Powering Her Pathway: paving the way for women in clean energy in Latrobe-Gippsland

Tradeswoman Australia (TWA) has launched a pioneering initiative called Powering Her Pathway to address barriers for women in clean energy careers. The initiative is being delivered by TWA in partnership with TAFE Gippsland and ENGIE Australia, with a focus on Latrobe and the broader Gippsland region.  

The Powering Her Pathway program provides hands-on experience for women interested in entering clean energy trades. The program includes a tailored vocational training course at TAFE Gippsland followed by support to land a placement, apprenticeship or job in a skilled clean energy position across the Gippsland region.  

This is more than a program; it’s a movement. Together with our incredible partners at TAFE Gippsland, ENGIE, and RMIT, and with the support of the Federal Government, we’re breaking down barriers, challenging outdated norms, and building real, inclusive pathways into high demand industries. The future of clean energy is diverse, skilled, and powered by women and it starts right here, right now. Recently, Grace, one of the inaugural graduates of the TAFE Gippsland Program, began a traineeship with the civil contractors for the Delburn Wind Farm – Clea Smith, CEO Tradeswomen Australia 

The program contains a workplace culture change component: a structured process that examines how workplace conditions, policies and practices may affect people differently based on gender. The component identifies potential inequalities and informs practical actions to support fair and inclusive outcomes.  

RMIT University is conducting an independent, multi-year evaluation of the Powering Her Pathway project in Gippsland. The evaluation will assess participant outcomes, training, industry change and whether the model can drive long-term increases in women entering clean energy trades.  

With a projected surge in the demand for clean energy related skills, ensuring equitable access to opportunities is essential. Through Powering Her Pathway, women in Latrobe-Gippsland are being given the tools not just to enter the workforce, but to shape and lead it.  

By operating at major transition hubs like Morwell and Hazelwood, this initiative builds clear career tracks for women and solidifies the region’s role as a leader in Australia’s shift to renewables. Powering Her Pathway is creating a sustainable framework for industry-wide transformation, with plans to replicate the success of the Latrobe-Gippsland program in other regions across Australia. 

Find out more about NZEA's work in Latrobe and the broader Gippsland region on our Latrobe page.