Sponsorship
Proposal
Raising awareness of female careers in construction and trade. Founded by Stefanie Apostolidis, aka the Melbourne Chippy Chick.
About Us
The Tradie Lady Club is the largest and fastest-growing community
of female tradespeople in Australia. We represent women in the trade
business and support other women who desire to do the same.
Our goal is to create more trade-based career opportunities for women in
safe and supported work environments. TLC aims to create a community
that’s steadfast in its belief in supporting and empowering women. We
would love to see more women taking up a trade as their career.
With your support, we can expand our amazing community, where women
can celebrate their achievements and knowledge, inspire each other and
encourage more women to be tradies.
OUR MISSION
• We create equal opportunities for women in trade by raising awareness
and offering support.
• We provide fingertip access to gain support and advice from 1,500 (and
growing) qualified tradeswomen.
• We host gatherings and social events for networking and connection.
• We spread the TRADIE bug amongst women interested in the field by
encouraging them to join the construction industry.
• We focus on showing women that we can do it, and that we are doing it.
Meet the Founder
I’m Stefanie Apostolidis, your Melbourne Chippy Chick — a qualified
carpenter, site manager and full-time employee at my father’s building
company. I am also currently preparing for my builder’s license
examination.
I created my Instagram account in August 2018, intending to meet other
like-minded ladies interested in trade and construction. Unexpectedly, I
gained many followers in a short period of time. Watching my followers
increasing day by day, I realised I wasn’t alone. Armed with the new-found
knowledge that there are many women like me out there, I decided to form
a group, which we now call the Tradie Lady Club (TLC).
My journey from being a carpenter to finding and forming TLC has been
inspiring and emotional. It has taught me so much and pushed me out of my
comfort zone to fight for the things I believe in. I wanted myself and women
like me to smash it out and do what we love. Being able to help women
get their apprenticeships and succeed in trade careers was life-changing
for me. Through TLC, I wanted to give the love and support these women
deserved.
Throughout my journey, many people helped me and supported me
including, my amazing sponsors like Sydney Tools and Bowens. Being
the face of Bowens, a leading timber and hardware supplying company,
I realised that I am gradually succeeding in bridging the gender gap in the
construction industry.
With your help, our community can continue to bridge that gap and change
other women’s lives.
Stefanie Apostolidis
BE A SPONSOR
Meet the Founder
I’m Stefanie Apostolidis, your Melbourne Chippy Chick — a qualified
carpenter, site manager and full-time employee at my father’s building
company. I am also currently preparing for my builder’s license
examination.
I created my Instagram account in August 2018, intending to meet other
like-minded ladies interested in trade and construction. Unexpectedly, I
gained many followers in a short period of time. Watching my followers
increasing day by day, I realised I wasn’t alone. Armed with the new-found
knowledge that there are many women like me out there, I decided to form
a group, which we now call the Tradie Lady Club (TLC).
My journey from being a carpenter to finding and forming TLC has been
inspiring and emotional. It has taught me so much and pushed me out of my
comfort zone to fight for the things I believe in. I wanted myself and women
like me to smash it out and do what we love. Being able to help Being women
get their apprenticeships and succeed in trade careers was life-changing
for me. Through TLC, I wanted to give the love and support these women
deserved.
Throughout my journey, many people helped me and supported me
including, my amazing sponsors like Sydney Tools and Bowens. Being
the face of Bowens, a leading timber and hardware supplying company,
I realised that I am gradually succeeding in bridging the gender gap in the
construction industry.
With your help, our community can continue to bridge that gap and change
other women’s lives.
Stefanie Apostolidis
Our Why
Australia is facing an alarming trades skilled shortage and
Australia is approaching the lowest level of apprentice
commencements since the late-1990s and the number of
females commencing an apprenticeship of any type fell by
12.2% from 2016 to 2020.
• Women represent approximately 3% of skilled tradespeople
nationally.
• In 2018, 8 out of 9 construction trades were found to be in
national shortage.
• Australia is approaching the lowest level of apprentice
commencements since the late-1990s.
• The number of females commencing an apprenticeship of any
type fell by 12.2% from 2016 to 2020.
• Women’s full-time average weekly ordinary earnings are 14%
less than men’s.
