Women shattering glass ceiling to forge careers

Five of six female students completing a Certificate III in Glass and Glazing (Glazing) hail from regional locations including Armidale, Karuah (Hunter region), Parkes and Perthville (Bathurst).
Glass and glazing hasn’t been a traditional career pathway for women, more women are shattering the glass ceiling to forge careers in the industry.
Female glaziers make up only four per cent of the industry, with glazier work being strong in regional areas. Almost 90 per cent of glaziers are in full-time work, which is 23 per cent above the all-jobs average, and 46 per cent of glaziers live outside of capital cities.
Zoe Beattie, a third-year TAFE NSW glazing student travels from Armidale to TAFE NSW Lidcombe to receive high-quality training. The 21-year-old is a third-year apprentice with employer Lockman Doors and Glass in Armidale and says the travel is worth it to gain skills to become a tradesperson glazier.
Zoe said she knew nothing about glass before she studied the Certificate III in Glass and Glazing, but with the support of her TAFE teachers and employer now feels “incredibly inspired about my career choice”.
Dean Waters Director of Lockman Doors and Glass has seen Zoe’s skillset develop while simultaneously completing and apprenticeship and studying at TAFE NSW Lidcombe.
“During her employment, Zoe has demonstrated remarkable growth and development,” Mr Waters said.
“She takes immense pride in her work and approaches all aspects of her role with enthusiasm and dedication. We are highly impressed with Zoe’s skillset and are eager to see how her career will evolve in the future”.
Zoe’s interest in glass and glazing comes at an auspicious time, with the glazing industry predicted to boom in growth. According to NSW Government 2022 Population Projections, it’s estimated that NSW will need an additional 904,000 homes over the next 20 years to house the growing population. This equates to 45,200 new homes annually, including 28,500 in Greater Sydney and 16,700 in regional NSW.
TAFE NSW Head Teacher of Glass and Glazing Mark Nicholls said TAFE NSW Centre for Excellence in Lidcombe is the gold standard in the sector, giving students practical experience on the best equipment in the business.