Pregnancy and parental leave are key reasons women leave frontline construction careers in Australia. Parental leave operates as a major impediment to women’s retention and progression in construction, despite the existence of parental leave policies and legislation.

With funding from the NSW Government’s Women in Construction Industry Innovation Program (IIP) Year 2, NAWIC NSW has partnered with the University of Sydney to conduct an important study focused on improving the retention of women in frontline construction roles during and after pregnancy and parental leave. The insights generated will be used to produce a comprehensive practice guide for the sector to support women during these life course stages and improve their retention in construction careers.

This project will:

• examine existing practices that impede women’s retention during and post pregnancy and parental leave in frontline construction trade and professional roles.
• map paid and unpaid parental leave schemes, including identification of leading practice from other industries (feminised and masculine), to produce a comprehensive guide for the construction sector, women and government.
• study the lived experience of women transitioning in and out of parental leave, using the research to build a parental leave toolkit to promote the retention of women during this time.

Your input will help us shape a more inclusive and supportive future for women in construction!

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This initiative is funded through the NSW Government Women in Construction Industry Innovation Program grant (IIP Yr2).