WE CAN ALL DO IT
ENCOURAGING WOMEN TO JOIN THE AUTOMOTIVE INDUSTRY Attracting people, especially young people to the industry has never been a hotter topic. Capricorn CEO David Fraser recently wrote, “Unless we tackle the problem now, the situation is only going to get worse,” after we discussed it as part of the State of the Nation 2021 report. Attracting and retaining women in the automotive industry have never been more important to help close the skills gap. But how can we ensure our workplaces are pleasant, welcoming places for all team members, including women? What challenges do women face entering the industry and how can we help them overcome them? Louise Azzopardi is a Heavy Commercial Vehicle Mechanic and life coach who has spent the last few years encouraging and supporting young women to join the automotive industry. From completing her trade qualification to training others to becoming a WorldSkills judge and Australian Apprenticeship Ambassador, Louise has grabbed the opportunities offered to her by her career with both hands, and she is passionate about helping other young women do the same. Louise always knew she wanted to do something technical, whether that be in fashion design or in an automotive trade. Having always ridden dirt bikes with her family, she knew she loved the maintenance of the bikes, always wanting to do something with her hands.
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After completing work experience at some local motorbike workshops, Louise tried working in a heavy mechanical workshop and soon found she couldn’t imagine herself doing anything else. Fascinated by the intricacies of the workings on the vehicles, Louise began to help train her fellow junior apprentices and realised her passion for training.
"Louise always knew she wanted to do something technical" In her early career, Louise was used to being the only woman in her classes, or in the workshop. However, being the only woman contributed to her denying some of her own health struggles as she strove to be considered ‘one of the guys.’ As well as dodging some of the odd sexist comments her colleagues and peers had made, it led to a period of selfdoubt. Without a lot of life experience, Louise found it difficult to properly communicate what she was experiencing. As part of her work as a mechanic and a trainer, Louise has seen firsthand how important supporting and nurturing women from the very beginning of their careers can be. As she notes, the automotive industry can be unkind to both young
