Women are significantly under-represented in the solar industry and in trades more generally. Learn about how we are working toward achieving gender diversity and helping to shift long established cultural norms and stereotypes.
Anita Smith, Director of Industry Development and Technology at Solar Victoria, is committed to her team not just attracting women into jobs in the renewable energy sector through our Training and Workforce Development program, but also ensuring we retain them.
Apprenticeships for women
Solar Victoria is funding a two-year initiative to support women wanting to start a career as a solar electrician. Apprentices under this initiative receive additional payments on commencement and at six-monthly intervals for the first two years of their apprenticeship, plus get additional career and professional development support.
Christine Kennedy is a passionate advocate for women in the solar industry. When she heard about our Apprenticeships for Women initiative, she jumped at the chance to employ two apprentices.
As of March 2023, fifteen solar electrical women apprentices have been employed through this initiative, with more expected to join.
Additional apprenticeships will soon be available for women wanting to become plumbers, air-conditioning or refrigeration mechanics.
Career and professional development mentoring
Free career and professional development mentoring will soon be available to help enhance and support your experience of the solar industry as a woman.
These mentorships will especially suit women starting out in the solar industry and who are unsure of the direction their career could take or how to get there.
Women interested in career and professional development mentoring are encouraged to:
- register their interest by emailing: industrytraining@team.solar.vic.gov.au
- subscribe to our industry newsletter to be informed
- revisit our website for details.
Useful resources and networking events
We encourage women in solar and those considering a career in solar to reach out for support, advice and resources from established and respected organisations.
Among those committed to growing a community that encourages women to join and be successful in the solar industry are:;
In May and June 2022, we ran a series of well-attended workshops and events to promote gender diversity in the workplace:
- ‘Unconscious bias’ workshops – promoted personal awareness at all levels of the workplace and understanding what biases may be present – our conscious biases (those we are aware of) and our unconscious biases (ones we may never be aware of).
- ‘A career in solar’ events – promoted the solar industry as a career path for women working in, or thinking about working in, the industry and featured guest speakers and industry champions who shared what the journey has been like for them.
In addition, we ran a panel on supporting women in solar at All-Energy in October 2022. It featured women working in technical and non-technical roles and encouraged women to find out more about career pathways by talking with industry champions.
About our commitment
Solar Victoria is investing $11 million to deliver a comprehensive Training and Workforce Development program. Our aim is for solar industry workers to have the skills and capabilities to deliver our programs and to support growth.
Boosting training and workforce development will ensure Victoria has an ongoing supply of skilled workers to support growth in the renewable and clean energy sector – and we see women as essential to building a better industry.
Any questions?
For general enquiries about Solar Victoria initiatives supporting women in solar, please email industrytraining@team.solar.vic.gov.au.
For information about other initiatives helping to grow Victoria’s clean energy workforce, see Training and workforce development.
Reviewed 17 March 2023
