That is according to Australian Manufacturing Workers’ Union state organiser Mike Wickham, who is organising the union’s third annual women’s forum aimed at securing better educational and job outcomes for young women.

“The concept was originally, in the first two years, about promoting higher education and making the most of opportunities,” Mr Wickham said.

“The more you talk to them, the more you realise there is this big group who will never get to year 12, let alone uni, so now we’re focusing on trades and vocations.”

Mr Wickham said the free two-day event on August 15 and 16 would include try a trade sessions at the Tasmanian Minerals and Energy Council building in Burnie.

That would include using TMEC’s simulated welding equipment and try a trade sessions in electrical, building, mechanical and “whatever we can get set up in there”.

Young women would also be taken on site visits involving various industries.

There would be two-day master classes in cooking for female year 11 and 12 students with interest in possibly becoming chefs.

Those sessions would be potentially at three sites, including in Devonport and Burnie and possibly Ulverstone or Wynyard.

Mr Wickham said they would feature three highly qualified female chefs, plus SBS identity and food author Melissa Leong.

There would be a cook-off with a prize at the end.

Young men would not be forgotten, with White Ribbon to run a program for male year nine and 10 students.

Mr Wickham said it would be based on what it meant to be a man today.

“It’s all around respect for women and respect for yourself,” Mr Wickham said.

The events would culminate in a dinner for young women on August 16

Successful women would host each table and there would be various speakers promoting higher education and job opportunities in trades and vocations.

The speakers would include sex discrimination commissioner Kate Jenkins and business coach and author Brenda Tsiaousis.

The dinner would not be restricted to students, or by age, and Mr Wickham said  women aged up to 82 had  attended in previous years, in Launceston and Hobart.

Women wanting to take part or businesses wanting to get involved can contact Mr Wickham on 0408773900.