In its ongoing efforts to increase the diversity of the automotive service industry, the ASE Education Foundation has partnered with CDK Global to enhance opportunities for automotive students. With the support of CDK Global and its $20,000 donation, the ASE Education Foundation will develop materials promoting automotive career opportunities for women and other underrepresented groups, and conduct diversity, equity and inclusion training and outreach for their staff and field managers.
“The ASE Education Foundation works with more than 2,300 high schools and colleges and 5,000 instructors nationwide, promoting industry-developed training program standards, entry-level credentials and work-based learning,” said Mike Coley, ASE Education Foundation president. “By partnering with CDK Global, we have the opportunity to increase our diversity, equity and inclusion efforts this year, which will be another step toward expanding opportunities for all students.”
“The rising demand of new and creative automotive technology provides an exciting opportunity to create an inclusive and innovative workforce that embraces equal representation in all automotive career paths,” said Amy Byrne, chief human resources and communications officer, CDK Global. “Through our partnership with the ASE Education Foundation, we’re helping shape the next generation of leaders by building the talent pipeline for minorities and women through education, training and mentorship in the automotive retail industry.”
The ASE Education Foundation has worked with CDK Global since 2019. With their support, the Foundation performed a program-wide audit in 2021, conducted by the National Alliance for Partnerships in Equity (napequity.org). The results of that audit showed that the ASE Education Foundation is poised to be a positive influence in increasing the number of minorities and women in the automotive industry. Recommendations from the audit suggested that the Foundation focus on raising diversity and equity awareness in two key ways: through information, education and communication materials, website, video, etc. and by training their people, including board members, staff and field managers.
“The automotive service industry offers many career opportunities beyond the service bay, and most minorities are currently underrepresented,” continued Coley. “This is especially true for women, who comprise 47 percent of the workforce but only two percent of service technicians and less than 10 percent of all positions in the automotive repair and maintenance industry. We must do better to fill the many open positions. Thanks to our partnership with CDK Global, we are implementing a plan that will be beneficial to the entire industry.”
To further encourage student career development in the automotive industry, CDK also will donate $20,000 toward ASE’s Tool Scholarship initiative through the foundation’s Adopt-A-School program. The donation will provide funding for students to acquire personal toolboxes with hand tools to utilize outside of the classroom.
On March 12, at 1 p.m., Coley will visit the CDK Global booth (#2701W and #2901W) at the 2022 National Automobile Dealers Association (NADA) show in Las Vegas for a live broadcast to discuss the Foundation’s partnership with CDK and provide more information about the diversity, equity and inclusion programs they are implementing this year.
