QUERÉTARO, QRO.- At 24 years old, María Concepción Lizama is the youngest of the 18 operators who graduated from the second generation of the Mujeres Transformando program , promoted by Volkswagen Truck & Bus México , the Association of Women Freight Vehicle Operators ( AMO) and, on this occasion, by LiPU Querétaro, a personnel and school transportation company that is part of Traxión .
Together with her colleagues María, she took a five-week training that culminated with the delivery of a recognition, while she received her federal license that qualifies her as an operator , ready to start a career at LiPU Querétaro.
In an interview for T21, the professional from Michoacán commented that since she took the wheel of a car she knew that driving was her passion. With this impetus, the support of her family and her partner, who is dedicated to mechanics, she began to manage small units that little by little began to grow, to make the leap to operating a bus .
“I saw the open call for Mujeres Transformando on social networks, noticing the opportunity to make my dream come true and I didn’t waste it. Fortunately, I was selected from more than 100 applicants, although it has been a great challenge because it is not easy, especially going out onto 57, one of the most important highways in the country. However, day by day I have worked to learn everything necessary and continue with my preparation,” said Lezama.
Before dedicating herself to professional driving, María worked as a mechanic’s assistant and in the Querétaro manufacturing industry. Although she accepted that her lifestyle will change once she joins the ranks of LiPU due to the demands that are made, she assured that the change is an opportunity to pursue her dream, which is to become a tractor truck operator.
“I would like to put all my effort into working as an operator in the United States because it has always been my dream, possibly with a lot of effort with the Traxión company, which is one of the best in Mexico. I want to move beyond where I am,” Lezama said.
The preparation of María and her other 17 colleagues was carried out by LiPU instructors. In an interview for T21, David García, one of them, explained that none of the participants in the Mujeres Transformando program had previous experience with heavy units, which was a challenge, however, the attitude, accompanied by the hunger for knowledge and improvement, He made the students take the best of each class in theoretical and practical topics.
For his part, instructor Maurilio Mendieta explained that the first and most important step taken with the students was to encourage confidence behind the wheel, to keep calm and adhere to the principles of training that is based on safety, discipline , good driving techniques, care of passengers and the unit. He, in turn, stated that, although the official training concluded, the support will be continuous
During the training, in addition to the driving methodology, priority was given to basic mechanical knowledge. “We teach them to check the key points of the unit, for example: tires, tanks, lights, etc., to ensure safety and the units,” said García.
Both training professionals agreed that the most important thing for women operators is to be aware that they will never stop learning.
For his part, Elias Dana, in his capacity as general director of Traxión’s People Mobility division, was interested in the stories of the 18 women operators and assured that they symbolize the company’s commitment to diversity and inclusion.
He defined them as pillars of what is expected to be a growing trend in the logistics and transportation industry. “ We will continue to invest in training and programs that foster greater opportunities for women in this essential field for our economy,” she mentioned.
As president, co-founder of the AMO and enthusiast for the inclusion of women in the national motor transport sector, Paola Moncada stated that the first generation of operators specialized in personnel transportation marks a before and after in the training of driving professionals. .
Likewise, he recognized the efforts of the transportation company that supports the training of operators, as well as the assembly companies, in this case Volkswagen Truck & Bus México, who allocate a budget to this type of initiatives, as well as human resources and technological to carry out this type of programs.
Regarding this, Frank Gundlach, general director of Volkswagen Truck & Bus Mexico, told T21 that participating in these projects is crucial, not only because of the practical aspect of the training that seeks to reduce the shortage of operators in Mexico, which exceeds 56. thousand places, but also for the social responsibility component that this type of initiatives entails that have to do with the inclusion of women in activities that were previously exclusive to men, as well as with diversity within the company.
“We want to attract more women to the sector and the company, that is why we proposed the Mujeres Transformando program in conjunction with the AMO and LiPU by Traxión. It is very satisfying to contribute to changing the lives of these women and including them in the sector,” Gundlach said.
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