May_2022 - 8

Where my girls at?
Male allies can help get more women into the industry.
By Amanda Silliker, Editorial Director
ASilliker@EndeavorB2B.com
" T
he women in this
industry are killing
it. " This was said to
me by my colleague Brandon
Steckler (newly appointed technical
editor for Motor Age and
PTEN) on the heels of my attending
the Women in Auto care leadership
conference. He immediately
recounted a story about a
female automotive airbrush artist
he met recently at a training
event who is an incredible talent.
Not only is she " keeping up with
the guys " so to speak, but her
work is far surpassing them,
Steckler explained.
PTEN and all our sister publications in
Endeavor Business Media's Vehicle Repair
Group truly believe in the need to attract
more women to the auto repair industry.
Only nine percent of automotive repair
and maintenance employees in the U.S.
are female, according to a 2022 report by
Catalyst. If we want to be a sustainable
industry, we need to bring more women
into the fold. One great way to do this is
by giving out scholarships to women for
technical education, like the Women in
Auto Care's scholarship fund. Another is
to have female role models for the younger
generation to look up to, like Bogi Lateiner
who recently participated in a PTEN webinar
about how young techs can succeed
on the job.
But one of the most powerful ways is
through male allies, like Steckler. One such
ally was a male shop owner who told a customer
to " take a hike " when he refused to
have his car worked on by a female technician.
The owner said he didn't want that
ignorant individual's business anyway.
Another ally was a technician who stood
up for his female service advisor who was
being given a hard time by a customer. He
kept reinforcing her expertise and saying
that she had been there 20 years longer
than him and really knew her stuff. This
type of support from men in the industry
does go a long way in showing other men
that women have a real place in the industry
and also helps women feel supported
and want to both stay in the industry and
enter it in the first place.
The truth of the matter is humans are
naturally afraid of change and we gravitate
toward what we know. If all we know are
male technicians, then that's what we tend
to look for in recruitment. But I challenge
all of you to take a minute and think outside
the box. Listen to Steckler and other
high-profile individuals in the industry
Panel discussion held at the
Women in Auto Care conference in
Indianapolis, March 23-25.
who are sure to squash your hesitations.
All of you shop owners are having a hard
time finding qualified techs, so it's time
to broaden your horizons. It's time to be
an ally.
PTEN EDITORIAL
ADVISORY BOARD
TECHNICIANS
ERIC MOORE,
DeMary Trucks, Columbus, OH
LOU FORT,
K.A.R.S. Inc., Huntingburg, IN
SHOP OWNERS
KIM AUERNHEIMER,
Cool Springs Automotive, Brentwood, TN
TANNER BRANDT,
Autodiag Clinic, Welford, SC
PHIL FOURNIER,
Phil's Auto Clinic, Hemet, CA
JD GOAD,
Goad's Body Shop, Lexington, VA
EDWIN HAZZARD,
Southeast Mobile Tech, Goose Creek, SC
PETE RUDLOFF,
Pete's Garage Inc., Newark, DE
MICHELLE TANSEY,
Dubclinic, Santa Clara, CA
FACEBOOK
facebook.com/
ptenmagazine
LINKEDIN
linkedin.com/company/
professional-equipment-tool-news
INSTAGRAM
@ptenmagazine
YOUTUBE
PTEN (Professional Tool
& Equipment News)
EQUIPMENT MANUFACTURERS
KIMBERLY COTTLE
Associated Equipment
JIM O'HARA,
Clore Automotive
8 PTEN MAY 2022 www.VehicleServicePros.com
https://www.youtube.com/user/vehicleservicepros http://www.facebook.com/ptenmagazine http://www.linkedin.com/company/professional-equipment-tool-news http://www.instagram.com/ptenmagazine http://www.VehicleServicePros.com
May_2022

Table of Contents for the Digital Edition of May_2022
