Volvo is redesigning its workshop uniform in a bid to attract more female mechanics. It’s part of its commitment to achieving a 30 percent female workforce by 2030.
According to Automotive News, the prototype uniform seeks to maximise comfort around the waist, bust and collar.
Leigh Moynihan, head of marketing at Volvo Car USA and Canada, said: “While the existing uniforms are meant to be gender neutral, the feedback we received from our female technicians was that the cut and fabric was made with a man’s traditional build in mind.
“Several female technicians flagged the need for a specific uniform to better support them in their day-to-day needs, as our existing uniforms were not working for them from a fit and mobility perspective.”
To come up with a new design, Volvo collaborated with the Council of Fashion Designers of America to give female student designers at the Fashion Institute of Technology the opportunity to learn about the role of female mechanics and create outfits designed for women.
Eleven designs were created before a final prototype uniform was agreed. Volvo mechanics in the US and Canada will test the sample design for several weeks, before the female-friendly uniform will roll out across North American Volvo dealerships in early 2024.
Moynihan added: “Volvo is leaning in from a recruiting and training perspective, and sometimes it’s the little things that count – like a uniform that is designed for the job and the person wearing it.”
Source: Automotive News