Stage 5 - Women in Construction
The Understanding Building and Construction Program (UBCP) offers schools a structured series of lessons that align with the Australian Curriculum. It includes training on cultural awareness and inclusivity, workplace rights and safety, site visits, work experience placements, and access to mentors and guest speakers from the industry.
A specially designed Work Studies unit is available for Year 9 and 10 students who identify as young women or gender diverse. This semester-long unit includes seven modules and a work experience logbook, which students complete during their one-week placement.
The work experience journal helps students reflect on their placement and learning. To request journals, contact careerworkplacelearning@det.nsw.edu.au
Feedback from participating NSW schools will help improve the program and guide its future development and possible expansion.
To implement the UBCPP effectively within NSW schools, the following considerations and recommendations are provided:
Alignment with NSW curriculum and pathways programs
- Adapt the program content to align with NSW curriculum frameworks, including Stage 5 and Stage 6 syllabus requirements and elective courses such as Work Studies.
- Leverage existing careers and pathways programs such as the Regional Industry Education Partnerships (RIEP), TAFE NSW, and school-based apprenticeships to provide coherent pathways for students interested in the building and construction industry.
Inclusion of mandatory safety certifications
In accordance with NSW Work Health and Safety (WHS) legislation and SafeWork NSW requirements, all students must complete specific safety trainings before undertaking any workplace learning in the building and construction industry. These include:
- General Construction Induction (White Card) training - mandatory for any person visiting or working on a construction site.
Encourage cross-sector collaboration
- Build partnerships between schools, local industry stakeholders, unions, community organisations, and government bodies to create authentic, industry-informed learning opportunities.
- Facilitate guest speakers, workplace visits, mentoring, and structured work experience placements.
Promote gender equity and inclusion
- Maintain the program’s core role in increasing female and gender diverse participation in building and construction by highlighting female role models from industry and unions.
- Address unconscious bias and foster inclusive learning environments that empower all students to explore non-traditional career pathways in traditionally male dominated industries.
Utilise existing networks and resources
- Engage with NSW-based organisations such as NAWIC NSW, apprenticeship providers, and local industry networks to enhance resources, advocacy, and student connections to real-world pathways and workforce development opportunities.
Professional learning for educators
- Provide targeted professional development and support for teachers to confidently deliver building and construction content, career education, and gender equity initiatives. This may include training in curriculum delivery, safety preparedness, and cultural inclusivity.
Program evaluation and continuous improvement
- Establish clear monitoring, feedback, and evaluation processes to assess program delivery fidelity, student engagement, and achievement of learning outcomes.
- Use evaluative insights to continuously refine curriculum materials, teaching approaches, and partnership models, ensuring ongoing relevance and positive student outcomes.
Parent and community engagement
- Actively involve parents and carers to raise awareness about career options within building and construction and the importance of gender diversity in male-dominated industries. Family support can be crucial in encouraging students to pursue non-traditional pathways.
By adopting these strategies and integrating the UBCPP within existing careers and pathways initiatives , schools can effectively support student engagement, promote diversity, and enhance career development opportunities in the building and construction sector across NSW schools.
As part of the Women in Construction Program, workplace learning provides students with valuable opportunities to engage directly in the construction industry. Students can develop practical skills, gain industry insights, and build confidence within a traditionally male-dominated sector.
Through structured work experience, students:
- Explore real construction workplaces, discovering a variety of trades and professional roles
- Build essential job-ready skills, including safety practices, teamwork, and technical competencies
- Practice wearing and using personal protective equipment (PPE) under supervision
- Connect classroom learning with hands-on tasks relevant to building and construction careers
- Gain inspiration and clarity about career pathways in construction and related industries
Work experience journal:
A dedicated journal for students to record and reflect on their experiences, learning outcomes, and skills development during their workplace placement. To request work experience journals, contact careerworkplacelearning@det.nsw.edu.au
NOTE: Schools must document how they have applied the duty of care procedures by completing a student placement record before participating in work experience. School staff supporting must complete mandatory Workplace Learning Policy and Procedures e-learning (MyPL-NR26976).
For the most current information on workplace learning policies and requirements, please refer to the NSW Department of Education website Workplace Learning.
To embed the Understanding Building and Construction Program (UBCPP) into the NSW VET curriculum effectively, here are key steps and considerations tailored for the NSW Department of Education context:
1. Align with Relevant VET Courses and Qualifications
- Identify applicable Certificate II or III qualifications in construction-related fields such as:
- Construction (CPC20222 Certificate II in Construction Pathways)
- Building and Construction (CPC30122 Certificate III in Carpentry)
- Plumbing, Electrical, or other trades apprenticeships connected to building and construction
- Map UBCPP learning modules to specific competencies and units of competency within these qualifications.
2. Integrate UBCPP Learning Outcomes with VET Competencies
- Embed key UBCPP themes — such as gender equity, workplace safety, industry expectations, and career pathways — within the required skills training.
- Use UBCPP content as enrichment activities or context for practical tasks and assessments.
- Incorporate awareness and application of diversity and inclusion principles into employability skills and soft skills components.
3. Collaboration with Registered Training Organisations (RTOs) and Industry
- Partner with NSW RTOs delivering construction qualifications to incorporate UBCPP materials into their delivery and assessment.
