Australian trades make gender equality pledge

Industry leaders across Australia’s plumbing industry and adjacent sectors – including HVAC&R – have signed a pledge for change to build inclusive, respectful workplaces and open new opportunities for future tradespeople.

The pledge was signed at the official launch of Building Futures: Breaking Barriers, a three-year initiative led by the Plumbing Industry Climate Action Centre (PICAC) in partnership with 10 unions, employers, industry bodies and industry training organisations from across the sector.

While the pledge focuses on plumbing, the inclusion of the Air Conditioning and Mechanical Contractors’ Association (AMCA) means the HVAC&R industry is also represented.

“If we want to build a future-fit plumbing and HVAC workforce, we need to make space for different people, different perspectives and different pathways into the trade, says AMCA CEO Scott Williams.

Meaningful reform

Supported by the Australian government’s Building Women’s Careers Program, the initiative focuses on driving lasting cultural and structural reform across the plumbing, HVAC, pipe trades, and fire protection industries.

Launched by Minister for Skills and Training, the Hon Andrew Giles MP at PICAC Narre Warren, Building Futures: Breaking Barriers brings together the industry from all corners of Australia to tackle the barriers that have limited women’s participation in trades, and to build modern, inclusive, and sustainable workplaces for the future of the industry.

“I am proud to announce the launch of the Building Futures program, a transformative initiative designed to dismantle systemic barriers and pave the way for greater gender equity across the Australian trade sector,” Giles says.

“This project is not just about training – it’s about cultural change.”

“I want to congratulate PICAC and all the partner organisations for stepping up and leading the way with this powerful pledge for change.”

Through the pledge for change, partners have formally committed to taking practical action, embedding inclusive leadership and education, creating safer, more flexible workplaces, and ensuring the industry is accessible, supportive and successful for a more diverse future workforce.

Looking forward

Over the next three years, Building Futures: Breaking Barriers will roll out in stages, starting with research to understand the barriers facing women in the plumbing industry, followed by training and education and a best practice national framework to support inclusive leadership and respectful workplaces.

PICAC says the program will:

• Provide practical tools and resources for employers
• Deliver targeted support to help implement change on the ground
• Launch a national storytelling campaign to challenge outdated perceptions and attract new talent to the industry.

PICAC says the campaign aims to embed change across all levels of the workforce, ensuring that the movement is not just a moment, but a sustained shift in how the industry works and who it works for.

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