More than 60 young women from 15 Brisbane high schools descended on SkillsTech Australia’s Acacia Ridge Training Centre late last week to try their hands at a trade.

Girls Try’aTrade is an initiative allowing students to ‘have-a-go’ at different trades in a safe, hands-on and dynamic environment.

Specifically, participants in last week’s Try’aTrade event got their hands dirty in:

• Building and construction – painting and decorating, cabinet making, wall and floor tiling
• Manufacturing and engineering – electrical, Computer Numerical Controlled (CNC) machining, welding.

Developed collaboratively with Construction Skills Queensland and WorldSkills Australia, the day-long event also provided an opportunity for girls to gain valuable career advice from industry representatives, apprentices, trade-qualified trainers and local employers.

SkillsTech Australia’s business manager of the Schools Liaison Unit Jennifer Mitchell says the event provided young women with valuable information and options about trade careers.

“A vocation in a technical area, especially non-traditional trades, has traditionally been male-dominated, however, a trade career can be an equally rewarding choice for women and we’re seeing increasing numbers of female students which reflect this,” Jennifer says.

For Grade 10 Stretton State College student Peta-Jayne Wrigley, Girls Try’aTrade was like opening a window and looking into a new world.

“I’ve been interested in finding out more about trade training so when I heard about Try’aTrade I jumped at the opportunity to come,” Peta-Jayne says.

“It’s been awesome to see what’s involved in different trades and to get a clearer understanding of what trade training is actually like.”

Over the past three years SkillsTech Australia has seen a steady increase in the number of female enrolments: from 2010 to 213 female enrolments at SkillsTech Australia increased by 227%.

WorldSkills Australia project manager Eric Davis says response to the event from students and teachers was overwhelmingly positive.

“WorldSkills Australia and CSQ are keen to continue working with SkillsTech Australia on programs highlighting and encouraging young women to consider career paths in non-traditional skill areas,” Eric says.

“They bring a higher level of discipline and focus to their work and they generally have an eye for detail that most men don’t have.”