The Big Sister mentoring program has officially launched across South Australia and Western Australia, marking an important step forward in supporting women entering and remaining in the electrical industry.
Big Sister is a $4 million initiative funded through the Commonwealth Government’s Building Women’s Careers Program and is proudly being led by the Electrical Trades Union. The program has been designed by women for women, with a strong focus on both attracting women into electrical apprenticeships and helping them build long-term careers in the industry.
The program works across several key areas including school engagement, pre-vocational pathways, public awareness, employer support, and most importantly, mentoring.
The mentoring side of the program is built around best-practice mentoring principles and is designed to provide women apprentices with consistent connection and guidance throughout their apprenticeship journey. Apprentices are matched with experienced mentors who understand the industry and the unique challenges that can come with working in male-dominated environments. Mentors receive specialised training before entering the program and provide regular contact, workplace support, and ongoing encouragement to apprentices involved in Big Sister.
The program also works closely with employers to help create workplaces where women can feel safe, supported, and able to succeed long term.
Importantly, Big Sister is not just about increasing numbers — it is about improving retention and making sure women entering the trades are not left to navigate the industry alone.
We know ETU members are already helping to support the growth of Big Sister.
Here are ways members can get involved:
- Encourage women apprentices in your workplace to sign up
- Share information about the program with employers and apprentices
- Follow and promote the program through social media and workplace conversations
- Support the ongoing push for safer, more inclusive workplaces across the industry
The success of programs like Big Sister relies on industry support and collective effort. By working together, we can help create stronger pathways for women entering the trades and improve long-term outcomes across the industry.
Congratulations to all the excellent ETU women and members for working to make this program happen. The ETU knows it is crucial we have more women in our trades as we transition to a renewable energy future. And the jobs in that future need to be good, safe, well paid-union jobs. For more information about the program or to get involved, visit the Big Sister website at bigsisterprogram.com.au or contact the Big Sister team directly.