Encouraging women to consider a career in automotive has become a priority for the industry. Women are woefully underrepresented in the industry and besides being just a sensible and inclusive move to make – and one that makes any business better reflect the community it serves – promoting career pathways for women makes sense for an industry that is suffering from a chronic shortage of skilled staff.

There is still, sadly, some narrow-mindedness when it comes to employing women in what is a traditionally male-dominated industry. Some customers too can be somewhat bias, but it is also true that many appreciate the input of women, knowledgeable in their craft, when trying to understand the often technical and complex work that goes into the maintenance and repair of vehicles.

For Darren Newey, the Regional Manager for Company Stores for Bob Jane T-Marts in Queensland, encouraging women to consider working with the company is a smart move.

“In a male-dominated industry, it can be very daunting for a customer – male or female – to try and organise repairs or the servicing of their vehicle when they have little to no knowledge of what is needed,” he said. “Some customers – especially women or elderly customers –feel they can be misinformed due to their inexperience, and I have noticed customers feel more relaxed, and some even ‘light up’, when they see a female behind the counter.

“Over the years, I have come to realise that many customers feel more comfortable when being served by a woman.”

While many applicants for positions with Bob Jane T-Marts – and, one suspects, for most jobs within the automotive industry – are male, there are more women applying for roles with the company. That, said Mr Newey, was a positive sign for the industry.

“We don’t target women in our employment adverts, but it is not uncommon for me to place an advert for tyre fitters and have a handful of female applicants. And that is encouraging,” he said.

Amongst the growing number of women now working at Bob Jane T-Marts stores are Kelly Hohua, assistant manager at the Coorparoo, Brisbane, outlet, and Emma Thoren, a sales assistant at the same store.

For both women, a career in the automotive industry has been a long-held ambition and while both have encountered a level of bias, they both feel positive about their future in the industry.

Originally from New Zealand, 26-year-old Kelly has been passionate about cars since childhood – thanks, in part, to her father’s enthusiasm for building burnout cars – and she started a heavy commercial vehicle apprenticeship while in her home country.

Unfortunately, after moving to Australia, she was unable to find someone willing to take her on and allow her to finish that training – something she puts down to her being a woman.

“I do still have time to finish on my apprenticeship, and I found it hard when I first came over,” she said. “I did try to find work in that sector, but a lot of people seemed iffy about giving me a job. In New Zealand, it was difficult too, and I would hear comments like, ‘You know you’re not going to be able to get your nails done’, and things like that. That was painful to hear.”

Kelly found a much more welcoming environment at Bob Jane T-Marts and started work at the company’s Carina store at the beginning of 2020 before moving to the Coorparoo location after the Covid pandemic and subsequent lockdown interrupted her employment. She worked as a tyre fitter and wheel aligner before moving up to the assistant manager role which now sees her involved in every aspect of the business – from admin to sales to helping in the workshop.

“I love the job and we are a real team here,” said Kelly. “When you help a customer, they really appreciate it when you put the time and effort into making sure everything goes smoothly for them.”

Which is not to say her presence doesn’t raise an eyebrow from some customers, especially when it comes to wheel sales.

“I do most of the rims and it does shock some people,” she said with a smile. “I’ll ask questions about what we are putting them on and whether they have a lift kit or whether they have upper control arms or lower control arms so I can work out offsets, and you can see in their eyes the surprise that I actually know what I am talking about.

“But things are getting better. It’s great when, for example, the older generation come in and say it’s good to see a female here, or when women who don’t know much about tyres call up or come in and you know it makes them feel comfortable that you’re there.”

As they are for Kelly, cars are in the blood of Emma too. The 28-year-old is something of a revhead and has worked within the automotive industry at Queensland Raceway and – after completing a degree in Biotechnology – at the Viva Energy refinery in Victoria where she was a laboratory analyst testing fuel samples.

Moving back to Brisbane at the end of 2020, Emma started work at the Bob Jane T-Marts’ Aspley store before moving to the Coorparoo site a couple of months ago.

Her role to this point has been in sales, but she has recently branched out to assist in the workshop.

“I do really like helping people,” she said. “When people come in with an issue and we get them sorted out and they are happy, that is very satisfying.”

While aware that all automotive sectors are male-dominated, Emma, like Kelly, was always keen to carve out a career in the industry.

“At Queensland raceway, the majority of customers who went on track were male, so I had an idea going into it, and I wasn’t phased by that,” she said. “I thought that I’d just learn and get on with things, but I know some people will underestimate you, so if you can prove them wrong then that’s even better.

“Most people have been pretty good though, and we have had a quite few comments about it being great to see
more women in the shop. People seem a bit more comfortable with us because I think they know we are going to give them honest answers and advice.”

For both Kelly and Emma, a career in automotive is a given, and though they have both encountered some uncomfortable moments, both are certain that automotive is opening up and the opportunities are there, particularly in companies such as Bob Jane T-Marts, for women to have rewarding careers in the industry.

“Bob Jane offers a lot of options for you to be able to excel in your job,” said Kelly. “They allow you to grow and advance and offer training such as management courses, wheel alignment and tyre fitting courses, telephone training and so on, and I would like one day to be working in a regional or national role, or even become a franchise owner.

“To other women who are thinking about an automotive career, I’d say just do it. Who cares what anyone says – I do my job just as well as anyone else and I love it.”

For Emma, the feeling is much the same and, she said, anyone who wants to pursue an automotive career should seek out the jobs and go for it.

“Working in automotive brings together my passion with my job, and for anyone thinking about this as a career, I’d say give it a go,” she said. “If you never ask the question the answer is always no.”

Source: Motor Trader e-Magazine (July 2021)

9 July 2021