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Tackling the future of inclusive mobility by encouraging more girls into STEM

Toyota Motor Europe and JA Europe are pleased to announce a new collaboration that intends to promote STEM education and related careers in the automotive industry especially among young female students.

In its first year, the partnership between the two organisations will consist of activities taking place at national and European level. The former will take place in Belgium thanks to the support of Toyota volunteers who will inspire young students in the classrooms (Skills for the Automotive Industry) and invite them to visit Toyota facilities (Toyota Day). Moreover, the European activity complements the learning opportunity by encouraging young students to think about creative solutions in the area of inclusive mobility. The “Mobility For All” Online Innovation Camp, organised on 18-19 November 2021, will involve students aged 14-16 years old from 10 countries1. These young Europeans will combine skills related to innovation, digitalisation and sustainable mobility and propose innovative solutions (products or services) in response to the challenge identified and with the support of Toyota Motor Europe mentors and digital tools.  

In the post-COVID era, digital education is more crucial than ever, and rapid developments are expected in schools across the world making increased use of digital tools and methods. In this context, on 9-10 November, the European Commission will organize its annual DigiEduHack hackathon which focuses on co-creating the future of education in the digital age. The “Mobility For All” Innovation Camp will be a follow-up to the European Commission’s DigiEduHack to show the alignment of JA Europe and Toyota Motor Europe with the European Commission strategy and to support the values of co-creating a more accessible and digitalized future for all.  

“At Junior Achievement we believe in the power of entrepreneurial mind-sets in tackling the biggest challenges of our times”, said Salvatore Nigro, CEO JA Europe. He added: “This includes using digital innovation and entrepreneurship in order to make the mobility sector more inclusive and to attract more young girls into STEM education and careers. With Toyota Motor Europe we will empower the next generation of Europeans with the skills to embrace the tremendous opportunities ahead.”

“At Toyota, respect for people is key in our company’s philosophy. We aim to reflect the diversity of our society creating an inclusive environment where everyone feels welcome, safe, heard and contributes. With our Girls STEM the Future programme we want to show young women the diverse and interesting opportunities that are available for them at Toyota. Together with JA Europe as our partner we will make this happen” said Monica Perez Lobo, Head of Sustainability & ESG, at TME.

JA Europe

JA Europe is the largest non-profit in Europe dedicated to preparing young people for employment and entrepreneurship. JA Europe is a member of JA Worldwide® which for 100 years has delivered hands on, experiential learning in entrepreneurship, work readiness and financial literacy. JA creates pathways for employability, job creation and financial success. Last school year, the JA network in Europe reached almost 4 million young people across 40 countries with the support of nearly 100,000 business volunteers and over 140,000 teachers/educators.

About Toyota Motor Europe

Toyota Motor Europe NV/SA (TME) oversees the wholesale sales and marketing of Toyota and Lexus vehicles, parts and accessories, and Toyota’s European manufacturing and engineering operations. Toyota directly employs around 25,000 people in Europe and has invested over EUR 10 billion since 1990. Toyota’s operations in Europe are supported by a network of 29 National Marketing and Sales Companies across 53 countries, a total of around 3,000 sales outlets, and nine manufacturing plants. In 2020, Toyota sold 993,113 Toyota and Lexus vehicles in Europe.   

Toyota believes that when people are free to move, anything is possible. In the pursuit of "Ever Better Mobility for All", Toyota aims to create more inclusive and sustainable mobility, a society in which everyone can challenge their impossible. With the aim of contributing to global environmental sustainability, Toyota has developed the Toyota Environmental Challenge 2050 to address key global environmental issues. For more information, visit www.toyota-europe.com. 

JA Europe press contact: Minna Melleri, minna@jaeurope.org