On the occasion of the International Women’s Day 2021, Drive My Career shares success stories and testimonials of women working in the automotive industry across different business areas.
International Women's Day (IWD) celebrates the social, economic, cultural and political achievements of women. The day also marks a call to action for accelerating gender parity. The theme of this year’s IWD is “choose to challenge” as the International Women’s Day website reads “we can all choose to challenge and call out gender bias and inequality”.
During the day, Drive My Career will publish and share videos, images and articles on its website and social media channels to recognise and celebrate the success of women working in automotive. Franchised dealer groups joining the campaign include Arnold Clark, Caffyns, JCT600, Lookers, Marshall Motor Group, TrustFord, and Sytner.
Showcasing the variety of roles available in automotive retail, the case studies range from apprentice technicians and parts advisors to aftersales professionals, as well as colleagues working in HR and Health & Safety.
In addition to the testimonials, a video from Arnold Clark mentions some of the perks of working with the dealer group including flexible working arrangements, female career coaches, enhanced maternity benefit, Business Women Roadshows, Diversity and Inclusion Training and concludes “We always want the best person for the job”.
Aimen Khalid, Parts Advisor at JCT600 Bentley Leeds, who has recently qualified from her apprenticeship, described her journey with the company and sent a message to women considering working in automotive: “Go for it, even if you have got no experience around vehicles or cars because you get taught everything and you learn a lot from our training courses and the female apprentice events”.
Izzy Windsor, First Year Apprentice Technician at Lookers Vauxhall Chester, said she would “definitely” encourage other women to join the automotive sector, “there are lots of opportunities and you gain so many different skills though this industry; we work as a team and we can all support each other, it is absolutely brilliant”.
Michelle Hazeldean, TrustFord Aftersales Training and Induction Manager: “Working in the automotive industry is fast-paced, demanding and fun, no two days are ever the same. No matter what department you are in, there is a large amount of job satisfaction in the automotive industry.
“What I would say to women working in the automotive industry is ‘go for it’! If you want to be part of a great team that make sure customers are happy and get job satisfaction from that, then, should it really matter what gender you are?”.
Tracey Jeffries, Health & Safety Officer at Caffyns PLC, encouraged young people to consider a career in automotive: “The industry is so diverse that there are opportunities for all. There are some fantastic opportunities to build good life experiences, a good career, and earn a good wage. Young people are our future with a thirst for life they bring a valuable resource to the industry”.
Penny Wallace, Recruitment Specialist at Sytner, said, “We work in an industry that is so fast-paced and that is where I thrive. There is variety in my role and I finish work each day feeling a sense of accomplishment. The industry itself is an exciting one. We are not just about car sales, we are at the forefront of emerging technology and we have a huge focus on people and community.
“The automotive industry is for anyone, regardless of your gender. I would definitely recommend working in this industry”.
Sue Robinson, NFDA Chief Executive, commented: “One of the key objectives of Drive My Career is to highlight the variety of rewarding and exciting career opportunities in the retail motor sector available to everybody, and today, we are delighted to celebrate the achievements of women working in the automotive industry”.
Drive My Career is the employment initiative developed by the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA) to help dealers attract and retain candidates by raising awareness and improving the perception of the automotive industry.
For more information, visit Drive My Career’s website: www.drivemycareer.co.uk and social media channels: Twitter, LinkedIn, Facebook, Instagram and YouTube.
