NEW data has revealed the increasingly critical role women are playing in the construction industry.
The number of women enrolling in construction trades courses has more than doubled in the five years to 2025, according to the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER).
Among them is Port Macquarie’s Breanna Alpen, 19, a promising rugby union junior who fell in love with
plumbing while taking a labouring job to support her sporting career.
She now works as a second-year apprentice with Port’s Enjoy Plumbing, and said shifting to the trades was
the best decision of her young life.
“I was never really into school, but I was into my footy, and I got exposed to the trades while I was working
a labouring job in Brisbane,” she said.
“As I began to learn about plumbing, I just got addicted to it and when I returned to Port, the first thing I did was look for an apprenticeship.”
Ms Alpen’s father and brother are both builders, and another brother is a qualified painter.
Ms Alpen said gaining additional hands-on skills and knowledge at the Coffs Harbour campus of TAFE NSW has made her a more rounded tradeswoman.
“The teachers are incredibly supportive and if you don’t understand something, they’ll work through it with
you at your own pace,” she said.
“And it’s a great networking opportunity getting to know other apprentices who are working all over the Mid-North Coast.”
The construction sector contributes more than $2 billion in annual output to the Port Macquarie Hastings area,
employing almost 3400 people, according to Economy ID.
TAFE NSW Executive Director of Teaching and Learning in Construction and Energy, Jennifer Perkins, a
qualified electrician, said female participation was strengthening both the culture and capability of worksites.
“Increasing female participation isn’t just important, it’s essential to meeting industry demand and growing the workforce,” she said.
“More women on worksites strengthens teams, boosts productivity and supports the long-term future of
the industry.”
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