2023 CAPRICORN RISING STAR ANNOUNCED

Chelsea Bowers has been announced as the winner of this prestigious competition

Australasia’s largest automotive cooperative, Capricorn, says it is proud to announce its 2023 Capricorn Rising Star: Queensland’s Chelsea Bowers, of John Edwards Automotive in Geebung (Queensland).

The prestigious award recognises talented apprentices who show initiative, thirst for knowledge and commitment to the automotive industry.

“I began my journey in automotive when I started a school-based apprenticeship in grade 12. I took every Wednesday off and worked alongside a brilliant mentor who taught me so much,” said Chelsea, who last year was a Top Five Finalist.

“I found my love of cars again when I was restoring a 1964 Buick with my friends in my spare time. I decided I wasn’t finished with the trade, and I was determined to come back and finish my apprenticeship.

“This is when I found John at Bosch and the rest is history. I love my job more than ever and I have never once felt out of place. We share the same values of honesty and communication.

“As I re-entered the trade, I met a few women in all different trades who had gone through exactly what I had gone through and had a whole network of tradeswomen I could turn to.

“Everything I went through got me to where I am now. It has taught me resilience, both mental and physical strength, passion and most importantly, the drive to share my story so no one ever feels as though they need to go through the same thing.

“I love that every day is a different challenge and a different opportunity to learn something new. Something that keeps me going when times get difficult, is thinking about how far I’ve come in my journey and how I can use my story to inspire the next generation of people looking to get into the automotive trade.

“I’m very grateful to be in a positive workplace that appreciates me, and we can all get along and help each other out with anything.”

John Edwards Automotive Owner, Sam Lawson, said Chelsea is not only an advocate for women in trades but also serves as an inspiration for future generations.

Chelsea has won a $5,000 cash prize from Castrol and a Capricorn Rising Stars Trophy, while John Edwards Automotive has received a 12-month Repco Autopedia subscription along with enrolment in the Workshop Whisperer’s Service Advisor Pro online program.

“The 2023 Capricorn Rising Stars Apprentice of the Year was selected from an impressive 550+ apprentices nominated by Capricorn Member businesses located across Australia and New Zealand,” Capricorn Chief Executive Officer Automotive, Brad Gannon, said.

“This competition highlights the importance of apprentices to the Australian and New Zealand automotive aftermarket industries. The competition also seeks to encourage new talent to join the industry, ultimately generating more qualified automotive repairers to ensure the industry’s continued future growth and strength.”

The Capricorn Rising Stars competition will return in 2024. Capricorn thanks its Members who nominated apprentices, and sponsors Castrol, Repco and The Workshop Whisperer. For more information, visit www.capricorn.coop