How did you get started in this industry? What initially attracted you to pursue a career in this field?
I originally started in the Automotive Industry as a student in the Canadian Automotive Institute (Now called the Automotive Business School of Canada) as I was encouraged that I would stand out amongst my peers since I was female in a male-dominated program. I had always liked the idea of building relationships and networking and knew that the industry had many opportunities for using my skills and previous work experiences. I was drawn to the idea of not really knowing what I wanted to do exactly but knew that the automotive industry had many pathways that someone could choose to pursue.
What are some of the challenges you’ve faced in your career and what strategies helped you to persevere?
Some of the challenges that I have faced are not seen as being as big an issue in today’s time. In the past when I was working for Reynolds and Reynolds as an In Dealership Trainer, there would be a stereotype that if I was working with a male, that he was in charge. There were times when it was difficult to deal with the issue of a being a female in a male-dominated profession, but I managed to overcome this issue by being prepared for my job, staying professional, and always trying to have a good sense of humour about some of my experiences. I say that this is not as big an issue in today’s times with the stereotype, but it is something that I share as a classroom example and try to provide inclusive language when I am teaching.
What do you find most rewarding about your career?
The thing that I find the most rewarding about being part of educating people who will be going into automotive industry is that they are so enthusiastic, passionate and have such an awesome high level of energy. They are wonderful to work with and share knowledge, thoughts and ideas and I learn from the students too.
Do you have any advice for someone considering a career in automotive?
My advice for someone considering a career in Automotive is 100 percent – DO IT! Just like driving, there are many different roads, paths, ways to travel in this career. You never know where you will end up and how you will get there. Your reputation is key to your success and hard work and looking for opportunities is always important. I had lots of people helping me along the way when I started in the automotive industry and would say that it is important to find people that you connect with and want to emulate. This took me some time to figure out and it would have been helpful if someone had shared this with me – You will meet some people that you don’t want to be like and that is okay too.
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