Give automotive a go; don’t be afraid to try
I studied a wide range of subjects from Maths to English and even Animal Care. I did part time work at kennels when I was in school but ultimately, I didn’t know what I wanted to do. So, I started to look into apprenticeships. When I left school, I worked on a motocross track on weekends. I then got a call to advise there was a few admin positions available in my area and I decided to go with Car-O-Liner as it seemed like a nice work environment but also, I had interest in watching motorsports. Now, I am a Sales and Service Specialist at Blackhawk.
The best part of my job is the continuous learning. I came from an admin background, so I still have a lot to learn and different people throughout the industry all have their own methods and ways of doing things.
I was able to bring transferable skills in service from my previous role at Car-O-Liner to my Sales and Service Specialist role in Blackhawk. I learned about the Car-O-Liner equipment while helping take the service calls, as I like to try help as much as possible from the first point of contact. This also helped with communicating with people within our industry.
A very common misconception is that automotive is a male trade, however there are a lot of women in technical, as well as admin roles throughout the UK. Even the things that may be more difficult, due to things like strength, there are ways to work around this. People are happy to help.
Give automotive a go; don’t be afraid to try. You can do anything you want to if you put your mind to it. Ask for help when you need it. People in this industry are some of the nicest people I have met.
I had 0 experience or knowledge about anything automotive before I came into this trade. I watched motorsport and that’s all I knew. I started on an apprenticeship, which was a way to learn and make a living. I have only continued to grow my knowledge, even now I am still learning because I got involved and fortunately, I have a manager who believes in me and gave me the chance to try as I was eager to learn.
