Bringing together unions, employers and training bodies to sign a Pledge for Change, an official, sector-wide commitment to safer and more inclusive workplaces for women, was passed in Narre Warren.
The Building Futures: Breaking Barriers for Women in the Plumbing Industry was recently held at the Narre Warren centre of the Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre (PICAC).
The launch marked the beginning of a three-year industry-wide initiative that aims to break down the systemic barriers against women and reshape workplace culture.
The Minister for Skills and Training, Andrew Giles MP, was in attendance and said that he was “proud to announce the launch of the program, a transformative initiative designed to dismantle systemic barriers and pave the way for greater gender equity across the Australian trade sector”.
“This project is not just about training, it’s about cultural change.
“Increasing women’s participation is not only a matter of fairness – it’s essential for the future sustainability, innovation, and resilience of the industry,” he said.
The program is backed by the Australian Government’s Building Women’s Careers Program, which looks to open doors for women in plumbing, pipe trades, and fire protection, fields that have long remained dominated by men.
The Pledge for Change was at the core of the launch, where ten key partners committed to creating respectful, inclusive workspaces and also to improving access and advancement for women in trade.
Looking deeper, the pledge includes promises to embed inclusive leadership, develop flexible work environments, and offer education that addresses the structural drivers of inequality.
Shayne La Combre, CEO of PICAC, said that the launch, program and the pledge weren’t “about awareness”.
“It’s about action, we’re not ticking boxes, we’re taking responsibility.
“As the Plumbing Industry’s Centre of Excellence for training, PICAC has seen firsthand what happens when we invest in skills, safety and people.
“Now we’re applying that same focus to culture; if someone wants to become a plumber, there should be absolutely no impediment, no cultural barriers, no unsafe environments, no outdated assumptions,” he said.
Among the signatories were the Master Plumbers and Mechanical Services Association of Australia (MPMSAA), National Fire Industry Association (NFIA), Air Conditioning and Mechanical Contractors’ Association (AMCA), Cooke & Dowsett and Axis Plumbing, to name a few.
The program will be rolled out in stages over the next three years, beginning with research to understand the barriers facing women in the plumbing industry.
The program will provide practical tools and resources for employers, and it will also deliver targeted support to help implement change on the ground.
