As more and more, previously all male work environments are opening their doors to women, Amanda Webb, Interim CEO of FixMyCar discusses the growing opportunities for women to develop meaningful careers in the auto industry.
Amanda Webb
I’ve worked in male dominated environments most of my working life, so coming into Automotive didn’t phase me. I knew that the automotive industry has been a bit male-dominated for a long time, but I was surprised at how often I am the only woman in the room.
This extends to the public. Ask a member of the public to describe a garage environment and they will likely refer to Male mechanics and technicians with any reference to Women being in support functions.
We have some amazing Women who break the mold, who are trailblazers across the whole industry from the shop floor to the boardroom. It isn’t easy and I think it is particularly challenging for those who are in the garage workshops. These Women are awesome!
The myth that motors are for men is centuries old, but sadly its power is still felt. Only 13.4% of workers in the maintenance and repair of motor vehicles are female and the proportion of women in senior roles within automotive retail is a similarly small sliver (13%). This figure isn’t likely to rise on its own. In fact, overall, the proportion of women in the automotive sector decreased from 19.6% in 2020/21 to 17.5% in 2022/23. For reference, women make up 53% of the general working-age population.
This imbalance does the industry a disservice. Underrepresentation of any group within a sector means missing out on vital talent, creativity and ideas. It also represents a barrier to customers. Currently, 62% of women feel uncomfortable visiting a garage alone and 27% believe that technicians treat women differently than men. I know this from previous personal experience and it is real for many women.
Put simply, we need more women! It’s clear from the statistics things won’t change by themselves but equally I see many key players in the industry actively encouraging women to join Automotive, we need women to want to join.
This International Women’s Day – which this year has chosen ‘Accelerate Action’ as its theme – let’s commit to real, practical steps that move the needle on female inclusion.
Opening the door to female technicians
One of the sector’s big issues when it comes to increasing its female workforce is its image problem. It’s a vicious cycle: the more male-dominated an industry, the more likely women are to feel and be shut out and the further male-dominated it becomes. Perception research from the Institute of the Motor Industry found that young people believe the automotive sector is very male-dominated and potentially misogynistic: no wonder only 4% of apprentices within it are female.
These fears are founded. A 2022 TechForce Foundation report interviewed female technicians from across the transportation industry and found 100% of female technicians who attended tech school experienced bias while pursuing their education. With The Motor Ombudsman‘s latest report showing 48% of garages see recruitment of qualified staff as one of their biggest challenges facing 2025, it seems clear that tackling this issue and encouraging more women into the industry can only be a huge benefit to us all.
We must also consider employment structures and hiring practices. If there aren’t supportive maternity and paternity provisions, for example, or options for flexible working, you risk becoming simply a revolving door for female employees.
FixMyCar prides itself on being a flexible employer and I am also proud to say women already represent 37% of our workforce, a number we aim to retain and grow as FixMyCar goes from strength to strength.
Steps towards better diversity within the automotive industry are being taken, but there is still a lot more to be done. One example of progress here is the work of The Automotive Council UK. Its members represent 99% of British vehicle manufacturing and half of the UK’s automotive workforce. The Council has launched the Diversity & Inclusion Charter to make the automotive workforce reflective of wider society – the first such collective commitment by any UK industrial sector.
Members have also pledged to increase representation of women within their workforce to reach a minimum of 30% by 2030.
Women also need to be able to progress within the industry, be equally celebrated for their work in the industry and have access to senior leadership positions, which is a challenge in many industries. Offering coaching and mentoring opportunities internally and supporting women to find them externally, interrogating gender promotion gaps and rigorously defining the way promotion decisions are made are all things business within the industry can do to support women.
Individual action
Industry-wide progress is essential. But women don’t need to wait for change to come from the top to forge a career in the automotive sector and auto repairs. One example is London’s first all-female garage, Spanners with Manners, which has become a magnet for female technicians and aims to create a warm, non-judgemental environment for all customers, but especially women. And it’s not the only female-owned garage in the UK. Examples like these show there’s space and opportunities for growth for women in auto repairs, even as we’re currently in the minority.
All that said, I love being in the Automotive Industry, its high passion and high pace. It’s collaborative and people know how to work hard and play hard.
To be successful in any environment in which you might find yourself in the minority, you have to be accepting of the things which happen in that environment; do not expect it to change just for you. As women, we can still enjoy having a door held open, we just need to be brave enough to walk through it when the opportunity presents itself.
Author: Amanda Webb, Interim CEO, FixMyCar
