A new survey carried out by the Society of the Irish Motor Industry (SIMI ) has found that 71 per cent of women would recommend a career in the motor industry to others.
The survey of 140 women from across the industry was carried out as part of SIMI’s ongoing drive to encourage more women to join what has traditionally been viewed as a male-dominated sector, and coincided with the 7th Annual Women@SIMI event in conjunction with its sponsor, Bank of Ireland.
The event, which took place recently in Dublin, featured an impressive panel of guest speakers: Anne Cassin, Master of Ceremonies; Lucy Gaffney, current Director of Digicel Group; and Sharon Keegan, founder of female-led athleisure wear company, Peachy Lean.
The survey found a positive outcome to change within the Industry, where 67 per cent of respondents believe that women have become more visible in the industry in recent years, while the same number also said that their companies had increased the number of new female employees recruited over the last three years.
However, some notable statistics emerged, showing over half of survey respondents believe that women are under-represented in their organisation, while 40 per cent said that women did not have the same opportunities for advancement as men in their companies, with just 26 per cent of survey respondents identified themselves as being at director/board level in their organisation - which is lower than the national average of 30 per cent.
On the question of what factors might help progress women in leadership roles, a change in cultural perception of the automotive industry overall came out on top, followed by a more flexible working environment, greater management support, leadership skills/training along with mentorship.
