Southeast Auto Mechanical Offering Free Workshops for the Girls

Fionna Blackburne, owner of Southeast Auto Mechanical and MTA Queensland member, purchased the Beenleigh business in June 2016 after being involved in the automotive sector for approximately 13 years.

Operating for 15 years previously as an established Repco Authorised Service Centre, Southeast Auto Mechanical’s expert staff is currently made up of Fionna, her second-in-charge and an additional two employees.

In addition to running the business, Fionna who became trade qualified two years ago, knows her way around an engine. And with women often perceived as having limited engine/car maintenance knowledge, Fionna is keen to share her wisdom… for free.

Offering free ‘Women’s Essential Car Maintenance Workshops’ every quarter, Fionna and the team at Southeast Auto Mechanical aim to provide women from all walks of life with the necessary knowledge on basic maintenance of their vehicle in an empowering, supportive and judgement-free space.

With the first workshop conducted in November 2017 welcoming six female participants, Southeast Auto Mechanical is excited to bring the concept to 2018. Limited to ten women per workshop, participants are encouraged to get hands-on.

“We explain to our attendees why the basic maintenance of their vehicle is so important for safety and reliability,” said Fionna.

“We go over what they need to do to check the oil and fluids, how to check for a common leak, cracked or worn belts, as well as what some of the different filters are and what they do. We then move onto the braking system and tyres, including how to change a tyre.

“I hope the knowledge will assist attendees in making informed decisions regarding their vehicle and be confident in checking and topping up their car’s fluids. I also hope this will help participants if they do happen to break down or experience a flat tyre.”

And the results speak for themselves. The attendees from the first free Women’s Essential Car Maintenance Workshop took home a wealth of knowledge and loved the hands-on learning. If you are interested in attending a future workshop, please contact Fionna on 07 3807 9910.

Dr Brett Dale, Group CEO of MTA Queensland said, “The contribution that Southeast Auto Mechanical is making to supporting women in the community is admirable. Fionna and her team are leading in empowering women to close the knowledge gap around basic car repairs and this is likely to help with reducing costs for car maintenance and safety. They are also great skills that could be passed onto children.”

9 Jan 2018