Lynda Ennis urged businesses to focus on skills, not job titles, in their future talent planning when she took part in an expert panel discussion at the 2023 Autocar Great Women: Rising Stars awards at Stellantis UK’s headquarters in Coventry.
Lynda, co-founder and CEO of Ennis & Co, joined Kristian Elevefors, Managing Director of Volvo Car UK, Tina Lovelock, Global People Director of Brompton Bicycle and Ivan Sarti, IT Director of Group Lotus for a panel debate about career opportunities and future skills needs in the automotive and mobility industry.
Asked by an audience member how could businesses could recruit for the jobs of tomorrow when they did not even know what those jobs would be, Lynda said it was important to focus on the skills required to do the job rather than getting hung up on job titles.
“You know the type of skills that are going to needed in the future as the sector continues its technological transformation, so start with the skills requirements and think about the output you want from those skills,” she said.
“Then think about how you are going to find those skills, either by developing people within your organisation or sourcing them externally, potentially from different sectors.”
The debate was one of a series of talks and Q&As as industry leaders gathered to recognise the best up-and-coming female talent across 11 different categories.
Ennis & Co has been a judging partner for the Autocar Great Women awards since 2017 and has seen the quality of entries grow stronger by the year – proof that women are building great careers and driving transformation in the historically male-dominated automotive industry.
Lynda said: “As someone who has been a lifelong advocate of greater diversity and inclusion in the workplace, it is inspiring to see such talented women doing so well in their careers across a broad range of industry roles.
“It is an honour to support this important annual showcase of female talent and I would like to congratulate the winners on their achievements.”
