Fresh data shows women are playing an increasingly vital role in Armidale’s construction sector, helping build the skilled workforce required to deliver housing, infrastructure and major projects.
In the lead-up to Women in Construction Week (1–7 March) and International Women’s Day (8 March), the National Centre for Vocational Education Research (NCVER) reported that female enrolments in construction trades courses in New South Wales more than doubled in the five years to 2025.
One of those students is 19-year-old Armidale apprentice Kelsey Stace, part of a growing cohort of TAFE NSW-trained female plumbers in the region.
Disengaged from the academic side of school, Stace turned to her careers counsellor at Armidale Secondary College in Year 10, setting her on a new path.
Encouraged to consider a trade, she secured an apprenticeship with Tom McMaster Plumbing and is now a fourth-year apprentice.
“I was never interested in school but knew I was decent with my hands and so a trades career was a natural fit,” Stace said.
“I wanted a secure job to get started in life but knew I couldn’t sit at a desk all day.
“I love being a plumber and I’d love to see more young women giving it a go.”
Stace said her teachers at TAFE NSW Tamworth had helped her develop practical, job-ready skills.
“The teachers have all worked as plumbers and they really guide you through all the skills and knowledge you need,” she said.
She is currently studying a Certificate IV in Plumbing Operations at TAFE NSW Tamworth.
TAFE NSW Executive Director of Teaching and Learning in Construction and Energy Jennifer Perkins, a qualified electrician, said lifting female participation was strengthening both culture and capability across worksites.
“TAFE NSW is training the majority of women entering construction-based trades in the New England region, and increasing female participation isn’t just important, it’s essential to meeting industry demand and growing the workforce,” Perkins said.
“More women on worksites strengthens teams, boosts productivity and supports the long-term future of the industry.”
NSW Minister for Skills, TAFE and Tertiary Education Steve Whan said increasing the number of women in trades was central to building a resilient, future-ready workforce in the state.
“The construction industry needs more skilled workers, and supporting more women to enter, train and thrive in the sector is critical to meeting that demand,” Whan said.
“TAFE NSW is supporting more women to train and succeed in trade-based jobs, proving that gender should not be a barrier to pursuing a rewarding, hands-on career.”
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