Virginia Tire & Auto Launches Women in Automotive Scholarship
Julie Holmes, co-CEO of Virginia Tire & Auto announced that the company hired 31 women over the past year and has plans to hire more. “The automotive industry provides such great opportunities for women,” said Holmes. “We want to continue to encourage women to consider this industry as a career.”
In order to further incentivize women to consider a career in automotive repair, Virginia Tire & Auto has just launched a “Women in Automotive” scholarship that will assist in the advancement of women in the automotive industry. Up to three scholarships will be available for post-secondary education for those planning to attend an ASE-certified (National Institute for Automotive Service Excellence) auto technology program. Scholarships are worth up to $2,500 per candidate for one semester of tuition, books and other materials. A minimum GPA and other requirements will be necessary to maintain and retain the scholarship across multiple semesters.
Having just hired 31 women, Holmes is determined to get even more women into the automotive repair industry and sees the male dominated industry as having a big opportunity for women. “Automotive care has changed significantly over the past five years,” explained Holmes. “With the surge in automotive technology, current automobiles are basically computers on wheels and the demand and pay is high with less physical requirements.”
Holmes has been actively encouraging women to consider the automotive industry since leaving her career in law and joining her family’s business. “There are so many opportunities for women in this industry,” said Holmes. She has recruited a number of women who work throughout the company. “It’s a great place to work—we have a great company team and provide a variety of career opportunities and benefits,” she added. “We offer jobs with a path to $100,000+ in just two to three years and have free health insurance.”
The company has technicians who are earning $200,000 per year. “It’s time to offer this high paying career to women,” said Holmes.
Scholarship applicants must have a minimum 2.5 grade point average and applicant must be a female high school senior who has applied and been accepted into a post-secondary program at an accredited college with a career plan to be employed in the auto care industry. Job function can range from a technician/shop owner to any of the many business functions needed at all levels of the distribution channel.
Applicants must submit a one-page essay about their career goals with an optional short video on YouTube and include the link in the submission, a letter of reference from their automotive instructor and their high school transcript. Email to hr@vatire.com with the subject line “Automotive Scholarship Application Information” and attach all requested files. Submissions are due by 5 p.m. ET on March 31, 2023. Recipients will be notified by April 30, 2023.
For more information on the scholarship and application, please visit https://vatire.com/careers/career-development/. If questions, please email educationoutreach@vatire.com.