More women are working in auto industry
For the past two decades, the number of women working and rising through the ranks at registered car dealerships across the province has been increasing.
Decades ago, only a small percentage of women worked at dealerships, mostly in clerical, finance or administrative positions. In recent years, women have broken through various glass ceilings and are excelling in all areas of automotive dealerships — as technicians, salespeople, sales managers, human resources specialists, service advisers, controllers, fixed operations managers, dealer principals and owners.
This makes for a more well-rounded work environment for employees and customers.
Women have been entering the retail car industry in greater numbers for several reasons. First, dealerships are eager to attract skilled workers in all areas, regardless of gender. Female salespeople are especially in demand and most dealerships would leap at the chance to hire a qualified female salesperson.
Second, the advanced design and architecture of today’s facilities have created a more comfortable, welcoming and professional work environment than dealerships of a generation ago.
Third, the opportunities to earn a good income and the possibilities for career advancement for women (and men) have never been greater. Many women who started in sales or service have risen into management positions and some have become owners and dealer principals.
It’s not just at dealerships where more women are finding fulfilling careers. The automotive industry in general is attracting more women with wide-ranging skill sets to work for auto manufacturers, aftermarket suppliers and as entrepreneurs in the auto industry.
In 2016, a forum to provide inspiration and guidance for women who aspire to work, and succeed, in the automotive industry was launched in Toronto. The Women & Automotive Canadian Leadership Forum encourages women to pursue leadership roles in the automotive industry.
The event attracts both men and women working in the industry and students pursuing automotive studies at post-secondary schools across Canada.
Speakers and attendees discuss leadership strategies, and the challenges and opportunities faced by women in the automotive workforce.
Women with high-profile automo- tive careers have also been encouraging and inspiring women who want to work in this industry. Mary Barra (chair and CEO of General Motors Co.), Linda Hasenfratz (CEO of Linamar Corporation) and Maria Soklis (past president of Kia Canada and now president of Cox Automotive Group Canada), are among the women who have achieved extraordinary success and who serve as role models.
In 2018, the Trillium Automobile Dealers Association (founded in 1908) will elect its first-ever woman president (Susan Gubasta, president of Mississauga Toyota).
At the 2017 Canadian International AutoShow (autoshow.ca) in February, the TADA hosted a Women in Automotive panel attended by stu- dents from the GTA in association with Centennial College’s Girls Mentoring Program.
Post-secondary schools also play an important role in assisting women to enrol in courses and programs specifically geared to the automotive industry. At post-secondary schools, there is a blurring of the traditional career choices for students entering the automotive profession.
While women once mostly pursued finance, accounting and administrative careers and men pursued sales, marketing and management, that male-female divide does not exist at post-secondary schools, as students are pursuing interests that tend to fit their skills and preferences rather than those defined by outdated stereotypes.
What will it take to further increase the number of women who work at dealerships? All stakeholders — high school teachers, guidance departments, post-secondary schools, parents, automotive dealerships and auto associations — need to continue promoting the diversity and availability of careers available to both men and women.
Dealerships have a ways to go before reaching gender parity, but they are moving in the right direction. This column represents the views and values of the TADA. Write to president@tada.ca or go to tada.ca.