Women in automotive retail roles have a chance to get a career boost thanks to what JM&A Group calls a “first-of-its-kind, free career advancement program.”
The goal of women in the retail automotive program is to increase representation and opportunity in the automotive industry, elevate talent and expand opportunities by offering free, immersive training on topics including leadership skills and key automotive profit centers. The training is both in-person at JM&A Group’s Florida headquarters and virtually.
“JM&A Group is committed to creating career paths for underrepresented groups in the automotive retail industry,” says Sandra Porceng, vice president of sales enablement at JM&A Group. “By providing mentorship, development and promotional opportunities, we can proactively attract more diverse candidates to our sector and elevate those who are already in the industry.”
While women make up nearly half the labor force, they represent less than a quarter of roles in the automotive industry. Within dealerships, the statistics get even leaner, with only 21% of the workforce being female, according to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics. Representation of women among the leadership ranks tends to be even less common, reports JM&A Group.
The scholarship program aims to enable high-potential individuals to make the transition to management and leadership positions by:
- Providing focused leadership skills and management training.
- Offering deep dives into sales, F&I and fixed operations.
- Lending support through a cohort of peers and mentors in the industry.
The free career advancement program will award up to 15 spots for its first cohort beginning this fall. Applicants must be currently employed in the auto retail industry with at least one year of experience. The deadline to submit is Aug. 1, and a committee will determine the selected participants.
For more information, go to https://info.jmagroup.com/news/jma-career-advancement-program-aims-to-advance-women-in-auto-retail
