Supporting women in the automotive industry

Spirit Super has partnered with the Victorian Automotive Chamber of Commerce (VACC) to sponsor the Women in Automotive (WinA) project.

Formed by VACC in 1999, WinA was established on the back of a need to shine a spotlight on women who are significantly underrepresented in the industry and often work behind the scenes. Currently sitting at just 20%, female participation in the automotive industry has remained largely unchanged for the past 20 years¹.

The primary focus of WinA is to provide practical support to women at different stages of their career path, by offering mentoring and scholarship opportunities, focusing on leadership development.

"We’re thrilled to be part of this fantastic initiative. We’ve seen firsthand the amazing impact passionate young women have on this industry and know how important it is to offer opportunities to help them enjoy long and rewarding careers. At Spirit Super, we love to teach and inspire, so this is the perfect program for us to get behind," said Naomi Edwards, Chair of Spirit Super.

Dr Imogen Reid, Manager at Women in Automotive, said that supporting women in the industry is imperative.

“Our primary focus is to provide support for women right across the industry. We keep abreast of industry research, participation rates, and understanding what’s going on inside the industry. We provide practical ‘super women’ workshops that educate women on how to look after their financial future.”

According to Women in Super, a not-for-profit organisation that works to improve women’s retirement outcomes, women are significantly disadvantaged when it comes to super, often retiring with 24% less super than their male counterparts². Not only that, but an estimated 40% of older single women live in poverty and are the fastest growing cohort of homeless people³.