Auto Skills Australia (ASA) has launched an initiative centring on the promotion of women into traditionally male dominated trades in the automotive industry and promotes a national call to action to encourage more women to enter trade occupations. These actions are aim to ensure greater gender diversity in the workplace.
The automotive industry is currently suffering critical trade skill shortages nationally with 34,000 positions that need to be filled, according to ASA.
It said the main areas of trade skill shortages include 19,000 mechanics, 4,000 panel beaters, 2,600 spray painters and 850 auto electricians. According to ASA, it is imperative the industry attracts more females to address this critical skill shortage.
Currently females only make up around 4-5 per cent of trade apprenticeships.
Geoff Gwilym, CEO of Auto Skills Australia (ASA) said, “Through our MAAP My Future – Girls in Auto initiative, Auto Skills Australia will be encouraging more women to enter into the industry to help fill these skills shortages. In March we will be launching a call to action to women and girls in the auto industry.”
“This initiative will ask those women already in the industry to stand up proud in a social media campaign, to coincide with international women’s day and to prompt women to register their interest in becoming employed in our industry as tradeswomen,” he explained.
In the lead up to this campaign, ASA have been working on creating some buzz and gaining momentum. ASA have produced a story with Channel 10’s 7pm show The Project, which went to air highlighting three inspiring women who are already involved in apprenticeships that are traditionally male dominated areas of industry.
The program featured Fiona Lawrie (4th Year Apprentice Mechanic), Crystal Cummings (1st Year Apprentice Automotive Spray Technician) and Briana Shaw (3rd Year Electrical Apprentice) talked to The Project about how they came to be in these male dominated areas and what it’s like to be in such non-traditional jobs and working environments.