Local Teen Kickstarts Career At Vertu Land Rover Nelson
In June this year, 17-year-old Katie Lowe took a bold step towards her dream career by walking into Vertu Land Rover Nelson, armed only with her CV in a brown envelope and a passion for the automotive industry.
Despite having no appointment and no certainty of being seen, Katie’s determination and enthusiasm led to an unexpected opportunity.
Katie, a student at Blackburn College studying vehicle mechanics, was eager to find an apprenticeship that would help her achieve her ambition of working in motorsports and eventually running her own garage.
Her initiative caught the attention of Allison Reede, General Manager at Vertu Jaguar Land Rover Nelson.
“Katie displayed all the ‘unteachables’ we value as a company – energy, passion, enthusiasm, and resourcefulness. Even though we didn’t have an available apprenticeship position, we knew we had to create one for her,” said Allison.
Katie joined the team of Jaguar Land Rover technicians less than a month later, and her progress has been remarkable. By the end of her first month, she reported learning more in just two weeks than she had in the entire previous year.
Katie said: “I’m so grateful for this chance to work with a fantastic team at Vertu Jaguar Land Rover Nelson and work on some amazing cars. Hopefully, when I’m in the pit lane at Silverstone in the future, the team here will be proud of me!”
“Every day, Katie comes in with a beaming smile, whether she’s working alongside one of our master technicians or helping to keep the workshop in top shape. Her attitude and willingness to learn are truly inspirational,” Allison added.