Painters and decorators are the world’s most in-demand female tradespeople, new global research from MoneySuperMarket reveals.
The In-demand Female Trades report reveals a shift in an industry that is still largely dominated by men.
Taking the UK as an example, female tradespeople account for as little as 15 per cent of the two-million-strong skilled trade workforce.
However, the new figures from show that demand for skilled tradeswomen is growing, with global searches for ‘female tradespeople’ rising 313 per cent in the past year.
The report analysed Google search data from the last year (May 2025 to May 2026) across 162 different countries and multiple skilled trade professions to uncover which female trades are the most sought after worldwide.
Painters and decorators rank as the most in-demand female trade globally, topping the list in 46 countries, including the United Kingdom, Denmark, Hong Kong and South Africa.
That accounts for 28 per cent of all countries analysed.
Businesses worldwide are responding to rising skills demands by building more diverse teams, which has helped inspire and normalise trades as a viable career path for women.
On social media platforms such as TikTok, tradeswomen are posting content that is further helping to break down stereotypes around women in skilled trade roles.
Previous research from the Federation of Master Builders found that more than a third of homeowners would prefer a female tradesperson.
Of those surveyed, 61 per cent believe they might be more respectful of their home, 39 per cent said they would feel more at ease, and half would prefer to support more women in non-traditional roles.
Of the 46 countries included in the study, the United States searches for painters and decorators the most, with 35,700 searches in the last year.
Female mechanics rank second worldwide, topping the most-searched-for female trade list across 27 countries. Brazil is the number one country worldwide searching for female mechanics, with 2.8 million searches made in the last year.
Female welders (fourth) and locksmiths (fifth) round out the top five most searched-for female trades worldwide.
Female welders are most in demand in Argentina, with 154,300 searches made in the last year, while female locksmiths are most in demand in Mexico, with 607,000 searches made during the same time frame.
Alicia Hempsted, Van Insurance Expert at MoneySuperMarket, said: “Globally, a real shift is beginning to happen when it comes to attitudes towards female tradespeople and it is exciting to witness.
“People worldwide are now actively seeking diverse tradespeople, and changing preferences are now clearly evident in the rising search demand.
“At the same time, tradeswomen being open and sharing their day-to-day work online is massively helping to inspire more women to pursue careers in skilled trades.”
