up just 26 per cent of the Transport, Postal and Warehousing industry.
Ms Quinlivan is proudly one of them.
She undertook her studies alongside a growing number of women looking to break into the male-dominated sector and enjoy the many career opportunities available across Australia.
Many were encouraged by free TAFE courses and other incentives
Ms Quinlivan said while she was still in the minority at work, women in male dominated sectors were starting to smash down barriers, creating more diverse and compassionate workplaces.
"There were a few young girls that were saying that people are going to laugh at them, especially the younger girls because they're so little and they are in a big truck or whatever, but they do well," she said.
"The baby boomers, like that kind of era, they are really pushing for the girls to get out and actually do something."
Ms Quinlivan loves her job so much, she has enrolled this year to become a trainer and assessor, and hopes to become a teacher in forklift driving and the supply chain sector.
"I will be very excited to join all the boys out there," she said.
Women turning to 'male' studies
The 2024 academic year has not fully begun at Wodonga TAFE, but already staff are expecting to see more women enrolled in courses historically dominated by men.
In 2021, Wodonga TAFE had 49 women enrolled in the institution's male-dominated courses — including agriculture, horticulture, carpentry, engineering, light vehicle, warehousing, and parks and gardens — making up just 11.8 per cent of those enrolments.
In 2023, the number of women in the courses had increased to 73, making up about 24.4 per cent of enrolments.
Wodonga TAFE's executive director of education and training Graham Hart said as more women led the way and secondary education promoted these jobs more to females, those enrolment numbers would continue grow.
"A lot of corporate players are actually seeing the benefits of attracting women into those roles and it's creating great career opportunities, and they are seeing the productivity benefits as well," he said.
WGEA reports show a balance of genders in the workplace is associated with improved national productivity and economic growth, increased organisational performance, enhanced ability of companies to attract talent and retain employees, and enhanced organisational reputation.
Mr Hart said employers also had a responsibility to create more equal workplaces.
"We have got some select employers that are really forward-thinking in this space and really starting to have an impact," he said.
"I think as they start to communicate the successes they are having and what it's doing for their business, we will just see more and more growth in the future.
"I think we have always got those traditional old schoolers there, but I think they are becoming a minority at the moment.
"This is a momentum thing and it's real in terms of the benefits that people are seeing within their businesses, so the facts will speak for themselves long term."
Bringing balance to workplaces
Australia's Gender Equality Scorecard 2022-23 highlighted some progress as more women helped balance out male-dominated work sectors.
It reported that mixed-gender industries made up 50 per cent of the workforce for the first time.
Mining remained the most male-dominated sector, with women making up 22 per cent of that workforce, up from 20 per cent in 2021-22.
Public administration and safety held the second highest percentage of male employees in the 2021-22 scorecard, but dropped to sixth position in the most recent report, increasing its female workforce from 24 per cent to 30 per cent in one year.
Construction second highest percentage of male employees in the 2022-2023, but increased its female participation from 24 per cent to 26 per cent.