Gender diversity remains a critical issue and an ongoing challenge for the automotive sector. In late 2023 the Automotive Council UK pledged to increase the proportion of women in the automotive workforce from 20% to 30% by 2030. Whilst progress is being made, more needs to be done!
Our Director, Lucy Malarkey, was delighted to be asked to chair a panel of females working in the industry at the North East Automotive Expo, an annual event held by the North East Automotive Alliance. The 10th anniversary of the Expo, held at the Beacon of Light in Sunderland, provided a timely opportunity to discuss the challenges and opportunities to address gender diversity in the sector.
The panel included:
- Claire Jones, Head of Skills, Nissan Motor Manufacturing UK
- Abigail Kporo, Logistics Engineer, Vantec Europe Limited
- Rachel Chambers, Commercial Director, Seaward Group
- Rachel Skeoch, Director, Truenorth Marketing
- Emelia Fishburn-Parkin, Maintenance Apprentice, Nissan Manufacturing UK
- Caroline Preston, Shine Programme Manager, North East Combined Authority
The panel discussion began with some reflection on the value of diversity in the workplace and the wealth of research and evidence in existence to prove the business case that embracing diversity isn’t just a nice to have but a significant organisational imperative.
We then explored how the sector can:
💡 Increase women’s representation and visibility
👩🏭 Build inclusive environments where women can thrive
🌟 Inspire the next generation to choose a career in manufacturing
The key takeaways were that there is no magic wand, to have a positive impact organisations need to adopt a whole organisational approach:
- Reviewing recruitment practices and processes – are barriers inadvertently in place preventing female attraction?
- Investing in outreach programmes such as school engagement and work experience initiatives to positively impact career pathways.
- Involving females in helping to identify and remove barriers – PPE and uniforms are a frequent theme.
- Engaging colleagues from across the business to understanding that everyone has a responsibility to embrace gender diversity – line managers and role models are critical.
North East Automotive Alliance Expo 2025 at the Beacon of Light in Sunderland Picture: DAVID WOOD
