[00:00:00] Nadiyah: Hi everyone, and welcome to another interview for Automotive CareerCon. I'm Nadiyah, Head of Marketing at hundo, and we're going to be diving into driving change, breaking down barriers in the automotive industry, and I've got the lovely Natasha joining us today. Natasha, thank you so much for joining us.

Could you please give us a short introduction?  

[00:00:29] Natasha: Yeah, sure. So I'm Natasha Rawal, um, I've been working in the automotive trades for around 12 years, both on the tools and as a supplier of car parts. My main role at the moment is I own a business selling nuts and bolts and suspension parts, as you can see behind me, but I also work on the tools once a week.

[00:00:51] Nadiyah: That sounds so cool. I'm so glad you got to join us for today. In the warehouse where everyone can see all the amazing things that you do and sell. Um, so could you tell us what inspired you to get into the automotive industry? And how did you experience as an apprentice shape a career to where you are today?

[00:01:07] Natasha: Okay, so I started roughly 12 years ago. Um, I finished university, um, graduated in marketing. I went to do two grad schemes. One was corporate and the second was enterprise rent a car, but I found I was better at Driving the cars, fixing the problems when a customer came in. And then my father, he's in the industry.

So are my uncles. So it's always been around me. Um, so I quit my grad schemes actually, cause I didn't, yeah, I quit. Then I went to join my dad's business, but he gave me my P45 and then I started my own, yeah, we clashed, I was too excited. And he was like, no, it's not happening. So then, um, I started my own idea and I started with one product, which was big, and then slowly I've just grown it, um, every year into this.

Um, but about five years into my business, I realized I know about suspension parts of cars. I know everything under the car that's related to the suspension, but I didn't know the engine, um, how the cooling system works. I didn't know all the intricate bits that make the car a whole. So. I, during COVID on one of the long, you know, everyone was going on those long walks.

I happen to live on a road where there's an all female garage called Spanners with Manners. So I walked in there and I just said, Oh, this is what I do. Like, obviously, if you want to buy parts for me and I'd love to know a little bit more. Um, so they said, come in for a bit of work experience, went in, then they offered me an apprenticeship.

So I completed my apprenticeship at North London Garages here in Edmonton. Um, so I did a three year apprenticeship. I took a little bit longer because obviously I'm working and Um, it's a bit tougher and I can honestly say from completing my apprenticeship, I know so much more and it's also helped my business helped me just in general, like helping people out, you know, like the aunties, the uncles and my friends, they're like, oh, Tasha, can you help do this?

So yeah, so now it's full on.

[00:03:14] Nadiyah: That's such a lovely journey. Um, it's so nice to see, obviously how inclusive it is. And even like your own journey, you went to uni, but then you change your career path. And here you are today with your like. Wonderful business with all these tools and stuff that we need. So working as a mechanic at our all female garage, um, what unique perspective or experience have you gained?

And what skills, knowledge and behaviors do you think is most important as your role as a mechanic? So  

[00:03:40] Natasha: we think we've obviously worked in other places in Other workshops, but what I noticed by about being an all female on, and this is no, um, bad way to. To males or anything like that, but it was just the little things that I could go drop my son to school and then go to work if it was.

That time of the month, they would be more understanding to it. Um, just in terms of taking breaks or just how we worked, we worked like so well as a team and the energy is really nice, not saying that where I've worked in male, um, workshops, it's been lovely as well, but I think you just feel a little bit more at ease that, and that's not necessarily being in the car trade.

That could be in an office filled with women or men. Like it just depends on your preference. Right. But I think, um, definitely like, I see it more from the customer's perspective when the customers come in and they see that I'm a girl, I'm a female, and they just feel at ease. You can just see their shoulders sort of slightly rest a bit, you know?

[00:04:47] Nadiyah: Yeah, that's definitely important and it's nice, like, you can actually see your perspective and like your experience of how it's different. And it's nice to see that you've had like a nice experience and working obviously you. All genders and one that's just, um, a female garage. So that's really nice. So obviously as a mechanic, um, what skills do you need?

Do you think is important? That young people should know if they want to become a mechanic.  

[00:05:13] Natasha: So when I first started my apprenticeship and I was at college and I was like trying to take down the stuff, I was a lot weaker compared to my classmates. But that does not stop you because everything's about the tool you use.

So Through that time, I would know, okay, that's going to be a bit of a struggle for me. So instead of like really breaking back, you get a larger tool to use, you get leverage and it helps. Um, I'd also say, um, you need endurance because it is a tough job. And I think like, especially when you're out, like I work outside.

