Over the years, ever greater diversification has occurred in relation to gender roles. There are more women in automotive careers than ever, and they're rapidly joining other male-dominated industries such as construction, security too. In the past, women in these industries were typically found in limited roles, and certainly not at the senior or executive level. However, in this day and age it is fair to say that women have been performing on-par with men in the various aspects of these industries. In the automotive industry, women can be seen doing everything from working on cars in garages to driving as professional motor racers or being an engineers. Some went to school to pursue their dreams of working in the automotive industry while others simply learned from those around them. For many, it is following a passion but for others it is just a job option in a tight economy. In fact, in the United States the Automotive Women's Alliance Foundation is one of several organizations that assist women who wish to pursue jobs in this industry as well as support them while they are in it. The visibility of women in these industries does not mean all is well, however. Many have been given the opportunity to take up such roles but still face opposition of varying forms. Some are discouraged by being told from an early age they should focus on other careers, while others feel discriminated against if the hiring team at a company are all men. Given the fact private companies have some freedom to dictate compensation, women in general may receive less pay than their male counterparts. Also, working in male dominated fields has resulted in some negative experiences for some women such as sexual harassment and emotional and physical bullying. These obstacles exist simply due to the fact we’re dealing with male-dominated industries, but opportunities for women really have come a long way in the last several decades, and we’re not trying to scare anyone. As such, most women actually have good experiences in working as a professional in the automotive industry. In fact, many rise above the obstacles (and male counterparts) and truly excel at what they do. For instance, race car driver Danica Patrick is by no means the first female driver and isn’t the best example. However, she has excelled and received the respect of her peers over the years. She has received her fair share of criticism from the media, viewers of the sport and perhaps other racers. However, this has not deterred her from continuing to rise in that field. Many women have also excelled in the field of automotive sales. Some have become CEOs and high level executives. Examples of companies known to have female senior executives are Ford and General Motors. Take Mary Barra for example, a top-level executive at General Motors who is seen as one of the most important figures in the auto industry. After the economic downturn that devastated the auto industry in the United States, she was given the role of steering the company to recovery. Not a role to be taken lightly! Now having authority over entire global brands such as Chevrolet and Cadillac, Mary Barra began her career in the auto industry by working at a General Motor’s plant as a technician, inspecting vehicles as they went down the assembly line. Her hard work, determination, skill and patience have no doubt played an important role in propelling her to the top. Women like Mary Barra generally make known the struggles they had to face and help pave the way for other women to excel in similar situations. The value of women in the automotive industry continues to be recognized, and not just through promotions. Some companies including car manufacturers such as General Motors have even offered scholarships to encourage women to study for various fields in the automotive industry. Others include this as part of a general effort to increase the diversity of their work force, because even men know there aren’t enough women in their industry. There is great room for growth, and it is becoming clearer women can excel in these industries and even outperform men. Some women of may have to begin at a lower level and work their way up, however the potential and opportunity are there. New female workers need now take advantage and follow in the footsteps of those before them, and pave the way for others in the future. Woman mechanic image from Shutterstock

When it comes to the automotive industry, there are certainly a wide range of jobs available to be had. These jobs appeal to people of many different interests, so you should be able to find something suitable you like (if you’re interested). In this field, with the right training, you can advance to higher positions relatively easily. Here is a look at different career opportunities that await in the automotive industry. Automotive technician: These technicians are responsible for performing various tasks such as changing oil, replacing air filters, and balancing wheels. There are also plenty of other maintenance tasks technicians have to perform such as changing brake pads and doing tune-ups. If you're looking to join the automotive industry, you could also become a car mechanic, which is a level or two up on the ladder from the technician. Many people confuse mechanics with automotive technicians. Mechanics are responsible for performing many of the same tasks as technicians. However, mechanics also perform more difficult tasks than a technician. These tasks include things such as replacing engines, alternators, or fixing suspension and electrical problems. In order to become a mechanic, you will also need more education and experience. Becoming a diesel mechanic is also an great option in automotive industry. These guys are responsible for repairing and servicing diesel engines. Although this includes a few passenger vehicles, you would likely have most of your focus on buses and trucks. This corresponds to a hefty increase in wages. The average yearly salary of a diesel mechanic is $50,000. If you enjoy communicating with people rather, becoming a car salesperson may be the perfect career with you. You would spend the majority if your day trying to sell cars to people who visited the car lot. Your salary would be based on the amount of commissions you earn. You can also work your way up the ladder into a management position as you gain experience. In the current economy this job isn’t as lucrative as before, but top salespeople in relatively wealthy areas still make an attractive living ($75,000+ per year) Similar to a floor salesperson is the internet sales manager. Instead of working with people who visited the car lot, you would work with leads received from the internet. Some of these leads come in direct due to the dealer’s website advertising, others come in from affiliated websites who work with you to sell cars. One example of a site like this is the Internet Autoguide. Whenever you get these internet leads like this, you would have to make an appointment to try to get the person into the dealership to buy a car. This is one of the best paying and most sought-after positions in auto sales. The top-producing and most quick-witted sales staff advance to