A young Wauchope woman has transformed her self-taught mechanical skills into a career by starting an apprenticeship with RB’s Truck Workshop.

According to the Australian Government Job Outlook, women currently make up only 1 per cent of the Automotive Industry and there are likely to be around 23,000 job openings over 5 years.[i]

Now in her second year of studying the Certificate III in Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanical Technology at TAFE NSW Coffs Harbour, 20-year-old Abbey Anderson is the only female apprentice in her class but that is not something that deters her from succeeding. 

“My TAFE NSW teacher is fantastic and he explains everything with a lot of depth. 

“I am really enjoying my apprenticeship and the variety of motors I get to work on. I learn something every day and it is great being able to put in practice the skills that I learn through my course.” 

After learning how to service her own car from her Grandfather, Abbey grew a strong interest in fixing broken motors and would offer to fix her friends cars.

“It’s a satisfying feeling knowing that something doesn’t work or won’t turn on and figuring out how to remedy that.”

RB’s Truck Workshop Manager Rob Baker said “Abbey is a true professional and her work is a positive reflection on the industry in general.” 

“We ensure our staff are trained by TAFE NSW because they provide first-class training and are the largest and most well-established training provider in the country.” 

Abbey’s advice to other women who are considering a trade-based career is “If you’re thinking about it and you’re passionate about it, then just do it.” 

“Don’t think twice. People will support you when show that you are willing to learn and want to be taken seriously.”

The NSW Government has invested over $250 million into apprenticeships to address skills shortages across the State. Fee-free apprenticeships were introduced by the NSW Government in 2018. 

To find out more about the range of automotive courses at TAFE NSW visit www.tafensw.edu.au or phone 131 601 

Media contact: Sarah Lievore, TAFE NSW Media Officer, sarah.lievore1@tafensw.edu.au