3 minute read
CEO’s message
Could improved diversity and inclusion be the key to fixing the problems holding our industry and our businesses back from achieving their full potential? It’s a question worth asking.
The idea of diversity and inclusion has, unhelpfully, become part of a culture war. It’s an idea often attacked as “woke” or do-gooding. Even if it is those things, viewing it in that negative context ignores, to our detriment, the opportunity that improving diversity and inclusion creates to address our skills and labour shortages.
It’s all about broadening our talent pool. It’s about saying to people from all kinds of backgrounds - gender, race, ethnicity, age, sexuality, language, education, disability - that, “you are welcome in our industry; there are good opportunities in the aftermarket for you to build a career, grow a business and enjoy success.”
Let’s take a quick look at the advantages of improving diversity and inclusion in our industry for women, as they represent the largest group.
In State of the Nation 2022, 39% of members said they were struggling to find good staff. Yet only 6% of Members employ one or two qualified female mechanics or fitters, and just 1% employ three or four. Twelve per cent of Members employ one or two female apprentices. When Members employ women, they tend to be in admin or retail roles. There is a huge opportunity to welcome more women into technical roles, grow our talent pool and create a more sustainable future for the auto industry.
In this month’s Ignition, we’ve got some tips to help get the ball rolling. Don’t miss our advice for hiring a female apprentice. We’ve spoken to two of last year’s Capricorn Rising Stars finalists, both female, about their experiences in the industry and their insights into how to make workshops more inclusive.
Speaking of Rising Stars, nominations are now open for the 2023 Capricorn Rising Stars Apprentice of the Year. The competition is all about recognising effort, rewarding hard work, and helping workshops retain their future leaders. There are great prizes on offer for both the apprentice and their workshop, so please consider nominating your superstar apprentice. As it happens, last year we had three female finalists and a female winner—Marama Thompson of Auto Super Shoppe in Hamilton, New Zealand—which suggests the task of improving diversity and inclusion is not only already underway, but it’s working.
There has never been any doubt in my mind that we are stronger together. That strength will only grow as we create a more diverse and inclusive workforce for our industry.