this position. If you’re more of an artistic person, another option is automobile design. As its name suggests, you would be tasked with coming up for new car designs. This career is definitely in high demand thanks to the fact trends are constantly changing in the car industry. However, you will need plenty of education in order to begin a career as a designer, and your first employment and first projects won’t be designing cars. A career opportunity in the automotive industry that is expanding is a body and paint specialist. As one of these specialists, you would have to repair damage that resulted from a car accident of some kind. You would have to fix the exterior of the car and then restore the paint job as well. Thanks to the fact there are plenty of car accidents around the country, this position is in high-demand. Another option is to get a job on the assembly line. Getting your foot in is not easy, but it’s easier than before. You could join an assembly line that focuses on making cars, or even a line that simply makes certain parts that go in the cars. Nowadays, most assembly line positions require some knowledge about computers and robotic manufacturing. More of a money person? Finance and insurance department of a car dealership are a good opportunity. People looking to buy a new car will need financing and insurance in order to get it. You would have to work with sales staff, management and lenders (and of course the customer) to do your job. After you gain experience in this department, the top role to achieve within the dealership is Finance Manager. You would oversee all financing and monetary inflows and concessions of the dealership on all car sales/leases and purchases. You would have to ensure the dealership makes a fair amount of money whenever people buy a car. As you can see, there are certainly a lot of positions available in this industry. You should be able to find something that suits your interests easily if you have the required education and experience, or in some fields just getting your foot in the door at the right time. Career opportunities automotive industry image from Shutterstock

Most mechanics use their skills working for someone else. But if you have business skills and access to some capital, you'll be in a good position to learn how to start an auto repair shop of your own. You should be aware that it takes a lot of hard work of course, so you'll need to prepare accordingly. One of the first things you will need to do is formulate a business plan. I'm sure you've heard the saying before: If you fail to plan, you plan to fail. Every business needs a plan. And this plan is more than simply, “We’ll rent a shop and fix cars for money. If we get enough customers, we will make a profit.” No. You'll need to set a goal on where your business is headed. Your plan will also include things such as advertising methods and expenses, as well as particular (specific) start-up costs that you'll have to pay—that diagnostics machine costs $5,000? You don't necessarily have to open your own auto repair shop from scratch. You could look into buying one that already exists. You'd already have a suitable building to use, as well as a few employees who may stick around under the new ownership, as well as returning customers and an established marketing presence. Another way to get a good head start is to purchase an auto repair franchise. You would work with an established company and operate under their name instead of doing business under your own. There are plenty of benefits of starting a franchise, but there are also a few drawbacks. The most important benefit is that you'll have an established brand-name that customers will recognize. Training and equipment will also be provided generally. However, you may be severely limited with the way that you do business when operating a franchise. If you want to start your own business, then you will need to pick out a proper location. Your location will play a large role in whether your business succeeds or fails. Shops located by highways or in the middle or busy cities typically fare much better. You may even be able to find an old building that already has all the necessary equipment in it. When picking out a location, make sure that you take into account how much the lease will cost you on a monthly basis. The location will also need to be zoned for your particular type of business. This is important. Another important expense that you'll have to pay when starting an auto repair shop is insurance. You'll need insurance for your garage in cause there's a fire, natural disaster or an employee injures themselves. As such, you will also need worker's compensation insurance in case an accident happens. You may not have the cash to pay for everything you need to start an auto repair shop, so you will need to get a loan from a bank or a personal loan from a friend or family. You can expect to pay anywhere between $30,000 and $100,000 to get your business started. You'll need to pay for the building as well as any equipment. You can save some money by leasing the equipment instead of buying it. The amount of money that you'll have to pay will mainly depend on the size of your operation. Starting a shop that can repair up to four cars at a time will obviously be more expensive than one that can only service two. When you start an auto repair shop, you also need to decide what services to offer. You could specialize in a certain area such as heating and air conditioning systems or brakes. However, doing so would significantly limit the amount of money that your shop could make. Most shops are general, but remember that customers love niche businesses, and if you specialize in say, engine repair and tuning for high performance autos, you’ll have a much more established credibility to start off with. However, sometimes it’s best to offer as many services as you can. Even if you or your mechanics don't have the experience to perform a particular service, you could outsource it instead. It's important you look into advertising when starting an auto repair shop. You will need to get customers in the door. Make sure you get a listing in all local online directories, Google places, the yellow pages and consumer review sites such as Yelp and CitySearch. If you can afford it, you may also want to look into radio and television advertising. Just make sure you take the time to do it carefully. Always start out by creating a business plan that outlines your goals, and remember it may take months to a year to finally be profitable. The last piece of advice (if applicable), is to start repairing autos in your home garage, or otherwise rent some small space and start doing simple repairs, and build up your customer base and repetition. For example, offer the first oil change free, do it quickly and very well, and make sure subsequent oil changes are cheap too. Do it for all your friends, family, and neighbors, and soon the word will spread about how fast and economical you are. One you build up a base through simple oil changes, other requests for service will come, and once you open your shop, you will already have guaranteed traffic. Image from Dja65/Shutterstock