A national programme aimed at increasing the number of women entering construction, BCITO’s Girls in Construction initiative exposes the next generation to the trades sector.
Built around the idea that ‘if you can see it, you can be it’, the programme takes students out of the classroom and into active worksites and supplier yards. So far, more than 200 young women have participated nationally, including around 50 across the Dunedin, Queenstown and wider Otago region this year.
BCITO General Manager of Education and Diversity Andrew Donohue, who has been involved in the programme for the past three years, says the goal is to give young women a genuine view of what a career in construction can look like.
Students visit live environments like large infrastructure projects, such as Dunedin’s new hospital site, and civil and residential developments. They also get stuck in the tools with tasks such as making planter boxes. Hands-on and immersive, these visits make clear the opportunities available.
The programme has grown steadily through sector engagement, which means participants are more likely to flow through into real sector roles. Industry partners, such as ITM, Breen Construction, and other contractors and organisations, have helped support the initiative.
It takes a village to truly showcase what the industry can offer. “It can be a confusing time for young people,” Donohue says. “It takes all of these groups getting behind the initiative to expose them to what’s available.”
Raising awareness is an important first step, but Andrew says the next challenge lies in converting interest into long-term career pathways. Though not every participant will move directly into construction, exposing young people to the industry early can still build confidence and broaden future career thinking.
Recent figures show that while women now make up about 15% of New Zealand’s construction workforce, only around 3% work on the tools. Meanwhile, women’s participation in BCITO apprenticeships has risen to around 6%, up from less than 1% in 2015. “Can we do better? Absolutely,” Donohue says. “But we certainly aren’t going backwards.”
He says industry change is also happening practically, through better facilities, improved workwear options, and more awareness around supporting women once they enter the workforce. Encouraging women to enter the industry is nothing without meaningful support once there.
The programme also sits within a broader effort to improve access across the industry. BCITO works alongside Māori, Pasifika, migrant communities, and learners with disabilities, leading a wider push to ensure construction pathways are accessible to all. “Everyone deserves a place, an option, a career path, and to be welcomed.”
Over his ten years with BCITO, Donohue says one of the most rewarding parts of the role has been seeing apprentices progress and watching families and communities celebrate qualification milestones at graduation ceremonies around the country.
“It’s a big celebration, and that’s what it’s all about. I’ve seen people go from hammer hands to running big construction businesses. It’s pretty cool to see. We do change lives.”
Despite economic slowdowns and industry pressures, Donohue says engagement in training pathways has remained relatively stable. This resilience reflects the ongoing appeal of trade careers and the importance of continually investing in the future. “The sector will come back, and we’re going to need apprentices and trained people when it does.”
Looking ahead, the focus is on building momentum: strengthening early exposure, improving support systems, and ensuring that young people who do engage with the industry can clearly see a pathway from curiosity to qualification to career.
For Donohue, the measure of success is simple: even if only a small number of students ultimately enter the construction industry, changing perceptions early can reshape how the industry is seen by the next generation.
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