A RECENTLY released report: Attracting and Retaining Women in the Australian Mining Industry revealed that family was the most common reason for women leaving the industry.
The Australian Institute of Mining and Metalurgy (AusIMM) has commended the Minerals Council of Australia and the Federal Government for collaborating on this report, looking at the reasons behind the low participation of women in leading export industry.
The nationwide study confirmed the position of the AusMM committee ‘Women in Mining Networking Group’ that believed accessible child care is one of the major reasons for women leaving the industry.
The report found that the age profile of women in the industry is heavily concentrated towards those aged 34 and under.
The report also found that access to child care, particularly facilities that catered for shift work and long rosters for women in residential mining towns could prove almost impossible.