THE Australian Manufacturing Workers Union (AMWU) has turned to its members to help find ways of luring more women into manufacturing as a way of addressing the national skills shortage.
At its two day conference in Brisbane, the AMWU brainstormed a number of ideas to attract women into industry apprenticeships, including encouraging more girls at school and the development of more opportunities for women to try particular trade.
The union’s Andrew Dettmer said the organisation is trying to get its female members to think about those issues and to develop the things which are going to be attractive especially to young women.
“It’s really important for us as a union with its heart and soul in manufacturing to see as many people as possible, and especially as many women as possible, seeing a manufacturing traineeship or a manufacturing apprenticeship as a future for them.”