Story of Elizabeth
Elizabeth, Australia
Elizabeth had a diverse career in communications and marketing before joining the Habitat Women program in March 2024. The program by Habitat for Humanity Australia supports women in entering and succeeding in the construction industry. Its key pillars are: skills training and a social enterprise for repairs and maintenance. Women are empowered through practical experience and fulfilling employment while addressing the housing needs of vulnerable communities.
Through the Habitat Women program, she reignited her long-held aspirations to have a career of working with her hands, making things, and using tools. She said it was most rewarding to work on crisis housing under Habitat Australia’s Brush with Kindness program. Her efforts in repairs and painting made a tangible difference in the lives of those in need. Since graduating in March 2024, Elizabeth has been employed by the Habitat Women Social Enterprise as a supervisor.
Elizabeth (right) with other supervisors of Habitat Women program in Australia
According to the Workplace Gender Equality Agency, an Australian government statutory agency, men represent 74% of the total workforce in the country’s construction industry. The highest quartile of average remuneration is largely dominated by men at 88%. Average total remuneration for this upper quartile of employees is nearly A$230,000. By contrast, women are 47% of the workforce at the lower pay quartile with average total earnings of A$62,000.
Elizabeth’s story is not an individual triumph. It represents collective progress in the longstanding challenges over gender equality. While the Habitat Women program offers professional and personal growth opportunities, the people matter most. Elizabeth shared, “Honestly, I think my favorite thing is the people and just being able to come in and be myself and everyone is so encouraging and supportive and that has been really, really nice.”