Photo project cuts through stereotypes

A NEW photo exhibition celebrating women in trades has gone on show at Bendigo GovHub.

The project, mounted on the hoardings around building site, is a collaboration between Hope Assistance Local Tradies and Women’s Health Loddon Mallee.

It features 12 photos of Central Victorian women working in traditionally male-dominated roles, taken by Melbourne photographer Zo Damage.

CEO of WHLM Tricia Curry said partnering with HALT aligns with the organisation’s focus on promoting women’s health.

“We’re really aware of the work HALT is doing around mental health in the trades, we know in response to COVID a lot of the investment going into the recovery is in the construction industry,” she said.

“That’s an industry that doesn’t favour women well in being able to participate. Putting those things together it seemed an absolutely beautiful partnership to tell a story about women in trades and the importance of good mental health through that.”

Ms Curry said she hopes the photos inspire young women to consider careers in trades, as “you can’t be what you can’t see.”

“The photos have a capacity to tell a story and let the viewer reflect on what they see and think about the things that are important in purposeful work and safe workplaces,” she said.

“We can’t assume workplaces are safe, particularly when it comes to sexism and sexual harassment, the industry hasn’t got a good reputation.

“Employees do such a lot to change that, and employers need employees to take on that culture of change. Every single one of us has a responsibility around women being safe in what they do.”

Boilermaker at Hoffman’s Engineering Mel Krause has been working in trade for 20 years and said she’s seen progress in the gender diversity of workplaces.

“The culture has changed a lot,” she said. “You used to walk through a male workshop and there’d be centrefolds on the walls whereas that’s not the culture anymore, so that’s obviously a good progression.

“In 20 years, I’ve met maybe three tradies that were female, to know there’s another 11 other women out there doing it for themselves and breaking stereotypes, it’s really empowering and I love it.”