EmpowHER launched to promote female talent
Fix Auto UK has unveiled EmpowHER, a new Women’s Leadership Programme designed to attract, support, retain and elevate female talent across the organisation.
Launched to coincide with International Women’s Day, the programme underlines the company’s long-term commitment to building a more diverse, inclusive and future-ready workforce.
Developed in-house for the automotive repair sector, EmpowHER aims to address the industry’s ongoing gender imbalance by identifying and developing emerging female leaders while encouraging more women to pursue careers in the bodyshop sector.
Launching with a dynamic 30-second video, the initiative has four core objectives:
- Increase the number of women joining Fix Auto UK and its franchise partner businesses at all levels
- Enhance retention and career progression opportunities for existing female talent
- Introduce satisfaction benchmarks to continually improve the experience of women within the organisation
- Achieve greater equity in pay and benefits through the publication of an annual
Opportunity
Erika Woolacott, managing director of Fix Auto Mid Devon and Newton Abbot, and chair of the EmpowHER leadership team, said: “Opportunity and belief can transform careers in this industry, I’ve seen that first hand. As a second-generation franchise owner, running one of the UK’s few female-led repair centres alongside my sister, I’m incredibly proud to continue the legacy started by our mum, Louise, who was a true trailblazer in what has traditionally been a male-dominated sector.
“EmpowHER reflects our commitment to creating real opportunities for women at every stage of their careers, from entering the industry to progressing into leadership. We want to challenge outdated perceptions of automotive repair and show that this is an industry where women don’t just belong, they thrive.”
Ian Pugh, managing director of the Advantage Group of Companies that Fix Auto UK sits within, added: “EmpowHER is about unlocking talent and ensuring our industry benefits from the widest possible pool of skills and leadership. By supporting and developing more women across our Group, we’re strengthening our businesses, our people and the long-term future of the automotive repair sector.”
