Stephanie Mavrick has her dream job, but people are often surprised when she tells them what it is.
That surprise turns to awe when they see her in action, charging starter motors and servicing cars for her family. A qualified Diesel Mechanic and winner of the 2019 Harry Hauenschild Apprentice of the Year award, Steph is proud of how far she has come at Transdev Queensland.
Steph hopes she can advocate for other women to feel welcome in the mechanic field so they can find their place in an occupation that she has found to be challenging, rewarding and useful.
“When I began as a Trade Assistant, I performed a diverse range of jobs and generally assisted the Mechanics. Instantly, I knew this was my niche and felt right at home. Working in a male-dominated industry, I felt I had to prove myself each day. I recall when I first started and had to change the tyres on a bus.
The size of the tyre was almost as tall as me but this never deterred me. Using the tyre lever, I found it difficult to lift the tyre but my Leading Hand showed me how to operate a useful tool called a ‘wheel dolly’, a device making it easier to lift the tyre with leverage. With ease, I was able to pick the tyre up, remove it from the bus and replace with a new tyre. I no longer need the aid of a wheel dolly and have come a long way since those early days.
People are always surprised when they ask what I do for a living. They look at me in disbelief, both in shock and in awe when I have been able to bring home my skills servicing, changing starter motors or replacing brakes on my mother’s and sibling’s car. When I’m asked why this profession, I tell them that I actually enjoy being a mechanic and I’m excited to come to work each day, it’s challenging, rewarding and very useful.
I pride myself on being part of an amazing team at Transdev in helping the business achieve our fantastic reliability and punctuality targets.
I’m honoured and humbled to be referred to as a role model for other women in mechanic roles and would like to advocate for other women why the mechanic space is and should be more open to welcoming more women. I am very grateful to Transdev for having and showing trust in giving me this opportunity.”