Near the end of Laura Schwab’s interview during the inaugural Women on Wheels event at the 2018 Canadian International AutoShow, the President ofAston Martin the Americas was asked about advice for those looking to build a career in the automotive industry.
She said when she first took a job in the field, a guy told her: “When you go out there, just don’t make s*it up.’ I was like oh, that’s really good advice!” said Schwab. “There’s a lot to be said for being honest, and when you’re honest about your own failures you’re honest about your own limitations, and it allows you to appreciate the people around you more.”
Schwab’s candor was representative of the discussions at Women on Wheels, a part of the Automotive Intelligence Series, a new public education series designed to provide insight into some of the most pressing issues facing the automotive industry. “Be yourself. I don’t wear a suit because I feel uncomfortable. My hair’s probably too long —I don’t care. I smile all the time. You have to be true to your gut, and who you are,” said Schwab.
Women on Wheels was part interview, part panel discussion and part networking opportunity that brought together four of the industry’s most accomplished female executives: Schwab, Maria Soklis, President of Cox Automotive Canada, Susan Gubasta, President & CEO of Mississauga Toyota and the incoming President of the Trillium Automobile Dealers Association (TADA), and Amy Martin, Vice President, Finance and Chief Financial Officer, GM Canada.
Veteran automotive journalist, (and Canadian auto dealer contributor) Petrina Gentile moderated the event and led the interviews.
The discussion also touched on industry efforts being made to encourage more female applicants in areas that are traditionally dominated by men, such as engineering.
After Schwab’s interview with Gentile, the event shifted to a panel discussion with Soklis, Gubasta and Martin, each of whom drew from their extensive experience to offer perspectives on the state of the industry and issues that are confronting it, along with stories of the ups and downs of their careers.
From the emergence of electrification and autonomous driving technology to effects of the implementation of the North American Free Trade Agreement (NAFTA) and the growing opportunities that exist for women in the industry, each panelist provided insight into vital industry issues.
The discussion also touched on industry efforts being made to encourage more female applicants in areas that are traditionally dominated by men, such as engineering.
GM opened a new Canadian Technical Centre in Markham, Ontario, in January which coincided with the announcement of the GM Canada STEM (science, technology engineering, mathematics) Fund. The $1.8 million fund will support and partner with initiatives within the education system nationwide to introduce elementary and high school students to STEM, with an emphasis on attracting more young girls to those fields.
“We’ll have 20 electric vehicle launches by 2023, but we only have 14 per cent of women employed in the engineering space at General Motors, so STEM is our way to help grow women into that area of the business,” Martin said.
For providing a forum for the discussion of important issues like these, Women on Wheels seems like a good bet to return to the Canadian International AutoShow in 2019.