So I started at like, it's cold, it's too hot, um, it's busy. So you have to be. I think just have good endurance, patience and a really good work ethic, but it pays off. Um, I think also your mind when you, when you work on a car. nothing else bothers you. Your mind is just so focused on completing this job. So I think it's really good mentally for, especially like, I wish I did it when I was younger.

I did it slightly older, but I think if you learn those skills as when you're like 16, 17, One, you're going to be ripped because you're constantly on the go, and two, your, your brain, just not in mechanically with cars, but even around the house, you know, just little things. You won't realize that I can be a DIY person from what I've taken from mechanics to fixing something at home.

But I definitely think you need, you need patience, endurance, and good work ethic because it's not easy.  

[00:06:50] Nadiyah: Yeah, I know. That's really good. Um, it's really nice having you say like, obviously as a mechanic, the main skills you think, because you think it's just technical, but it's not. You need all the other skills as well.

[00:07:02] Natasha: Yeah, because there's a lot. When I did my apprenticeship, it was both theory and practical. But you need, that's the good thing about apprenticeships, because you're going one day, you're learning the theory, and then you put the practical two hands. And the more, like, I was really fortunate at college, like, we had a lot of time to practice for our, for our end point assessment.

And the end point assessment, it's a reflection of what happens in the garage. So you need to have both that work experience, And, um, the technical information put together, but you get that through the apprenticeship and dealing with customers. And the 1 thing about being a mechanic is you do not know what is going to happen.

You could be doing a very simple job and then something snaps or you open the box to fit a new part, it's the wrong part, that doesn't happen when I supply parts, but it's, it's like, um, it's just constant problem solving.  

[00:08:01] Nadiyah: Yeah, definitely. And you have to be really like adaptable as well, like to change, like you said, if something goes wrong, you have to quickly like think on the spot, what could it be?

[00:08:08] Natasha: Yeah. Like, and also the jobs that you get in there, like one week you, you might be just working say on a mini Cooper and then the next week you get, um, a Japanese car and that's built completely different. So you have to adapt your, but this is the basics are the same, but you have to adapt those basics to the next model.

Make a model of the car.  

[00:08:31] Nadiyah: Yeah, definitely. And what are some of the biggest challenges you face as a woman in this field and how did you overcome them? For any young women, young girls watching.  

[00:08:41] Natasha: I think, so, on the, on the supply side, I sell in parts. There's not many women that do it. Um, but I've been really fortunate.

All my customers are really nice. And I noticed after I finished my apprenticeship, it gave me a lot more credibility. So, on that side, sometimes people are shocked. More. They're like, Oh, okay. You, you do this. Um, I think when I was going through college, cause I started from level one, my level one was an amazing experience.

The teachers were great. My, the students that I was with were great. My level two, if I'm honest, that's when I felt it was an amazing experience. It was an adult only class, so it was in the evening, so people would pay. I paid a lot of money to do this level two. And I remember doing, we had an assessment to do and the guy was like, you can just hold the clipboards.

And I thought, mate, I've paid just as much as you and I'm here to learn. So I found certain types of people, be it men or women, they would be like, Oh, you can just do like the lame job. And it was like, yeah, it might take me a little bit longer, but as I did more and more, I realized, Oh, actually I just needed the right tool.

And so in that sense, at times I've had it where they've looked down on me and not thought I was great, not often. And more, it's a reflection of that person than the industry as a whole. Um, obviously working. In an all female garage, sometimes people are just shocked, but they're quite shocked in a, in a nice way, not in like, they're just shocked because they haven't heard the concepts before.

And, um, I think like sometimes I'll go deliver the parts to some of my customers because I just want to catch up with them and then their staff will be like, well, she, she owns that business, you know, just, I think it's more people are shocked. And,  

as opposed to them being against it. It's just a shock.

It's like, if you say, um, see a male in a very female dominated industry, you're just. You just take a step back, um, but I wouldn't say I've had it. My last, the last college I went to, um, I was the oldest in the class and I was with all 18 and 19 year old boys. And I think the generational gap, those young lads were so supportive towards me.

I didn't feel any different. I think it's the, the people more my age or older who are really not used to women doing it. So they have a problem. Where we've seen. The younger generation because of social media and stuff, you know, you get women, electricians, women, builders, women doing all sorts of jobs.

It's not like, Oh, she does that. Women DPD drivers.  

[00:11:17] Nadiyah: Yeah, no, definitely. Um, I do think, yeah, that's generational gap, like you said, because I feel like now with like social media and everything, you see everyone's just in different jobs. Like there's no gender roles, which is really nice. Like I said, For the older generation, it's obviously different because they're so used to that gender gap and all of that.

