For Women’s History Month, Toyota is excited to celebrate four inspiring women who work in various roles within the company. From maintenance to talent acquisition positions, these women share what it means to be a woman working at Toyota.
In Good Company
For Amanda Young, environmental engineer at Toyota Motor Manufacturing West Virginia (TMMWV), life at Toyota has been pleasant thanks to her peers and positive network.
“My experience is that women at Toyota are extremely supportive of each other,” she says. “I was nominated to attend a women’s conference last year and met some amazing women who are still my friends to this day. We want to see each other succeed and be role models for others.”
Young, who’s worked at TMMWV since 2021, says no two days are alike and that’s how she likes it.
“My team and I are working every day to make sure Toyota West Virginia is always in compliance and meeting our goals,” she said. “We physically inspect equipment, write reports, and mitigate any issues as they arise. I’m also part of the Region 1 team that assists non-manufacturing sites with their environmental compliance. This requires physically traveling to their sites to support them through audits as well as supporting [them] remotely.”
Young also works with the sustainability team through the biodiversity working group. Her duties across Toyota North America (TNA) include protecting native species and helping build native habitat.
Young says she knew very few women in the industry where she previously worked. However, when she came to Toyota and attended her first Wildlife Habitat Council conference, she was pleasantly surprised.
“My entire table was women from Toyota, and they were all environmental engineers,” she says. “It made me so proud to sit among such a group of smart, supportive, innovative women. These women inspire me to be better and work harder. Women who are innovative are crucial to the future of any company.”
When Colleagues Become Family
Candice Nash, a Toyota D+I consultant based in Plano, has worked at the company for the past 20 years. The key to her longevity? Doing what she loves.
“I have the honor and pleasure of turning my passion into a paycheck in my current role,” she says. “I collaborate with senior leaders of Toyota Motor North America (TMNA) to design and execute customized diversity and inclusion strategies.”
Nash says that her work gives her joy. It’s the goal of the D+I team to foster an environment where all employees can be their authentic selves and be celebrated for who they are.
“It makes me happy to have the privilege to be a part of something so special,” she says.
Cultivating a sense of belonging is a driving force for Nash. She nurtures and provides employees with support, attention, and care — an embodiment of Toyota’s Mendomi approach, which means taking care of workers like they’re family.
“I’ve made many invaluable relationships over the years,” she says. “Many of those who have gone on to their next chapter — retirement — keep in touch and still visit each other. I’m grateful for the power of connecting with people and making lifelong friends at work who’ve become family.”
Nash holds those strong bonds and principles close to heart. The former East Coast resident shares her success with those who instilled those values in her from the beginning: her family.
“I’ve been blessed to share this journey with my roomies, also known as my parents,” she says. “I built a Next Gen home for them. My parents and my Nana moved here from New Jersey. We haven’t looked back and thoroughly enjoy our new home here, where the stars at night are big and bright!”
Be Confident in Your Own Lane
Surprisingly for Kayla Ledbetter, a team leader in maintenance at Toyota Motor Manufacturing, Alabama (TMMAL), working in a male-dominated industry hasn’t been too difficult.
“I personally have not faced too many issues,” she says. “I enjoy empowering other females and answering questions about how they could get in this field as well.”
She believes women have so much to offer in STEM spaces.
“Women are usually detail-oriented and observant,” she says. “It’s also important to break stereotypes and show that women can do just about anything they set their minds to.”
Ledbetter is proof of that. She’s a pro at fixing things and even built a truck when she was just 14.
The daughter of a mechanic, she grew up observing the ins and outs of vehicles.
“I love working on vehicles in my spare time,” she says. “My most prized possession is a 1982 Toyota pickup I restored myself.”
Ledbetter, who’s worked at TMMAL for more than two years, is grateful that her day-to-day work life is in a friendly environment that’s supportive.
“My job is so rewarding, and I’m happy I can work for a company that allows me to succeed,” she says.
She encourages other women to pursue positions that meet their professional standards and align with their passions regardless of outside perceptions.
“Don’t be afraid to go for what you want, no matter the opinion of others,” she says. “Your happiness is all that matters. Prove it to yourself, and don’t let anything stop you from achieving your goals.”
Cultivating the Next Generation of Leaders
When it comes to bringing in Toyota’s new crop of talent, Sherry McCaskill is on the front lines. As the HR Talent Acquisition manager, College Programs, Diversity & Employment Branding at TMNA, she’s the first entry point for many seeking a career at the company.
“My team and I are responsible for attracting and recruiting great diverse talent, and mentoring the next generation of talent at Toyota,” she says. “We recruit, source, manage and hire over 500 interns/co-ops and trainees across North America.”
She also oversees the company’s multi-year acquisition strategy, which taps into strong community partnerships and leverages Toyota’s external social media strategy to connect and attract the best and most diverse talent.
“Because Talent Acquisition touches every business unit across North America, producing happiness is key to my role,” she says. “We need the right talent in the pipeline to meet our current and future needs — people who are engaged, skilled and ready to help support Toyota’s mobility vision. In my role, that means finding incredible talent and then helping them connect to purposeful and meaningful work across Toyota.”
Identifying future leaders and then placing them on a path that aligns with their own career goals is one thing, but ensuring their contentment and success is another — it’s what makes McCaskill’s role so gratifying and meaningful.
“Happiness is a given if our team members are connected, heard, engaged and purposed,” says McCaskill, who’s had several roles during her 23 years at Toyota. “Team members are the heart and the soul of the organization. Without them, we can’t function in unity or bring about innovative change.”
In addition to leading her team, she’s also a proud member of business partnering groups (BPGs) like African American Collaborative (AAC) and Women Influencing and Impacting Toyota (WIIT).
“I enjoy collaborating when I can,” she says. “Our people are what I like about working for Toyota — that and the fact that Toyota’s philosophies are in our DNA. During my time with Toyota, I’ve built and nurtured some great relationships across the enterprise. I feel fortunate to have been given many wonderful opportunities to develop and grow, professionally and personally.”
