Concreter Lizzie Eaton was pleasantly surprised by how physically demanding the role could be when she started out. ‘I have always loved health, fitness and the outdoors,’ Lizzie says. ‘When I chose concreting as a trade, I didn’t realise that it was like doing a workout all day and getting paid for it. To me this was a win/win!’

‘When I first decided on concreting it was a very simple choice,’ she says. Keen to fast-track her construction career, she could choose between that and being a bricklayer to start her apprenticeship right away.

Lizzie was inspired by a fellow female tradie to pave a new path for women into the industry. ‘Another amazing woman, who is now a great friend, was already one of the first female bricklayers in Western Australia,’ she explains. ‘Considering there were no girls working as concreters that I knew of, I wanted to be the first … hoping to inspire others to do as I did.’

She couldn’t be more happy with her gig. ‘A career as a female tradie is amazing,’ she says. ‘When I started, we were few and far between. Now more and more young girls are choosing a trade and developing skills for a lifetime right out of school and I think it’s fantastic,’ she adds.

‘There is no limit to what girls can do these days,’ she says. ‘Don’t be afraid to get involved and find a trade you love like I did. It can lead to many avenues once completed and the world is your oyster!’