Virginia Tire & Auto, a 2011 Tire Review Top Shop, has hired 31 women over the past year and has plans to hire more, according to co-CEO Julie Holmes.
Virginia Tire & Auto has launched a “Women in Automotive” scholarship that will assist in the advancement of women in the automotive industry. The company says 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.
Holmes says she has been actively encouraging women to consider the automotive industry since leaving her career in law and joining her family’s business. She reports having recruited several women who work throughout the company. “We offer jobs with a path to $100,000+ in just two to three years and have free health insurance,” says Holmes.
The company says the scholarship requires a minimum 2.5-grade point average. The applicant must be a female high school senior who applied and was accepted into a post-secondary program at an accredited college with a career plan to be employed in the auto care industry. The scholarship also requires a one-page essay about their career goals, an optional short video on YouTube that they will link in the submission, a letter of reference from their automotive instructor, and their high school transcript. Job functions can range from a technician/shop owner to any of the many business functions needed at all levels of the distribution channel.