Yeah. That is just seeing it. And I  

[00:11:41] Natasha: don't think the gender gap, I mean the generational gap, it's just times have changed, right? Whereas before women would be more at home, whereas now it's changed, people are getting pregnant. There's like so many different variables as to why we're different now.  

[00:11:56] Nadiyah: Yeah, definitely.

And how do you think the industry could be more inclusive? Yeah. around women joining.  

[00:12:04] Natasha: We get this a lot at work as well. I would say it's more promoting it, like showing females like me where I work, um, Showing examples that there's more out there. Like recently I went, I got invited to a super bike show and it was all female mechanics and I was like, wow, there's so many.

And then that encouraged me. And I noticed when I do like the Instagram post or TikTok post and I'll get a message from like a younger girl. So I think it's just having examples that you can do it. And I just, I do believe like if you're, if the younger you are. Male or female, it's good to get into this industry  

[00:12:45] Nadiyah: because  

[00:12:46] Natasha: later it really hurts your back if I'm honest.

[00:12:50] Nadiyah: No, definitely. And that's why Natasha, I wanted you to come today to share your story and your experience. Because I feel like you said, having, um, just seeing yourself and like seeing, having young girls see you and other females in the industry that want to join that quite might be nervous. I think it's just such a good thing seeing that.

And that's why at hundo we want to do CareerCon Monthly so we do dive into different industries, just so we can, Show like the range of people and the job roles and everything and that you could be one of these people and you can be doing one of these roles. I think it's so important, like you said, going to these like shows, going to, doing like, even like you said, the posts on TikTok or Instagram, just having like young girls be inspired, even like anyone inspired from these stories.

Yeah, and also

[00:13:39] Natasha: Um, I have a little boy, he's 10, and when I go to pick him up, sometimes I'm in my ovals, but to them then, that younger generation, they don't see it as odd, and he's like, yeah, my mum's a mechanic, but to them they see it as normal, do you see? Like, they see it as normal, so it's Cause that's what they see.

It's like when I was growing up, the only mechanic I knew was neighbors. There was the lady called Steph. And that was years ago.  

[00:14:04] Nadiyah: Yeah. And that's nice. Yeah. Like you said, you've got a son and then he sees you and yeah, like for his classmate, it's just normal seeing a female mechanic and that's really nice.

Um, with the automotive industry, obviously offers a diverse career paths beyond mechanics. And I remember we having a conversation about this and you told me how obviously you're going to content creation, social media is getting more involved in the industry. Could you share more about these roles and how these different roles are available and how it's changing the automotive industry?

[00:14:34] Natasha: Yeah, I've noticed like a few years ago, I had no social media and then I started doing social media. And. I've just, I'm not as good as the technology side, but I know someone like, say yourself or one of your colleagues would be so good at taking videos off the products, explaining the products, how to. I should tag it or how to connect it and make it track, you know, all of that.

So I think, um, like obviously as my business grows, I would love to hire a social media person who will go around maybe to different garages where I fit other parts and they take it like a small clip, you know, but I wouldn't be able to do that because I know my forte is more fixing cars and selling my products.

Um, and then I've also noticed just, um. There's so many different roles, like website creation, content creation, even pulling the ideas, how people promote. Like I get a lot of people approaching me selling different things in the industry. And they'll be like, Oh, we'll pay you for a video. And I'm like, wow, I'll get paid for a video.

But it's just, it's crazy. And there's more, I noticed there's more entrepreneurs coming out than before because of all these platforms that we have available. I think there's so many. Like, in the business I do, I have an admin person, then I have a warehouse person, then we have, like, um, picking and packing and a delivery driver, then you have someone in the office, so there's so many roles.

It doesn't necessarily mean you have to be on the tools as such. It's like where I went to college, they had the teachers, but then they had the people in the office, then you had, like, an assessor who would come out. So. There's just, even if you don't want to work on the cars, but be in the trade and you can help young people get in it, if that makes sense.

[00:16:19] Nadiyah: No, definitely. And I feel like people forget, like, when I was like this, when I started, um, the automotive industry doing this CareerCon, I was speaking to so many people, I realized that you just automatically think it's just mechanics and like, um, people work on cars and you forget that you need everything else as well in the industry.

And like, just even speaking to you about the social media, I was like, yeah, it's so true. Like you would need a social media person to do all the videos, website, delivering packaging, like you said, doing all the tools that you need, all of that. So it's not just technical. Um, and yeah, anyone that's listening, like there's a diverse range of, you don't have to just be a mechanic or vehicle technician.

No, there's  

[00:17:00] Natasha: so many. And now because things are becoming more tech savvy on cars, like if you open a car, it looks like a. Um, motherboard, is it called motherboard on a computer? Um, there's the tech side of it. There's the part where now you would just plug in a computer and it will read everything. You know, there's so many, like I sell car parts, but then the people that sell tools, they then train people, like they'll go to, but there's just so many, there's so many roles.