- Work with local industry groups and employers from the NSW construction sector to provide mentorship, site visits, and practical workshops.
- Leverage existing NSW initiatives like Regional Industry Education Partnerships (RIEP) to enhance industry links and work experience placements.
4. Professional Development for VET Teachers and Trainers
- Develop tailored professional learning sessions about UBCPP’s objectives and resources.
- Emphasise strategies for integrating gender equity and career development within technical skills training.
- Support VET teachers in accessing industry updates and building networks with female role models in trade industries.
5. Promotion and Recruitment
- Highlight the UBCPP as a feature of the construction pathway VET offerings to attract a diverse range of students, especially targeting increased female enrolment.
- Use school career advisers and VET coordinators to promote pathways articulated by UBCPP, showing clear routes into apprenticeships and employment.
6. Evaluation and Continuous Improvement
- Establish feedback mechanisms from students, teachers, and employers about the integration and impact of UBCPP within VET courses.
- Review and refine UBCPP content and methodology based on NSW VET regulatory changes and industry developments.
- Share successful implementation models across NSW schools and education networks.
‘Women in Construction’ introduces students to the important role of women in the building and construction industry and its significance to the Australian economy.
Students will explore a wide range of diverse career opportunities available to women in this dynamic sector.
Lesson Overview:
In this lesson, students will be introduced to the Work Studies elective ‘Women in Construction’. Students will learn the purpose of the elective, be introduced to the building and construction industry and its importance in the Australian economy and start to explore the various and diverse career options for women within this industry.
In this lesson students will be provided with a unit outline which will summarise the topics covered and outline the achievement standards to provide students with a clear description of what they will be learning throughout the semester, and what is required for them to progress and achieve. During this lesson students will also participate in a team building activity (spaghetti building challenge) to introduce the importance of teamwork, creativity, communication which are all vital skills in the world of work.
Module 1 Women in Construction resources:
In this module, students will develop an understanding of career development concepts and the ongoing process of managing their career pathways. They will explore their own interests, values, personal attributes, skills, and abilities to gain insight into how these influence career choices.
Students will participate in a range of activities designed to build self-awareness and practical skills for career planning. These include investigating career information resources and beginning to develop a personalised Career Action Plan. The module encourages students to take ownership of their learning and future pathways by applying what they learn to make informed decisions about education, training, and employment options.
Module 2: Career development resources
Lesson 7: Skills and Abilities
In this module, students will be introduced to the building and construction industry, the different occupations available and the different skills required to work in this industry. Students will investigate different occupations including trade based (blue-collar), professional (white-collar) and evolving (new-collar) roles and participate in activities to develop their personal skills and understanding. Students will participate in activities such as town / suburb planning and designing their dream house along with a task aimed at identifying the different stages and job roles involved in building a house. Students will also choose one occupation based on what they have learnt throughout this module and what they now know about themselves (interests, strengths, attributes, values, experiences, and skills) to investigate and research further.
Module 3: Introduction to occupations in the building and construction industry resources:
In this module, students will be introduced to Work Health and Safety (WHS). Students will learn about duty of care, rights and responsibilities in the workplace, Personal Protective Equipment (PPE), hazards, risks, and safety in the workplace especially when working in the building and construction industry, safety while on work experience and the SAFE risk management model. Students will investigate support services available for young workers such as WorkSafe ACT, Young Workers Centre, and Fair Work Ombudsman. They will access different websites and complete class-based activities to develop and strengthen their understanding of safety and its importance in the workplace.
Module 4: Introduction to Safety in the Workplace resources:
The importance of diversity and culture in the workplace will be explained to students throughout this module. Students will be able to identify diversity and articulate why it is important in a variety of contexts, including the workplace and schools. Students will examine work culture, the behaviours associated with a positive work culture and how to establish this to create a positive workplace for everyone. Students will identify and discuss obstacles that minority groups may face in the workplace, with an emphasis on the building and construction industry. Students will take part in discussions and activities in class, to learn more about confidence and why it is important to have confidence when entering the workforce.
Module 5: Diversity and workplace culture resources:
In this module, students will be introduced to the concept of sustainability and how the building and construction industry is addressing this issue. Students will participate in a ‘sustainable building challenge’ to build a bridge from recycled materials. They will reflect on their own personal skills and abilities and discuss the importance of teamwork, creativity, problem solving and communication. Students will develop an understanding of what sustainability means and how they can be sustainable as individuals. Students will be introduced to the different occupations and initiatives relating to sustainability within the building and construction industry.
Module 6 Sustainability in the building and construction industry resources:
Introduction to Sustainabilty in the building and construction industry
This module supports Stage 5 students in reviewing their learning and planning their next steps related to the building and construction industry. Students will explore their current knowledge of the industry and the diverse career opportunities available.
They will be introduced to a range of pathway options, including Stage 6 (Senior Secondary School), Australian School-based Apprenticeships (ASbAs), Vocational Education and Training (VET), Work Experience, TAFE, Apprenticeships, Traineeships, and University.
The module is designed for flexible delivery, allowing students to work independently or with guided support through a variety of activities such as goal setting, accessing career-focused websites, writing resumes and cover letters, practising interview skills, understanding tax and superannuation, job search strategies, networking, building a professional reputation, and creating a career portfolio.
Module 7 'My Future' planning – where to now? resources: