9:00 am, October 12, 2017
VANTAGE Motor Group has struck up a partnership with a school to encourage more young women to consider the employment opportunities in the automotive sector.
As part of the Speakers for Schools project, Mark Robinson, founder and managing director of the Knaresborough-based group, held a talk at the town’s King James’s School in front of almost 250 Year 12 and 13 students, aiming to inspire them to aim high.
He also launched a job-shadowing opportunity for two of the female students, aged 16 to 17, during this month’s half-term holiday.
Caroline Boothroyd, Vantage head of people and development, will act as a mentor on the programme, which will see the two girls gain experience in all areas of the business across a number of Vantage dealerships. The students will also complete an independent project focused on the automotive industry, which will be presented to senior staff, who will offer presentation and public speaking guidance.
The project has been launched following the latest figures from the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders that show the number of men employed in the automotive industry outnumbers women by three to one.
Robinson said: ‘As an employer in the region, we’re raising awareness of the many opportunities there are for women in the industry and we’re hoping to encourage them to consider careers in the automotive sector.
‘We’re looking forward to welcoming the two students, who will gain valuable experience across areas of the business including operations, finance and marketing.’
Vantage owns 25 dealerships across the north of England and the Midlands.
Speakers for Schools is a charity founded by former BBC News business editor Robert Peston in 2011 that aims to help secondary schools inspire students by providing access to expertise and professional career advice from different industry leaders.
Pictured at top: Mark Robinson with King James’s School pupils and staff
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