Applications are now open for the NSW Government’s 2025 Future Women (FW) Jobs Academy – an innovative pre-employment initiative designed to help women overcome career challenges and connect them with employers.
The Government invested $5.8 million as part of an election promise to support 1,000 women to be part of FW Jobs Academy.
It says the program is already showing results, with nearly 75% of the 2024 participants now actively looking for work or applying for further study, and 85% reporting they now feel well-equipped to search for work.
“Hundreds of thousands of Australian women would like to return to work but can face multiple and intersecting barriers to paid employment,” said FW Managing Director and co-founder of FW Jobs Academy, Helen McCabe.
“Jobs Academy works because we recognise women as experts in their own lives and, with their input, we’re providing the right balance of education, empowerment and connection to achieve real results.”
Flexible, free and online, FW Jobs Academy is a year-long program that equips women with the skills, networks and confidence they need to re-enter the workforce following a career break. The program offers a curated mix of learning, mentoring and community to assist participants navigate evolving job search tools, employer expectations and workplace environments.
The NSW Government is focused on supporting women who face intersecting barriers to securing employment and career progression through FW Jobs Academy. This includes women from the following communities:
- Aboriginal and Torres Strait Islander women, who are prioritised and accepted on an ‘if not why not’ basis;
- women from culturally diverse backgrounds;
- women living with disability;
- women living in regional, rural or remote areas.
Jobs Academy is delivered by FW (formerly Future Women), an Australian-based organisation that was founded in NSW. FW’s programs help women succeed in finding work, building their careers and securing their economic futures. Since launching in 2021, the Jobs Academy program has helped thousands of women to return to work and thrive.
“As Australia faces skills shortages in a variety of occupations, FW Jobs Academy offers a practical pathway for women to be part of the solution,” said FW Deputy Managing and co-founder of FW Jobs Academy, Jamila Rizvi.
“Having already supported thousands of women to re-enter the workforce or undertake further study, FW Jobs Academy is boosting workforce participation and productivity, as well as addressing skills shortages and helping families make ends meet.”
The 2025 program will commence in early August 2025. For more information and to apply, visit the Future Women Jobs Academy web page.
