The UK motor industry is on the search for the most influential British women in the sector this summer, after research by the Automotive Council found that women working in automotive manufacturing are outnumbered by men three to one.
In the UK as a whole, just 9% of UK engineering employees are female, the lowest proportion in Europe, while fewer than 16% of British engineering and technology undergraduates are women.
A shortage of skilled workers is one of the most significant barriers to continuing the record growth in UK Automotive, with thousands of jobs currently vacant and women considerably under-represented in the workforce.
To help raise awareness of successful women in the sector and to encourage more to join it, the Society of Motor Manufacturers and Traders has joined an initiative to identify the 100 most influential British women working in the car industry.
The panel will announce the winners in a series of categories, and one individual will be named Britain’s most influential woman in the automotive industry.