Automotive Career Opportunities for Women are Abundant
Automotive career opportunities for women.
Women have been leaving their footprints in the professional realm for years now. The United States has come a long way since the fight for women's suffrage, and today there is news that women will be allowed to serve in military combat positions alongside men as soon as 2016. As women are given more options in regard to their professional path, they are also given the opportunity to go where their skills and interests take them. Because no two people are the same, it is unfair to say that one profession is better suited for males or females. The famous image of Rosie the Riveter from World War II showcases women's ability to step into roles that were formerly dominated by men. This picture still resonates today as women continue to expand into career paths that have been historically closed to them, such as automotive career opportunities.
There are a number of growing automotive career opportunities for women that are waiting to be filled. The options don't end at being a mechanic, as women can choose from any number of career opportunities in mechanical, customer service or business-related roles. The struggle in filling these roles is not that women are lacking the technical knowledge for the automotive industry, it is that there is little awareness of what the field can offer to women. A group of female secondary school students were surveyed during National Apprenticeship Week to gauge their level of interest in the career path. While only one or two girls were interested in the automotive field in the beginning, after a few hours of education and hands-on experience, many more students became interested in the field.
After learning about the various options in the field, the blossoming opportunities and the field's many applications for students of science, technology, engineering or math, the work can seem more attractive. Women make up a large portion of the nation's best STEM students, and currently this talent pool is being largely funneled into career choices in the medical industry and education. The motor vehicle industry needs to change its approach in order to attract more women and drive them to become more competitive for these and other opportunities. Through the hands-on apprenticeship workshops and sessions delivered by female role models, such as Charlotte Potter of the Pendragon Group and Emily Hakansson of IMI, more women may be drawn to the field.
Because some female customers feel more comfortable around other females, there is a significant benefit in being able to offer that type of connection and comfort in an automotive setting. Being able to form a level of trust between the mechanic and the customer is vital to a thriving business. When female customers feel more comfortable in the environment, they will be more inclined to repeat their business, take recommendations and refer business to the garage or showroom.
While there are countless career opportunities for women in the job market, many may be overlooking the untapped potential of automotive career opportunities for women. This field has a wide variety of careers that need to be made more visible to the new candidate pool.