NFDA’S Drive My Career initiative reaches 2.5m 16-24 year-olds in 2019

Drive My Career is an industry-first employment initiative which was launched to address franchised retailers’ concerns that not many young people generally consider the automotive retail sector as an option for their professional careers.

The initiative uses highly-targeted digital marketing campaigns to connect an audience of 16 to 24 years old potential candidates with dealers in their local area. These campaigns make young people aware of the variety of roles available in the industry and the rewarding sides of a career in automotive. Through many channels, these challenge the misconceptions of the automotive sector and promote diversity, inclusivity and transparency.

In 2019, Drive My Career reached 2.5 million young people through social media. Its main channels of communications included Instagram, Facebook, YouTube and Twitter.

During the first month of Drive My Career, the website redirected to dealers’ portals as many people as it now does in a day. The traffic to the website has grown from a few hundred users a month to more than 10,000. People visit the Drive My Career website not only to find the dealerships based in their areas but also to learn more about careers in the automotive retail sector.

Additionally, Drive My Career has run several campaigns over the past months. These covered the apprenticeship opportunities in the sector, the variety of roles available across all automotive business areas as well as the role of technicians in today’s motor industry. To build engagement with its community and raise further awareness of the automotive industry, Drive My Career periodically hosts competitions and quizzes.

“It is extremely positive to see the success that Drive My Career has had over the past two years with millions of young people reading about a career in the automotive sector”, said Sue Robinson, Director of the National Franchised Dealers Association (NFDA), which developed Drive My Career in February 2018.

Drive My Career has reached several milestones in 2019, its second year of operation:

• In 2019, Drive My Career’s campaigns have reached 2.5 million young people on social media
• More than 10,000 users visit the Drive My Career website every month
• There are now more than 1,000 dealerships on the dealer-finder interactive map
• Every month, an average of 3,000 potential candidates are redirected through Drive My Career to retailers’ career pages
• In December 2019, the first Drive My Career Female Apprentice Network, sponsored by Shell Helix Motor Oils, took place in Solihull. The event was attended by 41 female apprentice technicians

Sue Robinson added, “Drive My Career was created as an industry-first initiative to complement retailers’ recruitment strategies and support them in highlighting the exciting elements of a career in the automotive sector.

“It is encouraging and rewarding to see the huge numbers of young people that hear about a career in the automotive retail industry thanks to Drive My Career on a regular basis.

“Thanks to the terrific support and regular feedback of our members, we will continue to promote the automotive retail sector as a great place to work and showcase our members as employers of choice.”