In a field where there is a constant demand for highly skilled professionals, having women comprise 26% of air traffic controllers, 18% of flight dispatchers and 9% of aerospace engineers isn’t good enough. And for women, a career in aviation imparts too many valuable and highly transferrable skills and experiences opportunities to pass up out of hand.

Entering the trades industry can be daunting for some women, but in early May, 10 women from Western Sydney took their first steps towards a potential new career in a trade.

The women completed the Western Sydney Women Licence to Build program, a Connecting Women to Trades initiative by the NSW Department of Education.

Programs targeting high school-aged girls who hope to pursue STEM-based careers will soon launch in Australia.

Western Sydney Women and Mentoring Women will be rolling out the Women in Aviation, The Future is Bright and Ladies Who Lead initiatives nationwide to raise awareness of and support entry into aviation careers.

Women’s advocacy group Western Sydney Women has received funding under the federal government’s women’s leadership and development program to help them launch two new programs encouraging women’s careers in STEM.