Construcciones Yamaro: The real barrier in construction isn’t talent

Addressing the structural barriers facing women in construction is critical to easing Australia’s skills shortage. (Image: CatalnIlie/stock.adobe.com)

NexGen believes bias, not a lack of talent, is holding back the construction industry.

By Lauren Fahey, executive director at NexGen.

Let’s be honest about something: Australia doesn’t have a pipeline problem when it comes to talent. We have a bias problem.

In a country battling a nationwide skills shortage and an ageing construction workforce, we continue to see young women with energy, capability and a genuine interest in trades routinely overlooked.

Lauren Fahey, executive director at NexGen. (Image: NexGen)

A recent example brought this home. We shared a list of students seeking work experience – all keen, committed and ready to get on site.

The response? “Send us all the boys’ details.”

That’s not unconscious bias. It is a deliberate decision to leave young women out of the conversation. There was no request for more information, no interest in capability, and no opportunity offered. And it’s still happening – in 2025.

Meanwhile, the Organisation for Economic Co-operation and Development (OECD) reports that more than one-third of occupations in Australia are facing skills shortages, with construction among the hardest hit. Data shows that 14 per cent of the construction workforce is female, and of those, only a small fraction work in on-the-tools roles. At the same time, studies suggest that closing gender workforce gaps could boost GDP by over 9 per cent in OECD countries by 2060.

In short, we need more workers. Women are ready. But they’re being shut out. It’s not just unfair; it’s economically reckless. So, what’s the solution?

It’s time to stop treating this as a diversity box-ticking exercise and start addressing the structural barriers keeping women out.

Here’s what we need to see from industry:

• Hire based on potential, not gender – stop looking for the “traditional apprentice” and start focusing on capability, attitude and willingness to learn. If she’s never used a drop saw before but wants to try, that’s enough.
• Set targets and track them – not quotas – goals. Know how many women you’ve brought into apprenticeships this year. Know how many are thriving. Know how many you lost and why.
• Back inclusive mentors and supervisors – we need people leading on site who support and uplift new talent, not reinforce old hierarchies. Provide the training. Call out poor behaviour. Build inclusive teams from the ground up.
• Make your worksites ready – that means adequate facilities, PPE that fits and policies that protect. If your workplace isn’t ready for women, it’s not ready for the future.

At NexGen, we work with thousands of students every year (girls and boys), introducing them to what a career in construction could look like. We’re out in schools. We’re running hands-on trade days. We’re showing parents and teachers that a hard hat doesn’t come in just one shape, size or gender.

We’re meeting young women who are curious, passionate and determined. We see their spark. And all they need is a chance. But we can’t do it alone.

Industry needs to open the door and welcome them in. That means offering work experience, creating safe spaces to learn, and judging them not on outdated stereotypes but on the potential they bring.

We’re planting the seed. Now we need you to help it grow. Because if we keep turning our backs on capable young women – in the middle of a workforce crisis – we’re not just failing them; we’re failing the future of the industry.

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