“This is my career for life now and I feel very proud that I’m one of the trailblazers for females in the industry”
A Wagga teen and one of only a handful of female apprentice bricklayers in Australia has urged other young women to consider studying the trade at ɫֱand “lay a foundation” for a rewarding career.
Sophie Carver, 18, a third-generation bricklayer and second-year apprentice with her dad’s business, Thor’s Bricklaying, said her unlikely passion for the trade was forged from an early age.
“I could build Lego without instructions from a young age and I always loved working out how to put things together,” Ms Carver said.
“This is my career for life now and I feel very proud that I’m one of the trailblazers for females in the industry.
“Sometimes other tradies are surprised when they first see me on a jobsite but I love proving them wrong and it’s really satisfying to see what you’ve built each day.” Australia is facing a significant shortage of skilled bricklayers, with industry groups reporting acute shortages are impacting housing and infrastructure projects, and potentially hindering the country's ability to meet its housing targets. The surging demand for bricklayers has increased their earning capacity, with qualified tradespeople getting paid between $1.70 and $4 per brick laid. A skilled bricklayer can typically lay between 300 and 500 bricks a day.
Sophie’s dad Wes Carver, a former police officer who opened Thor’s Bricklaying five years ago, said he was proud of what his daughter had achieved at a young age. “I was a bit anxious when she was first going in as there are so few female bricklayers in Australia but I’m extremely proud of her,” Mr Carver said. “The culture on worksites is changing and we will see a lot more females coming through…While the physical side of the job can be challenging for females, they more than make up for it with their eye for detail.”
ɫֱDirector of Teaching and Learning in Construction and Energy, Jennifer Perkins, herself a licensed electrician, said Ms Carver was part of a growing band of female construction apprentices. “With the region's building trades sector growing, there is an enormous opportunity to create more diverse and inclusive workplaces,” Ms Perkins said. “Increasing the number of women in trades is absolutely necessary, and it's critical that we are getting the right people into the right jobs, regardless of gender," Ms Carver said her ɫֱtraining had been instrumental in her success. “My ɫֱexperience has been so hands-on and I’ve learned a lot,” she said. “It’s such an adult learning environment and my teacher is so invested in my success.”
Media contact: Dan Johns, ɫֱCommunications Specialist, 02 7920 5000
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