What jobs did women have during World War 2?
During the second World War women were actively recruited into jobs that had always been mens jobs; working in factories and shipyards and as Official War Artists. Many women also became nurses to care for the injured soldiers or joined the Australian Women's Land Army (AWLA). The AWLA was a national organistation formed to replace the male farm workers who had either enlisted in the armed forces or were working in other essential war work such as munitions.
At the beginning of World War 2, like before the outbreak, the idea of women taking up paid work in place of men who at gone to war was resisted for a number of reasons but by 1942, when the tides of war had shifted to Australia's doorstep women's roles changed out of necessity. Australian women entered the workforce in unprecedented numbers and were even allowed to take on 'men's work'. These were jobs for the war, not for life. Women were paid at lower rates than men and expected to 'step down' and return to home duties after the war.
At the end of the war when women were expected to give up their jobs for men who returned home from overseas conflicts was a difficult transition. Many women had enjoyed participating in the workforce. The 1950s saw a dramatic change in the way women's roles were defined, as females were encouraged back into the home and their traditional roles of wives and mothers reinforced and encouraged.
The Australian government distributed lots of propaganda surrounding women joining the workforce to support the national cause, posters and newpaper
articles being released about the issue, for more information please click here...
At the beginning of World War 2, like before the outbreak, the idea of women taking up paid work in place of men who at gone to war was resisted for a number of reasons but by 1942, when the tides of war had shifted to Australia's doorstep women's roles changed out of necessity. Australian women entered the workforce in unprecedented numbers and were even allowed to take on 'men's work'. These were jobs for the war, not for life. Women were paid at lower rates than men and expected to 'step down' and return to home duties after the war.
At the end of the war when women were expected to give up their jobs for men who returned home from overseas conflicts was a difficult transition. Many women had enjoyed participating in the workforce. The 1950s saw a dramatic change in the way women's roles were defined, as females were encouraged back into the home and their traditional roles of wives and mothers reinforced and encouraged.
The Australian government distributed lots of propaganda surrounding women joining the workforce to support the national cause, posters and newpaper
articles being released about the issue, for more information please click here...
In 2010, BBC television show, Horrible Histories, released an episode which included a short song about women's efforts in WW2. While the song is written about British women as it is a British show, the song still shows and explains main jobs which women held in Australia as well during the war and projects it in an entertaining form.