WorldSkills Australia Nationals – Brisbane 2010 – Autobody Repair

Trudy’s Dad owns a panel shop and she is the youngest of three daughters. She’s always been a tom boy but she felt sorry for her dad when her parents divorced and her sisters weren’t interested in picking up the family business. She left school as soon as she could (during year 10) to pick up the trade.

Trudy hasn't met another girl in her line of work but feels that being the only girl where she works isn't too much out of the ordinary as she has been brought up with it.

Her father describes her as ‘the boy he never had”.

She is in her final year at South West Sydney Institute of TAFE, Campbelltown Campus.

Both her father and TAFE insisted that she enter the WorldSkills competition. Last year’s international competitor, Aaron Samphier has been pivotal in her training.

Trudy plays soccer and goes to the gym for training but also to build muscles for her job.  Whilst the new cars are flexible, she’s working on old cars which take a bit of physical strength.

She likes old school cars - ‘72 corvette, ‘55 chev being her favourites.

Trudy says the pleasure of helping her dad is enough reward however she says it is nice to cut out a roof and say ‘yeah I did that’.

VJ Lucy Nash