Women Building the Future of Construction

Pictured (Holly Caley-Hayward)

Celebrating Women in Construction Week and the growing role of women across the hire equipment industry

Across Australia and New Zealand, construction and trade are vital industries, employing millions of people and building the infrastructure that supports our communities and economies. Yet despite the scale of opportunity, women remain under-represented across the sector.

In Australia, women make up around 17% of the construction workforce and only about 5% of trade roles. In New Zealand, women represent roughly 14–16% of the construction workforce and around 3% working directly in trades roles “on the tools.” Encouragingly, those numbers are steadily increasing as more women step into operational, technical and leadership roles across the industry.

At Kennards Hire, we’re proud to see that progress reflected across our teams on both sides of the Tasman.

Visibility Matters

For Meagan George, Branch Manager at Kennards Hire Geraldton in Western Australia, the industry has changed significantly during the two decades she has worked in trades-related environments.

Early in her career managing remote mining accommodation villages at just 20 years old, Meagan was often one of the only women working on site. It meant learning quickly and building credibility in environments that weren’t always used to female leadership. Over time, consistency, curiosity and a strong work ethic helped her establish herself in the industry.

Today, she leads the Geraldton branch and is passionate about supporting the next generation of women entering construction and hire.

Her advice is simple: visibility matters. “If you can’t see it, you can’t be it,” she says, highlighting the importance of mentorship and leadership pathways that help women imagine a future in the industry.

Pictured (Meagan George)

Building Pathways for the Next Generation

While visible leadership is important, creating practical entry pathways is just as critical.

At Kennards Hire Burleigh West in Queensland, Casual Branch Hand Holly Caley-Hayward is gaining her first experience in the industry through TRACTION Connect, a partnership between Kennards Hire, the Kennards Hire Foundation and youth organisation TRACTION.

The program creates structured employment opportunities for young people while helping build the skills and confidence employers in construction are looking for.

Balancing school with hands-on work in a busy hire yard, Holly is learning everything from equipment processes and safety protocols to customer service and teamwork.

For Holly, the experience demonstrates what workforce development can look like in practice.

Rather than simply discussing skills shortages, she believes the industry needs to focus on building capability earlier – helping young people develop the confidence, accountability and workplace behaviours needed to succeed.

Finding Opportunity in Hire

Across the Tasman in New Zealand, Kelsey Holt, Assistant Branch Manager at Kennards Hire’s newly opened Whangārei Branch, discovered the industry from a very different starting point.

Originally trained as a hairdresser and later working in local government administration, Kelsey was looking for a career with more variety and hands-on work.

Joining Kennards Hire as a Service Person Driver at Westgate introduced her to the equipment hire industry and opened the door to a completely new set of skills.

With the support of her teammates and the opportunity to learn on the job, her confidence quickly grew.

Today, Kelsey enjoys the variety that comes with equipment hire—solving problems, helping customers and working with machinery. The practical skills she’s developed have even extended beyond work, from fixing plumbing issues at home to tackling outdoor projects.

“The team has always been supportive,” she says. “There’s always someone willing to teach you something new.”

Pictured (Kelsey Holt)

Learning by Doing

At Kennards Hire Westgate, Maintenance Controller Jasmine “Jaz” Davis has built a career around her curiosity for machinery.

Before joining Kennards Hire seven years ago, Jaz worked in film and television and studied events management and lighting design. Growing up around her father’s automotive workshop sparked an interest in mechanical work that eventually led her to the hire industry.

Starting as a Service Person Driver, she progressed into the maintenance team where she now works closely with workshop operations and repairs a wide range of equipment.

One of her proudest achievements was dismantling and rebuilding a six-inch woodchipper - something she never imagined doing earlier in her career.

Looking Ahead

As construction demand continues to grow across Australia and New Zealand, the industry will need a diverse and skilled workforce to meet future challenges.

Encouraging more women to explore careers in equipment hire, construction and trades is not just about representation, it’s about strengthening the industry for the future.

Stories like Meagan’s, Holly’s, Kelsey’s and Jaz’s show what’s possible when people are supported to learn, grow and step outside their comfort zones.

And as Women in Construction Week reminds us, building a stronger industry starts with creating opportunities for more people to see themselves in it.

Pictured (Jasmine “Jaz” Davis)