Bunnings Trade has opened nominations for its 2026 Women in Apprenticeships Awards, with six female apprentices set to receive support packages valued at more than $11,000 each. Nominations close at midnight on Friday 10 April, with winners to be announced in May.
The awards are designed to recognise and support women in the early stages of trade careers, where the gender imbalance in the sector is most pronounced. New entrants face the twin challenge of building skills and credibility while also acquiring the tools and equipment that trade work requires, and the awards are specifically structured to help with the practical costs of getting started.
What Past Recipients Say
Last year’s recipients included Sasha Devia, Samantha Lee, Mikyla Wardlaw-Ruru, and Lola Williams, representing trades including electrical work, carpentry, and metal fabrication across Auckland, Whakatane, and Napier. Devia, who works as a fabrication welder at TRT, described the recognition as significant beyond the financial value: “The award has been huge for me,” she said, noting that it helped build confidence not just on the job but in tackling projects independently outside work.
Why Representation Matters for the Trades
The construction and trades sector faces persistent workforce shortages, and broadening the pool of people entering apprenticeships is one of the most direct ways of addressing that gap. Women remain significantly underrepresented across most trade disciplines, and initiatives that make entering the sector more financially accessible and visible have a practical effect on whether women see the trades as a viable career option.
Awards programmes like this one also create role models within the industry. When established tradespeople at companies like Bunnings Trade publicly support women entering the sector, it changes the perception of who belongs in these careers and signals to younger women still making decisions about their training path that the trades are open to them.
How to Nominate
Nominations for the 2026 awards are open now via the Bunnings Trade website. Eligible candidates are female apprentices who are investing in tools, training, and building their industry presence. Nominations should demonstrate how the award would support the applicant’s career development.
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