Bias Is the Common Enemy: Building Opportunity for All in the Pipeline Sector

The Australian pipeline sector is undergoing one of the most significant transformations in its history. Alongside the technical and infrastructure challenges of the energy transition, our industry faces an equally important question: how do we attract and retain the workforce of the future?

The answer, as new research shows, lies in building workplaces that are genuinely diverse, equitable, and inclusive.

Why Diversity, Equity and Inclusion (DEI) Matters

The research, led by Dr Carol Janson Bond of RMIT University and funded by Future Fuels CRC, makes clear that DEI is no longer a “nice to have” — it is a business, legal, and cultural imperative.

From 2025, large employers will be legally required to meet gender equality targets, including reducing pay gaps and increasing women in technical roles. Even mid-sized organisations will feel these requirements flow through procurement and partnership expectations.

But beyond compliance, DEI is about competitiveness. Companies with inclusive practices attract the best talent, foster innovation, and reduce risk. For a sector competing for skilled workers during the energy transition, this is not optional — it’s essential.

What the Research Found

The report reveals three persistent barriers to equality in the pipeline workforce:

Education: Only 20–24% of engineering graduates are women, limiting the mid-career talent pool.

Recruitment: Unconscious bias still influences hiring, often favouring younger candidates over experienced mid-career women.

Promotion: Many women face what the report calls a “middle management cliff,” where career progression stalls compared to male colleagues.

And it’s not just women. Younger men in the sector report feeling overlooked, while culturally and linguistically diverse (CALD) workers struggle to see themselves represented in leadership roles.

The common thread across these challenges? Bias. Whether conscious or unconscious, bias is what stands between our sector and a truly inclusive future.

Moving Beyond Symbolic Gestures

The report also highlights that symbolic gestures — like cupcakes on International Women’s Day — are not enough. Real change requires transparency in pay equity, mentoring pathways, inclusive facilities on worksites, and leadership that models inclusive behaviour.

As one mid-career woman put it during interviews:

“I don’t see diverse perspectives being actively sought or valued during decision-making processes for the business. It’s always the same kinds of people making the decisions.”

This is the reality we need to change.

The Call to Action

Bias is not an individual problem. It is a structural issue that affects the entire industry. The good news is that it is also a shared challenge — and one we can tackle together.

By committing to transparency, building pathways for underrepresented groups, and making inclusion visible, APGA and its members can lead the way in reshaping the pipeline sector.

The message from pipeliners is clear: bias is the common enemy. By addressing it, we create opportunity for all.