Who We Are
Women in Automotive was founded by six industry female leaders in partnership with JKR Advertising out of Orlando. The group is particularly interested in empowering and developing women in the auto industry. The philosophy is that this benefits both the women and the dealerships and will help facilitate the training and hiring of more females in dealerships.
Currently, the percentage of female employees remains stagnant at just 17% of all employees (according to NADA 2014 data). A major recruiter mentioned that they have received over 1,000,000 resumes, of which 40%+ were from women – but only 1 out of 4 is actually hired by dealers. Whether that’s a function of the job requirements or dealer preference, Women In Auto is committed to bringing the two sides together. On the dealer side, by training and educating them on how to create a balanced position for women, and for women – by providing them a network and opportunities for skill set development.
Mission
Assisting the Automotive Community in recruiting, retaining, and developing female employees and leaders.
WIA Board Members
WIA Executive Board of Men
Why a Women’s Conference?
The industry focuses quite about on certain niche segments. There are conferences for any major theme in automotive digital, leadership, finance, marketing, sales, etc. These events serve as great platforms for discussion, debate, networking and most importantly innovation. People who attend these events are pushed and challenged and filled with the information of the changes and progress in those fields. They find themselves growing every year. So, the real question is… why not a women’s conference?
Women are an under-served population in this industry when it comes to those needs and having those platforms. There is significant growth in the number of women working in automotive and attending conferences and seminars. With women only making up 2.8% of all dealerships and only holding 7% of the managerial, sales, and service advisor positions, the Women in Automotive Group feels passionately about providing a place for women to come together to share and learn.
We want to provide an experience that discusses challenges, changes, opportunities for education, personal branding, and career paths. A first of its kind conference serving women that make up all aspects of the industry, Women in Automotive is a stepping stone to the greater growth of women in this space in leadership roles.
Why should automotive dealers send their employees?
- Scientific data is proving the effect women have on sales, sales management, and service advisor roles.
- The value of this conference is OFF THE CHARTS! We have kept costs low with the purpose of making it possible for women to attend. The speakers, topics, breakout sessions, and educational opportunities far exceed the cost of sending their employees.
- Developing the employees they find potential in can help motivate and drive the momentum of their departments.
What makes WIA unique as a conference?
Outside the obvious reason, this conference was designed carefully by passionate women discussing the most important topics for this specific population. Speakers did not apply and speaking roles were not purchased. The agenda consists of important topics for women, how to overcome challenges, and invited guests to speak on chosen topics. This conference is 100% designed to help further the discussions between women, address challenges, continue to educate, and move our industry forward!