Women in Automotive

• Published date: 27 May 2023

The organisation aims to advocate for more women to join the workforce of the automotive industry. Currently women comprise just 17 per cent of the total automotive workforce, and only 6 per cent of current apprentices are female

Founding committee member, Natasha Callister, says the catalyst for Women in Automotive was her own career experience in male-dominated industries: “I know first-hand the challenges women can face, but also the tools, support frameworks and strategies that can help progress careers into senior levels.

The panel (above, from left to right) comprised Toni Harris (apprentice automotive technician, Auto Super Shoppe Te Awamutu), Simon Rutherford (managing director Ford NZ, president of MIA), Louise Sixton (general manager of sales and operations, Repco NZ), Gina Sim (Auto Drive Holdings), David Storey (Auto Super Shoppes) and Natasha Callister (moderator, chief commercial officer, MTF).

“Our purpose is to bring together organisations of influence behind a co-ordinated and aligned effort to deliver on the ambition of increasing the participation of women across the automotive industry, and advance women into senior leadership roles,” says Callister.

“We know that business...