Emily is the Founder and Owner of AutoNiche Inc., an automotive repair business in its 15th year of operation. As a business owner, she has hired and mentored apprentices in her shop to provide young people access to rewarding careers.
AutoNiche Inc. became one of the first shops in the city to be certified to maintain the Lion Electric modified delivery vehicles used by many courier companies. She has provided access to training for her employees to help them stay at the top of these new technologies.
After earning a university degree and working in HR, Emily decided to pursue her passion for cars and transition to the automotive service industry. She made this career change while being a young mother and going back to school.
Having pursued a career in a male-dominated industry, she has encountered both rewarding and challenging experiences. Throughout her journey, which included being the Director for the Automotive Aftermarket Retailers of Ontario for over four years and currently a part-time faculty at the Automotive Business School of Canada at Georgian College, she has gathered valuable insights and skills that she now uses to inspire and empower young women who are considering a career in trades.
Emily has volunteered at Centennial with the Jill of All Trades program, more recently delivering the keynote address at an event that involved hundreds of young women exploring careers in this field. Additionally, she has been a panel presenter at the National Automotive Industry Association annual conference, where she provided insight into issues related to women in trades.
Her advocacy has reached a broad audience, including platforms like CBC, CP24, and Breakfast Television, further exemplifying her commitment and passion for increasing diversity and opportunities within the industry while speaking on issues affecting Automotive Service Technicians. As a yearly keynote speaker for various school boards and colleges in Ontario, Emily talks to elementary and high school students about entering the skilled trades.
Emily’s journey at Centennial helped to expand her existing skills in her industry. She completed her Automotive Service Technicians (AST) Level 1 and opened her own business. As she took the time to build her business, she later returned to the college for Level 2 and Level 3. In 2013, she was awarded the TADA for achieving the highest GPA in AST Level 3, which aligned well with her previous recognition in 2008 when she received the TADA Apprentice Scholarship for academic excellence.
In 2013, she successfully challenged the Certificate of Qualification (CofQ), and ever since 2015, she has recruited technicians, apprentices, and service advisors to maintain the growth of her business. Emily’s focus is on creating a positive work culture and is committed to ongoing training for her staff as the automotive landscape evolves.