Toyota and Lexus dealer group Steven Eagell hosted a week-long work experience event for female students in collaboration with MK College.
The event, held to inspire female students to pursue a career in the automotive industry, was attended by 14 female students studying at MK College.
It included a workshop hosted at Steven Eagell Group head office. During the workshop, the students were briefed on dealer group and the Toyota and Lexus brands.
They listened to talks from and engaged in a Q&A with female members of staff working for the group, as well as taking part in a careers workshop where they received advice on interview skills, CVs, LinkedIn and much more.
The students then visited the company’s Lexus Milton Keynes dealership, where they received a tour of the branch, experienced some of the brand’s latest models and took part in a range of interactive games and activities designed to develop and test their knowledge.
For the remainder of the week, the students took part in work experience placements in different departments across the business, including marketing, accounts, and customer services, as well as in sales and service roles at the company’s Toyota and Lexus branches.
The work experience placements enabled the students to gain hands-on experience, while developing their skills, knowledge and understanding.
The Steven Eagell Group Work Experience Week was held as part of the Automotive 30% Club’s Work Experience for Women campaign.
The campaign aims to encourage women into roles not previously considered, increase their confidence, and dispel myths about working in the automotive industry.
The Automotive 30% Club is a network of over 70 automotive CEOs and MDs who have made a commitment to be inclusive leaders and build diverse gender-balanced businesses.
The Group’s CEO Steven Eagell joined the Automotive 30% Club as a Silver Member in 2021, as part of the company’s commitment to addressing the gender imbalance across the industry.
Gary Smith, managing director, Steven Eagell Group, said: “We were thrilled to have the opportunity to welcome 14 talented young women from MK College into our business, providing them with the opportunity to gain hands-on experience and explore the wide variety of opportunities available in the sector.”
Jim Nowell from Milton Keynes College said: “At Milton Keynes College, we’re committed to delivering Fairer Futures so when Steven Eagell Group approached us to take part in their initiative to encourage more women and girls to consider careers in the automotive industry, we were very excited to take part.”