A MECHANICS workshop, opened in Canadian last week, is a new venture from female mechanic, Jac Westin.<\/p>\n
Unlocking the Joseph Street doors to the public last Monday, Ms Westin was excited to get things moving along.<\/p>\n
\u201cI feel at home,\u201d she said. \u201cIt will start slow but will pick up.\u201d<\/p>\n
Her obsession with mechanics began early.<\/p>\n
She grew up around cars and trucks in Avoca, spending time with her mechanic father, and her sister\u2019s boyfriend \u2013 a car fanatic.<\/p>\n
When the time came to choose a career path, her passion meant there was a natural choice, but her initial dealings with the automotive industry weren\u2019t easy.<\/p>\n
As an apprentice completing her training across two different dealerships in Kyabram, at times she was going to quit.<\/p>\n
\u201cI was treated like a girl, not a mechanic.<\/p>\n
The students were more accepting than the employers, but I was embarrassed to put my hand up and answer questions.<\/p>\n
\u201cI missed out on a lot,\u201d she said. \u201cI never got to do big or heavy jobs. I\u2019m a hands-on learner and I was a fourth year before I got to pull a gearbox out. It was frustrating.\u201d<\/p>\n
Locking in a job after her apprenticeship, heading to work every day wasn\u2019t smooth sailing either.<\/p>\n
Ms Westin experienced workplace bullying at employers over two years.<\/p>\n
However, for the eight years after she found her feet with the guidance of a welcoming and more encouraging employer.<\/p>\n
Within that period, Ms Westin won a scholarship to further her education in the automotive industry through Women in Automotive.<\/p>\n
But having experienced a period of depression, yet still holding a great love for the job, Ms Westin decided it was time for progression and a new chapter.<\/p>\n
She registered a business name and initially ran her own mobile mechanics service visiting homes to service cars after hours.<\/p>\n
The name registered – Full Throttle Mechanics – has stuck. She said it was \u201csomething different,\u201d inspired by one of her favourite escapes, riding dirt bikes.<\/p>\n
Opening a proper workshop was the next \u201cbig step\u201d for Ms Westin, feeling experienced enough, well supported by family and her employer, and ready to go out on her own.<\/p>\n
Now, she looks forward to Full Throttle\u2019s growth.<\/p>\n
\u201cI\u2019ve already got clients on my own from Facebook advertising, word of mouth and some rolling over from my previous employer.<\/p>\n
\u201cAt times it\u2019s been a fight, but it\u2019s always been worth it.\u201d<\/p>\n