Even when you go buy your car in the car showroom, you've got the parts department, the receptionist, the servicing department, there's just, it's just endless. And advertising, advertising's massive promotion. Oh my God. Warranties, insurance. Oh my God. Yeah. Insurance is a big game.  

[00:17:45] Nadiyah: No, definitely. No, it's just great just hearing all these different, um, roles that you can get and that are available.

Because, like, people forget and I think it's important just highlighting one of them. Well, I think if you  

[00:17:58] Natasha: start off young being a mechanic, like you go in and you do an apprenticeship, doesn't mean you're going to do that forever. Then you can branch off, like, say you're a female. This is one thing as a female.

If you do want to have a baby, obviously you can't work in a garage environment because of all the fumes. But, If you start off young and then you've got your apprenticeship and then you're like, actually, can you put me in the office, you know, just while I'm on maternity, you've got that there. Cause that, that's another reason why I think there is not many females on the trades because.

It's just nature's, nature, right? It's how it is.  

[00:18:32] Nadiyah: Yeah, no, definitely. It's not  

[00:18:35] Natasha: undoable. I did it with a 10 year old after. So it is, it's just like I said, it hurts your back a bit more.  

[00:18:42] Nadiyah: No, definitely. And I think it's important just showing that and just being real and just being like, Um, obviously, like you said, like, if someone wants to get pregnant and have a baby, that they still have the option to like, I'm going to go in the office instead of being in the mechanic and then go back into it after having a child.

It's important to highlight those things because sometimes people just think, because obviously, You get pregnant and that's it, like your career ends or I might not be able to do this job because I want to have a family and start a family. But it's nice to know obviously you've had a child and you've experienced it first hand and how it is.

And I think it's important sharing that journey with everyone. Yeah, and I did my apprenticeship when my  

[00:19:21] Natasha: son was eight. I did, I did everything as he was older. So, yeah.  

[00:19:27] Nadiyah: Yeah, and that's important. So you do like, you can be whatever age and just start a career, career change and like learn so much and that's important as well.

I feel like there's so much more we can talk about, we're running out of time. Um, what advice would you give young people considering a career in the automotive? So one piece of advice that you think is important for them.  

[00:19:49] Natasha: I would say just do it because you won't be needing to go to the gym. You'll be ripped naturally, I'm joking.

But no, I would honestly say. Um, just do it because mentally, physically, it is a really good all round job.  

[00:20:05] Nadiyah: Yeah, that's important when you can, like, transfer all the skills to, like, different jobs. And they're  

[00:20:10] Natasha: everyday life skills, you know, you're always going to be fitting that Ikea cabinet, but when you're a mechanic, you'll fit it like that.

[00:20:18] Nadiyah: Yeah, definitely. And it's a good skill to have like, like you said, if you have a car or if someone needs help, a family member or friend, they can come straight to you.  

[00:20:28] Natasha: Yeah. And if you feel comfortable, obviously talking to someone, you know, so it's like, even if it's just simply like, Oh, should I buy this car?

You know, like,  

[00:20:38] Nadiyah: Yeah, it's really important. Well, Natasha, we need to end the interview now. It was so lovely speaking to you. Okay, thank you for having  

[00:20:45] Natasha: me.  

[00:20:47] Nadiyah: That's fine. Where could everyone find out more about you? LinkedIn, your website?  

[00:20:52] Natasha: Um, yeah, my website is a2bcomponents.Com or on TikTok or Instagram.

Oh my God. I sound like one of those people or Instagram or on LinkedIn on the A2B.  

[00:21:09] Nadiyah: I'm so happy you wore your t shirt and you're in the warehouse. Which was so cool. Yeah,  

[00:21:12] Natasha: I thought I'll show you the real deal, you know? Yeah.  

[00:21:17] Nadiyah: Um, it's been lovely speaking to you Natasha. Thank you too Nadiyah. I feel so inspired listening to your story, and I know that everyone else that's watching is going to get inspired too.

It was lovely having you. Aw, And I hope you enjoyed it. No, thank you so much. And I hope that everyone enjoys the rest of the event. If you couldn't watch the full interview or the event, you can watch it on demand and it will be available on our website. And like I said, reach out to Natasha if you have any questions, especially if you're a young girl or young female that's not quite sure.

Natasha would definitely give you some advice and help steer you in the right direction. I'm Nadiyah, and it was lovely speaking to you, Natasha, and I hope you have a lovely day. And we need to catch up!  

[00:21:56] Natasha: Yeah, definitely. Take care. See you. Bye.