Wanted: More female mechanics
You don’t need to know how to change a tyre to undertake an automotive apprenticeship, says industry bodyMore females are being encouraged to join the automotive industry amid a shortage of apprentices across Australia.
According to the Motor Traders’ Association (MTA) of NSW, the Australian automotive sector is facing a shortfall of 38,000 skilled professionals and a growing number of technicians who are qualified to service and repair EVs.
MTA NSW estimates the need for an additional 14,000 qualified EV technicians in Australia by 2030, as more electric vehicles hit our roads.
And, while it says there’s been a 10 per cent increase in enrolled apprenticeship and trainee numbers between the end of 2021 and the end of last year – thanks in part to wage increases – a majority of those undertaking a trade were male.
In fact, just 15 per cent of the 107,385 people who enrolled in a trade occupation in the 12 months to September 2022 were female.
According to Ian Price, the senior manager of training at MTA NSW, the percentage of women in the manual trades in Australia has remained static over the last two decades.
“MTA NSW, as a leading registered automotive training organisation (RTO), trains thousands of students throughout NSW every year, unfortunately only approximately 10 per cent are females,” said Price.
“We would like to see this percentage rise as they are highly sought after due to their attention to detail. With a very high demand for automotive apprentices, working in the automotive industry can provide stable employment prospects and real career advancement for school leavers, especially for women in the trades.”
Women like 20-year-old Katrina Nilsson, who is currently studying a Certificate III in Light Vehicle Mechanical Technology with MTA NSW.
Nilsson says even though she didn’t come from a typical automotive family, the training at MTA NSW has helped her find her place within the industry.
“The teachers were all very understanding… before I started in this industry, I didn’t even know how to change a tyre, whereas most of the other guys came from automotive families,” she said.
Nilsson credits her success to “understanding and supportive” trainers who helped develop her skills and vehicle knowledge while navigating career challenges.
Nilsson says she’s always loved cars, knew she didn’t want to “sit at a desk all day” and “wanted to work with her hands”, making automotive the ideal career.
She’s now hoping to restore her grandfather’s 1983 Datsun ute and eventually get it to Summernats.
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