Lifting the lid on menopause in the learning and work environment

A natural part of life but often not really openly spoken about, menopause can affect physical, emotional, mental, and social well-being.

Sure, some may have heard about - and even experienced! - the hot flashes, but what about the other symptoms that may present and impact ability to think and function as ‘normal’? It’s more than a sudden transformation from looking cool and comfortable to dripping in sweat and needing a spray bottle.

To coincide with International Women’s Day which is March 8 each year, we are hosting this session on menopause in the learning and work environment.

Here are a couple of facts:

  • Over half of the VET workforce is female (57.2%)1

  • The average age of workers in the VET workforce is 47.3 years old1

  • Australia’s population is ageing

  • In 2021, 48.2% of the 2.6 million VET students were female (57.2% of the 1.6 million higher education students)2

  • In 2023, 49.5% of VET students were female3

  • In 2023, the two largest cohorts of VET students by age were 30-39 years old, and 40-49 years old3

  • Menopause has been seen as a taboo subject and despite some progress, is still a relatively unspoken-about topic with unwarranted stigma attached

(1 Jobs and Skills Australia (2024) VET Workforce Study; 2 Australian Institute of Health and Welfare (2023) Higher education, vocational education and training; 3 NCVER (2024) Total VET students and courses 2023)

This means there is a high probability that within your organisation, staff and learners will be impacted.

In this session, hear from Dr Marita Long about menopause: stages, symptoms and support strategies. The aim of the session is to provide content to help you know more about implications and impacts of menopause for students and co-workers (and maybe even yourself!), and identify what strategies and resources can be used as support.

Learning outcomes include:

  • Explanation and definition of stages of menopause 

  • Symptoms of menopause

  • Demographics and statistics of menopause in the work and learning space

  • Modifiers to assist menopausal women 

  • Self-management strategies 

  • Possible workplace adjustments and supports for menopause in the workplace

  • Contrasting cultural attitudes and policies that support and do not support menopause in the workplace

  • Managerial skills that support menopause in the work and learning space

  • Where to get more information


Ensure you have the vital knowledge to appropriately recognise, support and address menopause symptoms in the learning and working environment!

We encourage you to share this session with colleagues and friends.

Qualified, skilled and committed to professional development

Session presenter

Dr Marita Long

Dr Marita Long is a Victorian based GP working across clinical practice, medical education and research. 

Marita has a strong interest in women’s health and cognitive health. 

She is a current committee member for the Australian Society of Psychosocial Obstetrics and Gynaecology, a member of the WIGP RACGP committee and has been the Vic/Tas representative on the board of the Australasian Menopause Society for 4 years. Marita is an honorary medical advisor to Dementia Australia. 

Marita has developed and delivered many educational workshops and seminars and is passionate about upskilling GP’s to deliver the best evidence-based care to patients, especially women, who so often feel their voices aren’t heard.