A FUTURE BUILT ON EQUALITY

GENDER DIVERSITY HAS BECOME AN ESSENTIAL FOCUS FOR AUSTRALIA'S MINING INDUSTRY, WITH ONE BUSINESS TAKING ITS COMMITMENT TO THE NEXT LEVEL.

The Australian mining industry certainly has its fair share of hard jobs. Historically, these jobs were T seen as too tough for women to handle.

In 2024, more mining businesses than ever are breaking down this stereotype, proving women are just as capable of contributing to one of Australia's largest industries as men.

But many barriers to women entering and staying in the mining industry persist, with material challenges impacting their employment and retention - including work-life balance.

Despite vast changes in the way modern families operate compared to a few decades ago, much of the caregiving responsibility still falls on women's shoulders.

This means even when women actively pursue work in the mining industry, mothers in particular are in need of a degree of flexibility in their working arrangements.

Parents at Work chief executive officer Emma Walsh said it's not an easy fix for an industry largely defined by remote sites and fly-in, fly-out (FIFO) work.

"I think the mining sector has realised this and is trying to improve how it attracts and retains women, particularly after parental leave," Walsh told Australian Mining.

"We need to see that effort put into structural change around job design, so there's more ability for families to be thinking about how their caregiving responsibility factor in."

Walsh said there needs to be greater collaboration between the industry and its workforce to tackle these challenges.

"It's a great opportunity to improve, and the industry can't afford not to," she said. "I would suggest that the mining industry come together to think about how it could be more family-friendly."

With a skills shortage becoming a pervasive issue facing the mining sector, operators need to create more balanced workplaces that attract both men and women.

One organisation committed to bridging the gap is FORACO Australia.