The real estate sector is considered to be a backbone of the economy in many countries, including Australia. Owing to the rise in the infrastructure development and standard of living in this country, activities like buying and selling of the land and properties, construction of new properties, renovation, remodelling, and improvement of existing properties, and manufacturing and supply of building materials and equipment are carried out not only on a large scale but also on a frequent basis.
Therefore, an increasing number of people get employment in varied industries that are a part of the real estate sector. An extensive range of job roles is available across different levels in the business firms operating in these industries. Construction workers, site supervisors, civil engineers, material suppliers, equipment suppliers, and real estate agents are some of these job roles.
Not to mention, individuals who own or manage the business firms in the real estate sector also build a rewarding career. On top of it, enterprises that are involved in surveying the land, inspecting buildings, and making uniforms, personal protective equipment, signboards, and other items also earn profits due to this sector.
But women, who represent around half of the population in Australia, make up for not even one-fourth of the participants in the real estate sector. This fact should not come as a surprise to you if you had been or currently are a part of any industry in this sector as you must be already aware of it. People who have never been a part of the sector also have a hint about this gender gap.
While you can still find a considerable number of females working as real estate agents, you will rarely find females working on top positions, such as managing director and chief executive officer (CEO) in construction, renovation, home improvement, and other industries. The percentage of women is less at not just executive level but also in frontline workforce.
Why is it So?
The gender gap in various industries in the real estate sector is both significant and evident. Individuals, businesses, and groups who need services for building or renovating a property imagine tall, sturdy, and uniformed men to do the job. As owners of construction, renovation, and similar business enterprises are males, people have accepted the males as a face of the real estate sector.
If you don’t believe it, you can do a little experiment. Ask yourself “who would you imagine when you think about “Louvre Roof Sydney” or “Pergola Roofs”?”. If you imagine a man, then the answer is clear. Well, you are not to be blamed, as perceptions towards the sector have resulted in negligible contribution from women.
However, the scenario has started to change in recent years, due to the efforts made by industry players, associations for women, and the government. It can be witnessed that more and more women are joining the workforce by occupying entry-level, mid-level, and top-level positions.
What steps have been taken?
Universities, trade schools, career counsellors, and employers are encouraging women to enter the real estate sector for making a successful career. Several initiatives are taken continuously at the city, state, and national level by different bodies in Australia to decrease the gender gap and gender inequality prevalent in the sector. They implement creative plans and modern technology to draw the attention of females towards the possibility of working in this sector.
Females take up job roles, including but not limited to, site supervisor, architect, civil engineer, human resources manager, payroll manager, and project manager. The fact that women can bring excellent skills, qualities, and work ethic to be table is unarguable. Both organisations and clients can get benefitted from female leadership and personality traits.
But saying that the objective has been accomplished would not be correct as female participation in different industries in the real estate sector has not reached to the desirable extent yet. As you must have noticed in the aforementioned examples, the roles taken up by women are divided into desk jobs and on-site jobs.
Considering the data obtained from numerous studies and researches that have been undertaken over the years, it has been concluded that women are still reluctant to work on site. They steer clear of many occupations that require working on construction, renovation, or home improvement sites.
The reasons attributing to this fact are many, for example, thought-process that such jobs are labour-intensive, lack of knowledge and guidance about these jobs, biasness in the recruitment process, and long working hours. Even though women want to explore the real estate sector, they feel unconfident, as they don’t have many role models, trainers, and mentors.
So, accurate information should be spread about building supplies, construction, remodelling, and other industries at the school level so that women can see them as a career path. Families, teachers, and career coaches in Australia should be more open towards the career choices of women. Employers should make the working hours and conditions flexible as some women might have to look after their family and kids.
Takeaway
With every passing day, women are achieving new milestones and making their mark in different fields. From treating patients and managing multinational corporations to governing the country and walking in space, women have done it all. However, some industries experience a lack of female participation.
In a country like Australia, where infrastructure development gets a boost constantly, and the majority of the women complete higher studies, leveraging the female contribution can lead to exceptional outcomes. Women can find plenty of opportunities for employment and career growth in the real estate sector. It’s important to mention here that both freshers and career shifters can enter this sector.
Authors Bio
Maria believes that the ever-increasing growth in the real estate sector in Australia has created fantastic career opportunities for women from all backgrounds. She is a passionate writer and spread awareness for growing opportunities for women.
