Capricorn Group CEO, Brad Gannon, is celebrating IWD and getting ready for the next State of the Nation report

March is a time to celebrate the people who power our industry, the business owners, the teams in workshops and offices, and the next generation coming through.
With International Women’s Day on 8 March, it is important to recognise the growing contribution women are making across the automotive industry.
Women make up around 22 percent of the automotive workforce, with participation steadily increasing in both trade and technical roles.
Encouragingly, female qualified mechanics have almost doubled over the past few years, and 16 percent of workshops now employ a female apprentice.
Whether on the tools, in leadership, administration, or customer-facing roles, women play a vital part in keeping our businesses running and our industry moving forward.
Looking ahead, our annual State of the Nation research will be launching in April, giving Members the opportunity to share what’s happening in their businesses.
By capturing insights from workshops across Australia and New Zealand, we’re able to advocate with credibility for small automotive businesses.
These insights directly influence the Capricorn Skills Strategy, advocacy priorities, and the support Capricorn delivers throughout the year.
Insights from the research informed Capricorn’s acquisition of Australian Skilled Migration (ASM), who have recently become a Capricorn Preferred Supplier.
This is a practical example of how we turn research into action to help support Members and the future workforce.
I encourage you to take the time to complete this year’s survey.
Together, we can influence change.

For more on Capricorn Society membership, visit www.capricorn.coop