The Year 10 to Year 12 students from Glenala State High School visited Richland Scania and were shown the variety of job types and skills needed in a dealership – from diesel technicians to warehousing, administration and finance.

Richard Singer

The visit included information on how Scania can help students gain an apprenticeship.

The visit was co-ordinated by Scania and the school and involved some of Scania Australia’s female employees, including people and culture director Michele Gellatly, Scania manager of truck rental and used truck sales Anna-Marie Taylor, national dealer development manager France Sotogi, branch manager Rachel Kairuz and Scania Richlands’ second-year apprentice technician Jessie Woehrle and apprentice parts adviser Shani Byrnes.

Student groups were given an introduction to the trucks, shown how technicians work on vehicles, heard how to achieve goals by some Scania female employees, and shown how to enter the transport industry.

Kate Crowdy, a Year 10 student, currently studying a Certificate II in Automotive, said she is already on the way to start as an apprentice and plans to work with trucks.

Scania Queensland regional executive manager Richard Singer said the aim of the event was to broaden the appeal of the transport industry to a new generation of Australians.

“It also shows that this is not the male-dominated industry it has been, and may still be perceived as,” he said.

“Globally and locally, Scania offers a rich and rewarding array of job opportunities at all levels for female workers, and we have several very senior positions filled by very experienced and successful women.

“We are starting to see a shift as more females take up roles in the workshop as apprentices and technicians, as well as in key positions such as finance, marketing, dealer development and dealership management.”

By Neil Dowling