Pub. 1 Issue 2

VIRGINIA AUTO DEALER www.vada.com 8 and the Automotive Industry Women I t is no secret that most of the people who work in the automobile industry are men. But here, as in so many other industries that are having difficulty hiring qualified em- ployees, it is time to hire more broadly and to challenge the perception that work in the automobile industry can only be done by a narrow segment of potential employees. How big is the problem? According to the National Automo- bile Dealers Association, the industry will need 37,000 more technicians every year through 2026 than are available. That’s a seven-year period. Multiply 37,000 by seven, and you get 259,000 unfilled jobs, which is slightly more than a quarter of a million job openings. Additionally, the Federal Bureau of Labor Statistics says less than three percent of auto service technicians and mechanics are women. Changes clearly need to be made. In particular, the shortage could be solved by increased industry diversification. That means promoting more opportunities for women. Although the increase in women working as service technicians is a relatively recent trend, the truth is that some women have always worked as mechanics. One example is Gertrude Stein. During World War I, she and other women drove vehicles such as ambulances for the Red Cross in Europe. They were usually expected to provide and maintain their own cars, including making minor repairs when necessary. Over 100 years later, the automobile industry has many great, well-paying jobs that need to be filled. There are various opportu- nities, especially as the service department continues to change. • The work to be done on today’s computerized cars increas- ingly requires more analytical skills as opposed to physical labor. This opens the door to more qualified, skilled candi- dates, including women. • The customer-relations side of parts and service jobs provides yet another opportunity for growth. The ability for any repair shop to get repeat business depends on the relationship be- tween employees and customers. The technical part of the job can be taught, but good customer service is a real art — one that is open to anyone who is qualified. • Finally, women can be a major asset on the showroom floor. According to at least one research and consulting firm, Frost & Sullivan, women are involved in 80 percent of car-buying decisions. And generally, women are more comfortable buy- ing cars from other women than from men.