CitNOW has highlighted an increase of diversity among car dealerships' workshop technicians and credits exciting new technologies for the shift.

A study conducted by the aftersales video platform specialist revealed that 61% of automotive professionals have seen an increase in the number of female workshop personnel over the last five years.

CitNOW believes that the workshop pro also appears to be more widely valued as a career, as over three quarters (77%) of workshop pros believe that the automotive technician is respected outside the industry.

With exciting new technologies hitting UK roads and workshops alike, there is a breadth of new opportunities for skilled technicians, making working in the industry an “attractive proposition for a more diverse group”.

CitNOW’s chief executive, Alistair Horsburgh, said: “With workshop technicians becoming more diverse, bringing with them a more modern skillset, the future of the industry looks bright.

“Personalised video is now a key skill for technicians, often forming an integral part of workshop apprenticeships, and specialist training for technicians from programmes like the CitNOW Academy are needed to help develop this broader skillset among more tech-savvy, younger professionals.”

The findings follow CitNOW’s ‘Workshop Professional of the Future’ report, which examines industry opinion on the developing skill set of workshop technicians in future.