• Increasing the number of female tradespeople could boost
Australia’s GDP by 11% and boost economic growth by $25
billion over the next decade.
Through our work, we hope to encourage and support more
women to ‘pick up the tools’ and to view pursuing a career in
trades as a viable opportunity which is exciting, rewarding and
meaningful.
Our Community
Our reach is extensive and growing daily. We are active on social media
and we also hold events and sell memberships and merchandise to provide
different touchpoints for women in trades to connect.
As a sponsor, the exposure provided by TLC to an engaged group of female tradies, interested in what you have to say and what you have to offer, is unparalleled. Our reach exceeds 250,000 across all platforms including website, database, social media and members.
Our Community
Our reach is extensive and growing daily. We are active on social media
and we also hold events and sell memberships and merchandise to provide
different touchpoints for women in trades to connect.
As a sponsor, the exposure provided by TLC to an engaged group of female tradies, interested in what you have to say and what you have to offer, is unparalleled. Our reach exceeds 250,000 across all platforms including website, database, social media and members.
Community Love
Our brand recognition is at an all-time high and continues to grow steadily.
““The TLC has done a lot for all of us. For me, the instant
feeling of being involved were that of support and
community. The honesty of others sharing their wins and their
struggles kept it real and helped when I was going through it on my
own. Long term, it pushed me out of my comfort zone. Dealing with
anxiety for so many years, I never thought I would travel interstate
for less than a whole day to meet up with women I’d never met.
Then to do that twice gives such a sense of confidence. The girls are
warm and welcoming to all newcomers and always there with advice
and experiences. I think I speak for us all when I say we appreciate
you so much for creating something that was missing for women who
can feel like the odd one out at work.”
— Cordelia Nash
““I am a male so I am not apart of the Tradie Lady Club,
but thought I would give a testimonial on what I think about
your club and the impact it’s had on the industry. TLC has helped
thousands of female tradies have a sense of community, where
women can come together and support each other through their
respective trades. The work Stef has done to make sure these
ladies feel comfortable and welcomed is amazing.”
— William Seabrook
“
“Tradie Lady Club has given me a sense of community. Seeing my fellow tradie ladies work hard daily helps me stay motivated. So grateful for this supportive, hardworking group of women.”
— Alexandra Smith (Heavy Equipment Operator)
““As a man in the industry, TLC for me is awareness and
education. Awareness that there are women in trades and
education in how to develop our behaviours on site towards females
to ensure equality and respect is served. Witnessing the support and
positive influence of the TLC, I feel instilled with the confidence to
stand up against anyone mistreating another on or off the work site.”
— Jayden Lyons (Electrician)
“
“I’m Delaney, a carpentry apprentice in Ontario. I’ve followed Stef’s Instagram since I first got into the trades. I love seeing the positivity that can be shared by women facing the same struggles. I often feel pretty alone on a job site and it’s truly difficult to ever feel like I belong in an environment where I am so different. TLC has exposed me to other women in the trades and that is such a powerful inspiration. I love that you are able to put your face out there and redefine what it means to be a carpenter. Carpenters aren’t all big muscular men with giant beards; some are beautiful women who are equally as able to get the job done. Thank you for changing the face of the industry!
— Delaney Krieger (Carpentry Apprentice)
Our Sponsors*
“Since the first day I launched SafeStyle, the Tradie Lady Club has been
there to support everything we do in the protective eyewear industry.
The TLC community is an absolute inspiration for all and I am so grateful
to be a supporter and sponsor of this group of legends.
Before I started SafeStyle, I was a plumber...and back then, there definitely
wasn’t any support for women in the trade industry. But thanks to the TLC,
there are more and more women picking up the tools and getting the job
done in comfort without the judgement, and that’s what its all about!
So, a huge congratulation to Stef for creating the Tradie Lady Club!”
TIM LEWIS
SAFESTYLE FOUNDER
In the Media
Join Us
Together, we can proactively support women on a national basis, inspiring them to step into and embrace a career in trades. There are a limited number of sponsorship opportunities available. To secure your brand’s involvement in the Tradie Lady Club for 2023, reach out today.
Stefanie Apostolidis
