The Victorian state government has announced a $550,000 investment that will support the training and licensing of over 300 new women bus drivers in the state over the next three years.
The Bus Driver Training Program will be delivered through three of Victoria’s largest bus operators – Kinetic, CDC and Ventura – and will target an increase in women working in what is, traditionally, a male-dominated sector.
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The initiative will additionally provide 20 women with $7500 scholarships to undertake bus mechanic apprenticeships. These apprenticeships will be delivered by Tradeswomen Australia Foundation Ltd.
Minister for Public and Active Transport Gabrielle Williams says the investment will boost the number of qualified women in the bus industry.
“We’re helping to overcome barriers and encourage more women to embark on a career in transport,” Williams says.
“We are changing the culture in the transport industry and improving access to a better career progression for bus drivers and apprentices.”
The new funding is the latest step taken by the Women in Transport Committee, which over the last seven years, has seen the percentage of women employed in the transport sector surge from 17 per cent to 31 per cent.
Since 2015 over 20,000 extra weekly bus services have been added to Victoria’s public transport network, with major road and rail infrastructure works also presenting further opportunities to licensed drivers in the state.
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