- The initiative in Uruguay, which will be extended to other countries where the company operates, seeks to foster inclusion in a historically male-dominated industry by promoting technical skills and manual dexterity.
In the framework of Women’s Month, Inchcape Uruguay, in partnership with Casa de la Mujer de la Unión and with the support of the National Institute of Employment and Vocational Training (INEFOP) of Uruguay, reinforces its commitment to gender equality and female empowerment by launching “Mechanics for Women” in Montevideo, a programme aimed at women interested in working in the field of automotive mechanics.
The initiative was previously piloted, where women were trained in the fundamentals of mechanics through a combination of theoretical knowledge and visits to Inchcape’s workshops. This is complemented by the development of essential soft skills for the participants to achieve professional success.
The pilot achieved that out of the total number of participants, about 25% have found employment in mechanics or in the automotive industry.
“This training provides a valuable opportunity to develop practical skills, broaden horizons and strengthen economic independence through a profession with great potential. With future editions, we seek to continue to promote the presence of women in the industry,” said Laura Viegas, Director of Communications and Sustainability at Inchcape Americas.
María Teresa, Mira Director of Casa de la Mujer de la Unión, explained that “our purpose is to contribute to gender equality and, with this type of initiative, we seek to generate equal opportunities for men and women. We are sure that this programme together with Inchcape will achieve this purpose and increase the employability of women in the automotive industry.”
The programme, which aims to be extended to other markets where Inchcape operates, has a duration of 6 months and is aimed at women between 18 and 29 years old, with a special quota of 30% for those up to 35 years old. Although previous work experience is not exclusive, those with previous links to the mechanical area or the automotive industry will be especially valued.
Women who are interested in registering can do so directly by clicking on the following link.
Other initiatives for women
In addition to this programme, Inchcape Americas has equal selection policies, mandatory diversity and inclusion training for its leaders and women’s empowerment programmes to promote women’s careers within the company. The aim is that by 2030, at least 35% of leadership positions will be held by women.
In addition to this, Inchcape Peru held sessions with Legendarias, a Peruvian organisation that seeks to promote female empowerment and gender equality by encouraging the growth and development of women in mostly male-dominated industries.
Finally, the Inchcape Bolivia team recently joined the Global Compact Gender Accelerator, which will allow the company to set goals and action plans to further promote gender equality.