Trades event returns as more women turn to tools

Women are turning to trades, and the Taranaki Women in Trades event on May 7 is aiming to inspire even more to pick up tools, drive a digger or wield a welding machine.

Women in Trades Committee Chair and trades education advocate Katrina Mayo says it’s an exciting time for women as the industry is increasingly recognising the contribution of women to a traditionally male-dominated sector.

“Industry leaders tell us their women employers are gentler on equipment, so there’s less wear and tear – and therefore less maintenance and repair costs – when it comes to using expensive equipment,” she says.

“Women are also more aware of taking care of physical and mental health. That brings a better, healthier balance into a workspace where typically a guy will push on and end up with a bad back or some other injury. Emotional and mental wellbeing among men in the sector has been an ongoing issue too.”

As one of the main sponsors and trades education provider for the region, WITT will join over 30 exhibitors representing construction and trades companies. Some are offering interactive experiences such as operating a digger, scissor lift or a range of power tools.

Around 300 young women from high schools across the region will attend the event, which is open to the public.

Keynote speaker is Elaine Aorangi (Health, Safety and Wellbeing manager for the Mt Messenger Bypass Project). This project employs a high number of women – project managers, site managers, heavy machinery drivers, road control, conservation, logistics, machine operators and some of them will be joining Elaine to share their experiences at Women in Trades, says Katrina.

More women enrolling in trades

At WITT, women account for 25 per cent of students enrolled in trades programmes in 2026, up from 20 per cent last year. These include Automotive, Carpentry, Electrical Engineering, Mechanical Engineering (welding and fabrication), and Plumbing, Gasfitting and Drainlaying.

Angela Ferguson, Director – School of Engineering and Trades says, “WITT has a long-standing commitment in supporting women into trades through our industry relationships and supportive learning environment.

“Since its inception, WITT have been part of the Women in Trades Expo and we can’t wait for the 2026 event.”

WITT’s highly successful Secondary Tertiary Pathways scheme is one of the ways that young women at school can have a taste of trades education in well-equipped workshops taught by industry-experienced tutors, she says.

Caption: Malise, Kate, Lotus, Cree and Dayna at WITT's automotive workshop where they are enrolled in the NZ Certificate in Automotive Engineering programme.

Growing up in a family keen on cars and dirt bike racing rubbed off on teenager, Dayna. She’s enrolled in WITT’s Level 3 automotive programme – one of 12 women students in a class of 32, equating to one third. She learned how to do an oil change at the age of seven to help her car-mad dad. He couldn’t manage some car maintenance tasks because of his bad back and knees. Now, Dayna is combining three days a week at WITT doing the New Zealand Certificate in Automotive Engineering, with two days at her school to complete Year 13.

She’s among a group of five women from Automotive who are sharing why they enrolled in a trade. These include Kate who is switching careers switch after 15 years working as a farrier. “I always wanted to work with cars, and now is the right time,” she says. Her grandfather was a supercar (V8) mechanic and her dad, a go kart-racer and engineer.

Cree just wants to be able to fix her car without relying on a man, while Lotus and Malise just like cars, always have, and wanted to learn how they work so they can turn this knowledge into a job.

In a nearby carpentry workshop, Abby and Jayde are building a house with the rest of their class. There are four women in their carpentry course. Both say they found it hard to sit in a classroom at school and find the practical aspects of learning a trade is a better fit.

“I’m loving it at WITT,” says Abby, who wants to get an apprenticeship so she can become a qualified builder. She’s never felt a that doing a trade was determined by gender but notices the guys in her class often ask their women peers for help in understanding instructions or reading plans.

With work boots, high viz vest and loading a nail gun to work on the foundations of the three-bedroom house they are building throughout the year, she is in her element.

 “I just love being able to see where there was nothing and at the end of the year, there’s going to be a whole house that people can live in. I want to be able to drive past and say ‘yeah - I built that.’ “

For more information on Women in Trades or to register for tickets (FREE), click here.

Caption (top): Jayde Katene and Abby Wallis are part of the Level 3 Carpentry programme where they are building a three-bedroom home.