Tradeswoman Volunteer giving back to the Automotive Industry
We would like to welcome our newest ASC member, Tailor Robicheau!!
As a full-fledged Automotive Service Technician, we are fortunate enough to get Tailor to be a part of our Automotive Sector Council Family. Tailor has agreed to Volunteer with the Council 2 days a week and lend her expertise by introducing youth and engaging employers in the newest technology of the Automotive Industry. As a champion of welcoming workplaces, she is often called upon to be keynote speaker.
Recently she was asked along with a fellow tradeswoman to speak to a group of male participants. The YWCA program is designed to support male supervisors in skilled trades to be more familiar, comfortable, and inclusive of women by exploring the topic of gender inclusion.
This was a 6-week course, that included homework and reflection over the course of the program.
Here are some of the highlights:
- Mentorship is so important, and it can come from a man or a woman.
- Forced diversity and inclusion training is not helpful. Men resent having to do it and the anticipation of change needed is more than the reality of what change is needed. Training that is imposed because a woman is on the crew further stigmatizes that woman.
- Women, like anyone on the job, need the right supports and tools to succeed. Supervisors should ask themselves (and the women) what they need and make sure they are providing the right support and tools for women to succeed.
Tailor shared that at the end of the day the participant were asked to describe how they felt after the presentation and some of the words they used were: eye-opening, illuminating, shocking, and grateful.
Golge Cagildiyan, Communications, ASC