According to a 2020 report, just 39 per cent of women surveyed felt that they saw positive change in the automotive industry’s attitude toward women over the past five years.
Written by PETRINA GENTILE SPECIAL TO THE GLOBE AND MAIL
It’s International Women’s Day, but there’s still significant work to be done when it comes to attracting and retaining women in the automotive industry.
According to a 2020 North American report conducted by Deloitte and Automotive News, just 39 per cent of women surveyed felt that they saw positive change in the automotive industry’s attitude toward females over the past five years, compared to 64 per cent who said so in 2015. In fact, 35 per cent felt things had worsened or not changed, and the lack of diversity, equity and inclusion in automotive companies was the No. 1 reason why women were not considering an automotive career. Nearly half said they would move to a different industry if they were to start their career today.
Which begs the question: Who are these women? What are their stories? This year, we asked seven women in the Canadian automotive space about their experiences in the industry and how they got to where they are.