Even though women are buying around half the cars sold each year, a mere 18.6 percent of jobs in the automotive industry are held by women. Worse still? Overwhelming biases, gender barriers, and old-school sexism are keeping the automotive industry in the dark ages. Fortunately, it’s not all doom and gloom. The trailblazing being done by innovative leaders in the industry is casting a warm, welcome glow on the benefits of diversity, progress, and change. Let’s take a look at some of the successful women in the automotive industry leading the way. Read on:
1 – Women Get Feet in the Door of the Car Design Boys’ Club
The New York Times: Women still account for a small percentage of graduates in the field of automotive design, but those numbers are improving. Sharon Gauci, General Motors’ executive director for industrial design, is designing the “landscape of the future.” And, she’s not alone.
2 – Key to Improving Metro Detroit Car Dealerships? Women
Detroit Free Press: Molly Williams, Rhonda Jensen, and Carrie Way—three successful dealership owners in Detroit—are turning the “Old Boys Club” on its head. While women running car dealerships is unusual, they’re quick to remind everyone that it isn’t new. And, as a career choice, women have the power to truly excel.
3 – Trail Blazing Ladies in the Automotive Industry
CBT Automotive Network: In celebration of International Women’s Day, CBT profile four automotive industry mavens who are blazing trails, taking names, and leaving no prisoners in their quest to make the industry more inclusive and a better place to work.
4 – Sexism Alive and Well In Auto Industry
Automotive News: A survey of nearly 900 women presents a stark and revealing inside look at the realities plaguing the automotive industry. As dealerships work to overcome hiring and retention issues, the data from the research shows there’s still a long way to go.
5 – Millennials Are Busting Car-Shopping Gender Stereotypes
Edmunds.com: The generation stumping marketers and puzzling Boomers might just be the group that saves us. According to a study of 3,000 millennials, conducted by Edmunds, the biased views on gender roles and stereotypes are beginning to go out of style in a big, big way.
Check back next week for more Drive to Success.
