……Set to train,empower female technicians
In an attempt to break even on gender parity in male- dominated automotive industry, the Suzuki by CFAO Nigeria and Automedics Limited have collaborated and signed a Memorandum of Understanding (MoU) to kick off the Suzuki EmpowerHer (SEH) program.
The organizations said development over time has not been able to adequately checkmate the gender difference in the industry ,hence needs for more proactive measures to increase the representation of women.
The SEH program would provide free training to those who lack the financial means but have the desire to start and build careers as technicians all on the of empowering women in the automotive industry
At the signing of the memorandum of understanding to formalize the new partnership on bridging the gender gap and create greater diversity in the automotive industry, Aissatou Diouf, general manager, Suzuki by CFAO expressed her appreciation to the Automedics team for offering value to the girl child and shared her delight to support the on-going work in her capacity.
She stated there is development opportunity for women in the automotive industry and high-profile positions in society, Diouf said she was interested in making a positive impact
According to her, “Women are hardworking and resilient and can add as much value as their male counterparts. The problem is that most times they do not have the channels to perform, but once given a platform, they own it. They do it in the way they can because men and women are different”.
Speaking on the importance of diversity, equity, and inclusion for automotive businesses, Kunle Shonaike, chief executive officer, Automedics Limited, said he was passionate about training more women to operate successfully in the industry because he believes in their capabilities.
“When it comes to the girl child, I am very passionate about the topic, and I have trained several women that are operating in the automotive industry, especially here in Nigeria.
“Some are running their workshops privately, and some are heading workshops for some organizations. At Automedics, when we have female students, I take them under my wings because I want them to be better. I believe women can do practically anything that men can do”.
The CEO, who has decades of practice experience in the United States and who is reputedly known to create equal and fair opportunities for women shared his optimism about the new relationship with Suzuki by CFAO.
He described the collaboration as a perfect fit as Automedics Limited has also been a flag-bearer for promoting inclusivity in the Nigerian automotive industry.
Suzuki by CFAO has a diversified workforce with women taking up challenging roles and growing in their respective fields. It is also interesting to note that the CFAO Group has “Diversity” as one of its four core values.
The free SEH training will begin on August 1 to November 2022, and will last for four months and the investment is set to nurture competence and confidence through several skill development sessions.
The Suzuki Empower Her (SEH) program is an industry initiative that further reiterates a
commitment to allowing women to grow and make a mark in the automotive industry, which is
predominantly male-driven.
The initiative will not only provide opportunity, empowerment, and security but will inspire others in the sector to join forces to expand their footprints across Nigeria with many more programs to achieve gender parity.
The general manager stated that, she envisages a successful long-term partnership that will empower the female gender beyond training and emphasized the need for consistency.
“We don’t want to just train and let them go. We need to do a lot to empower them more. It has to be something consistent, not to show that we are doing something but to know that Suzuki and CFAO have empowered women with the skills they need for their professional insertion”.