ETB celebrating its female driving force for International Women’s Day

ETB is commemorating International Women’s Day with a celebration of its own female driving force, which is helping to steer the network towards an exciting new destination.

To mark International Women’s Day on March 8th, ETB Autocentres is showcasing the many women working across the company, alongside a growing presence at its head office in Worcester, all of whom are redefining perceptions in what has traditionally been a male-dominated industry.

From fitters and master technicians to depot managers, telesales executives and finance professionals, women are represented across every layer of the business, which is continuing to reap the benefits.

The automotive sector of the 1980s and 1990s has not always been a welcoming place, with sexist comments commonplace and women often having to work harder to establish credibility. Today, that culture is changing and

ETB is continuing to recognise the knowledge, skill and determination levels on show across the business.

Lyndsey Newman, a telesales executive from Worcester who has worked in the industry for eight years, remembers having to develop resilience early on.

“I had to have a backbone at the beginning, because men did pass comment and things would be said,” she said. “It didn’t bother me and I was able to brush it off. It was more a case of feeling patronised, but it made me more determined to prove myself, which is what I’d like to feel that I’ve done over the years.”

That determination is echoed across the network. At ETB’s Bude depot, Tracey Wright’s journey began in 1982 when her brother opened his own tyre business. After initially swearing she’d never work in the trade, she gradually found her feet, eventually becoming depot manager in 2003.

“On very rare occasions I may come in contact with a customer that imagines I know very little about tyres and car mechanics,” she said. “I can usually win them over with my knowledge and assertive, friendly approach. Many come back time and time again and ask for me personally, which is very humbling.

“Sometimes I have to pinch myself and remind myself that I am a manager working for a national company, and that’s a good achievement for me.”

A similar resilience is evident at ETB’s Evesham depot, where receptionist Beckii Hartiss has carved out her own path in the trade. Despite a lifelong interest in cars and spending time working on them with her grandad, she did not originally imagine herself in such a male-dominated industry.

“I get told I don’t know what I’m talking about and have even had customers refuse to speak to me because I’m female,” she said. “But I put on a smile and give the best advice I can. “Proving people wrong and showing I can be just as good in my role is something I’m proud of, and it’s always nice when customers say how well I handle situations.”

At head office, Accounts Payment Clerk Annette Davies says the industry has evolved dramatically.

“It feels like my voice is heard and I’m really well supported,” she said. 

Annette and Management Accountant Angela Grundlingh both spent years working in South Africa, where they experienced first-hand the struggle to be recognised in the workplace. They say the environment at ETB feels markedly different; progressive, inclusive and focused on ability.

Parts Procurement Manager Sarah Gardner, who has worked in automotive for 16 years, believes the industry has matured. “If I go back 16 years to my field-based role, you would get sexist comments, but I don’t hear them today,” she said. “By and large, you have to do what you say you’re going to do, and respect naturally comes as a result of this. It’s a highly skilled job. We need more women in it because we have a lot of skills to offer.”

Head of Marketing Nikki McCluney has spent nearly three decades in the automotive world after beginning her career with LDV in 1995, and says the industry has offered a wealth of opportunities.

“Once you are in automotive and tyres you don’t seem to get out of it,” she said. “I’ve always had a passion for marketing and the industry has given me the chance to work on everything from TV campaigns and major sporting sponsorships to local advertising for individual sites.

“Working in a male-dominated environment has never really been a problem for me. I can give as good as I get.”

Asked what advice she would give to other women considering a career in the sector, she added: “Do it. There are so many fascinating roles in this industry and we fully support the ‘girl power’ and the skills women bring – from organisation and process to communication and creativity.”

Head of HR Jess Everiss added: “A stereotype that I have been compared to in general is being 'fiesty', I kind of love that though! The reason I've been stereotyped as that, is for being passionate about what I'm talking about, having confidence in my own capability, standing up for what is right, and what I believe in.  

“Those sorts of comments have to be water off a ducks back. Sometimes they sting, but that's why having a great support network around you is invaluable, I've been so lucky to have worked with some amazing colleagues and leaders who help to remind you to continue to do what is right for the business and the employees that work in it, in spite of stereotypes and assumptions.”

In Ludlow, Alicia Goundry says one of the biggest misconceptions about women in automotive roles is around strength and technical knowledge. “I’m most proud of learning all the mechanical parts that make up a car and being able to speak about them in depth and explain how they work,” she said. “If you like cars and it interests you, there’s every chance you’ll enjoy being around them and getting involved.”

For Stacey Clarke, Accounts Office Manager, forging her own identity was key after the business was founded by her parents in 1998.

“People thought I’d get things handed to me on a plate,” she said. “But that made me more determined to make a positive impression of my own on the business.”

Across the network - from fitters like Gabriella Lovegrove, Elise Griffiths-Cadell, Talia Wilson and Talia Guthrie, to Master Technician Abigail Griffin and depot reception teams nationwide - women are quietly reshaping expectations in workshops and offices alike.

Their collective message to young women considering a career in automotive?

“Go for it! If you’re ambitious, adaptable and enthusiastic, you can go far in the automotive industry - or any industry for that matter. Companies like ETB will support you all the way,” said Annette, Angela and Stacey collectively.