Brooke McIntosh was a passionate worker for Fly-In and Fly-Out operations until she decided to quit due to how she was treated.
She started working at the age of 22 and worked for five years before quitting. She said that being in a male-dominated industry was very challenging.
When she started out in the industry, McIntosh worked as a trade assistant before eventually moving into construction.
The culture in the industry was sexist, she noted. It was like walking on eggshells, and inappropriate comments would sometimes occur even when good jokes were being made.
To avoid inappropriate conversations, she told her sisters, mother, or daughter not to say it to her.
Even though she tried to put a stop to such behavior, it made her work harder. She would also ask men to refrain from discussing their sexual preferences in front of her.
It felt very unpleasant, she said, as people would often go quiet after she spoke up. During her time in the mining industry, she made over $100,000.
This was enough to support herself, and the rigorous work required for such a high-paying job allowed her to take a break from her home life.
In 2024, SEEK reported that the average annual salary for a skilled and professional tradesman in Australia is between $75,000 and $95,000.
The only jobs that have a median salary of more than $100,000 are those in the mining, energy, and resources sectors. Despite the positive aspects of the job, she decided that it was impossible to continue due to the constant sexism.
According to her, one of the main reasons she decided to leave the industry was due to the amount of inappropriate comments she was receiving.
She said that the money was not worth it, and she was only meant to laugh at what was being said.
She was constantly commenting on how she looked in her work pants, which she described as like she was a piece of meat.
People would also compliment her for wearing pants that were a little tight. It was the main reason she decided to leave the industry.