Hannah Stott has been handing spanners to her dad from the age of five and it is a passion that has motivated her to become a diesel mechanic. 

“I really loved doing that, it was my favourite thing and as I grew up all I could think about was that,” she said. 

She originally wanted to be a car mechanic but decided to switch to diesel, as a lot of vehicles are running off that fuel. 

Her goal is to learn about engines in Port Macquarie and then try to get a job working on the mining trucks. 

Hannah has just completed year 12 and will be doing an apprenticeship along with a TAFE course. 

While diesel mechanics is her passion, she also hopes to do an accounting course as her long term goal is to start up her own mechanics business.

At school woodwork and metal work were her two favourite subjects.  

Hannah said there are only a minute number of females who choose to do mechanics. 

“I want to be able to sit there and show that girls can do it and try and convince a few more to come in and do it,” she said. 

“All the guys sit there and just sort of laugh and think ‘oh nah you’re a girl you won’t be able to cut it’ but I want to prove them wrong.” 

So far through her work experience, Hannah said that everyone has been very supportive of her aspiration to become a diesel mechanic. 

“As the generations go on more girls are coming into male dominated trades so they are starting to accept it a little bit,” she said. 

From a young age, Hannah said boys are taught to be more ‘hands on’ than girls.

“It’s more that once you start doing a few more things, then you realise what you can do,” she said. 

Hannah is a recipient of a Hastings Education Fund scholarship.