Female vehicle technicians set to plug skills gap
Female vehicle technicians could plug the industry’s skills gap with colleges reporting a ‘dramatic shift’ in the number of women now on automotive courses.
According to Autotech Academy, more women than ever are studying vehicle maintenance and repair and this trend could play a critical role in addressing the industry’s acute skills gap.
The Institute of the Motor Industry has reported that 16,000 automotive roles remain unfilled across the UK, while more than half the workforce is over 45.
However, women make up less than one fifth of the wider automotive workforce and just 11.3% of those working in vehicle maintenance and repair, meaning the untapped potential is vast. But this could be changing.
Anton Maycock, motor vehicle lecturer at Stamford College, said: “When I first started here four years ago, across all of our Level 1 classes we only had two girls, and sadly neither progressed beyond that year. Now, across Level 1 we have around six female students, and in Level 3 six out of nine students are women. That’s a dramatic shift.”
Encouraging
Ryan Ford, head of Autotech Academy, added: “We’re seeing growing numbers of young women coming through into automotive training and internships, which is incredibly encouraging for the future of the industry.
“What’s important now is making sure those newly qualified technicians feel supported as they move from education into the workplace. Starting out in any new career can feel daunting, so having the right environment, mentoring and encouragement around them can make a huge difference to confidence and long-term success.”
