In 2019 Georgina received the “Inspiring Automotive Women Trailblazer Award” from the UK Automotive 30% Club at their Inspiring Automotive Women Awards, her proudest moment to date. The purpose of the Automotive 30% Club is to achieve a better gender balance within the automotive industry.
Georgina is a fully qualified Specialist Ferrari Technician working for JCT600 Brooklands Ferrari in Leeds. This family owned company originated in Bradford and has grown into a multi dealership brand. Georgina has worked for them for nine years with the first three being as an apprentice.
“The brand aside, because working for Ferrari in itself is my biggest love! I love it when a car comes in with running problems or something simple like an engine light being on. I spend time diagnosing the issue and finally getting to the bottom of the problem and repairing the car. It’s such a great and rewarding feeling to watch the car driving out back to the customer,” Georgina tells me.
Growing up in a family who didn’t have a big interest in cars, Georgina’s earliest memory was of her dad driving a bright orange Vauxhall Astra that always seemed to be broken. “He was always underneath and trying to fix it. Lots of swear words and slamming tools to the floor. I used to watch and be interested in how it came apart and how the engine worked,” Georgina shares.
“My toys always used to be either a car garage or Transformers, but my favourite thing was a ride of blue tractor with a trailer my dad had bought me from the car boot sale,” Georgina recalls. When Georgina got into high school she became more and more interested in cars, and she admits The Fast and Furious films helped “a lot!”
Before Georgina finished school she decided that she was going to study Repair and Maintenance Level 2 at College. After two years she decided she loved it and wanted to carry on. That’s when Georgina looked for an apprenticeship and started at JCT600 Brooklands Ferrari.
Initially one of the main challenges Georgina faced was the lack of changing and washing facilities for women in the workshop, something so simple. The men have their own washroom but Georgina had to use the showroom facilities. But this has been addressed by the company and has been incorporated into the plans for the new dealership, which is being built.
Georgina admits that it was also very daunting being the only female technician, but the team were very welcoming and even now they still push her to become a stronger person. This is reflected in Georgina’s career goal of training to become a Ferrari Master Technician and continuing to be a strong advocate for women in the automotive industry.
“More importantly I’d like to be working next to more female technicians,” says Georgina. To her knowledge there is one woman who is going through the Ferrari apprenticeship and she hopes to meet her soon. “And within the JCT600 company at a dealership not far from Ferrari, there are two women who work for Porsche, Stacey and Jess. Both really cool girls!” adds Georgina.
Every day at Ferrari is different, but Georgina always starts her day the same way by making a cup of tea. “After that you never know what you could be faced with. It could be something routine like a service or changing brake pads, or something more in depth like an electrical problem or an engine strip down,” Georgina explains.
When I asked Georgina what her favourite Ferrari was to work on, she replied “That is a hard question! Personally my favourite is the F430 coupe, and it has to be in Rosso Corsa. As much as I love the new products the old cars really do have more personality and a story. The 308 and the 355 are also a couple of my favourites, as much as they are the prettiest and they are also amazing to drive.”
COVID-19 has had a huge impact and during the lockdown many of Georgina’s colleagues were furloughed, but her manager and a couple of technicians who lived close by were on standby to help anyone who needed it. After lockdown the workshop was busy, with lots of cars coming in for overdue services and vehicles that have been stationary for a long period of time.
“We already used floor covers and other protective items inside the cars to protect clients pride and joys. So after lockdown it was stepped up and we now wear masks at all time, frequently change our gloves and washing our hands,” Georgina adds.
In 2021 Georgina will have been working for JCT600 Brooklands Ferrari for 10 years and she is thankful to them for giving her the knowledge and opportunity to grow into the person she is today. Through her career and achievements Georgina hopes to demonstrate to other women that they are capable of anything and should keep chasing their dreams!
If anyone has any questions about the motor trade or the Ferrari brand then feel free to get in touch with Georgina on Instagram @ginaa_93.
Photographs supplied.