Male-Dominated Industries

The Australian Bureau of Statistics reports that women in South Australia are paid 10% less on average than men, retire with less superannuation, spend more time in unpaid work and are less likely to be in leadership positions.

Many factors influence the current gender imbalance, with one in particular being the under-representation of women in the highest-paying industries which are traditionally male-dominated. Women’s participation rates in the 2023–24 financial year are:

• Construction 12.8%
• Mining 19.4%
• Transport, postal and warehousing 23.3%
• Manufacturing 29.1%
• Electricity, gas, water and waste services 29.8% 

The Office for Women held a forum in 2024 with key government agencies and industry leaders — from construction, manufacturing, mining, defence, space, cybersecurity, and renewable energies — to discuss the main barriers and opportunities to increase women’s participation in traditionally male-dominated industries.

Driving Women’s Participation in South Australian Industries Report (PDF 503.1 KB)

Driving Women’s Participation in South Australian Industries Report (DOCX 653.5 KB)

Sources:

^[1] Australian Bureau of Statistics (ABS), Average Weekly Earnings, Australia, November 2024 (Table 13d. Average weekly earnings, South Australia (dollars) - original)

^[2] Workplace Gender Equality Agency (WGEA), Data Explorer - Industry, Private Sector Reporting 2023–24