The six-figure job that’s becoming more available to Aussie women – and there’s plenty of perks

Ladies eager about a six-figure profession driving Melbourne’s trains will discover it simpler to get a foot within the door as the town’s rail bosses push for extra females to take up the job.

However so involved was Metro Trains about its push for extra girls, it took its case to Victoria’s civil umpire in anticipation of a human rights struggle. 

Nevertheless the Victorian Civil and Administrative Tribunal (VCAT) final week dominated it had nothing to fret about, paving the way in which for the rail big to focus on extra feminine staff. 

Day by day Mail Australia can reveal Metro Trains went to VCAT to use for an exemption beneath the Equal Alternative Act which might enable it to focus on girls in its ‘Infrastructure Supply Staff promoting and recruitment program’.

In tribunal paperwork obtained by Day by day Mail Australia, Metro Trains sought permission to focus on girls in its promoting and recruitment program in order to extend the quantity in its broader pool of candidates. 

‘A discernible group might be recognized with a selected attribute, on this occasion, females who want to apply for practice driver positions,’ it was acknowledged. 

‘The aim of the conduct right here is to supply a way by which extra females can have larger alternatives to use for and be thought of for recruitment for practice driver roles at Metro Trains.’

The corporate has beforehand been issued with exemptions from the Act to maintain recruitment campaigns for girls for explicit roles. The estimated complete pay for a practice driver is $155,000 per yr within the Melbourne space, with a mean wage of $110,000 per yr. 

Metro Trains has made no secret of its want to make use of extra girls, telling the tribunal the rail business was historically considered as a male dominated business, which had ‘led to a gender imbalance within the rail business globally’. 

In info offered to the tribunal, Metro Trains revealed its workforce in August was 31.85 p.c feminine.

‘The breakdown of this proportion is 2,281 feminine staff out of a complete of seven,162 staff,’ it acknowledged.

Of the two,281 feminine staff, simply 597 out of a complete of 1,579 drive trains. 

Metro Trains proudly spruiks its dedication to females on its web site, declaring it has been recognised within the high 101 workplaces for girls. 

The corporate goals to significantly improve the variety of girls working in its Infrastructure Supply Staff Division, which is a little bit over 16 p.c feminine from 314 staff. 

Of these, 9.24 p.c work on the Track Upkeep Staff, and 9.2 p.c on its  Electrical Community Staff. 

The tribunal heard Metro Trains had a monetary curiosity in using extra girls as a consequence of its franchise settlement with the Victorian Authorities, which included ‘gender targets’ in its contract. 

‘A failure to fulfill a goal might result in a monetary penalty for Metro Trains,’ tribunal paperwork acknowledged. 

In putting out the applying, VCAT member Stuart Webb decided Metro Trains was performing in ‘good religion’ with its plans. 

‘Given the low illustration of females at Metro Trains, the proposed conduct is probably going to enhance the alternatives for feminine candidates to be recognized and put ahead for employment consideration,’ he acknowledged. 

‘Given the present percentages of females on this explicit position, the proposed conduct is proportionate.

‘The justification for the proposed conduct right here is self-evident from the statistics. The at present low numbers of females employed as drivers at Metro Trains implies that the conduct is unlikely to transcend attaining larger parity. I’m glad that the proposed conduct is justified.’

Perks for all staff embrace discounted health club and well being funds, discounted banking providers, superannuation and monetary planning recommendation, and free Myki journey. 

Victorian Equal Alternative and Human Rights Fee didn’t search to intervene within the firm’s utility.