Ferrari Technician Wins ‘Inspiring Automotive Women Trailblazer Award’

Awarded by the U.K. Automotive 30% Club, the honor went to service technician Georgina Slack of Leeds, England.

Recently, the U.K. Automotive 30% Club had their Inspiring Automotive Women Awards for 2019. Top honors were given to Georgina Slack, a Ferrari Service Technician in Leeds, England. Slack took home the “Inspiring Automotive Women Trailblazer Award” in recognition of her outstanding technical prowess and innovation in the industry.

“To be one of the Inspiring Automotive Women 2019 is absolutely amazing,” said Slack. “I was shocked at first but that feeling was quickly replaced by a massive sense of achievement.”

When it comes to achievements, Slack has quite lot to be proud of. Her passion for Ferrari led her to kick off her career as a Ferrari Service Technician Apprentice in 2011, which she graduated in 2014 after successfully completing the 3 year Ferrari Apprenticeship program. Slack was one of the first apprentices to join the Prancing Horse when it relaunched its Apprenticeship program as a completely in-house training program dedicated to Ferrari vehicles and technology.

Judges for the Inspiring Automotive Women awards found Slack’s work had garnered a great deal of respect and praise among her colleagues. Her nomination entailed how she inspires the entire Ferrari dealer network with her work ethic, and know-how. Additionally, she achieved honor of working with the Ferrari Challenge U.K. race team, where she provided technical support in the pit lanes during race events throughout the Britain. Slack is the only fully qualified female technician for Ferrari UK. But she is ready for more girls to join in the fun, encouraging other women to join the automotive sector, specifically as apprentice technicians through her outreach work.

“Georgina is excelling in her field and is a wonderful relatable role model for other young women who wish to become vehicle technicians,” said Julia Muir, founder of the UK Automotive 30% Club and CEO of Gaia Innovation Ltd. “She has the perfect combination of technical ability and customer service orientation, and is a great asset to her team. She is both a Trailblazer and a truly Inspiring Automotive Woman.”

As for Slack, this seems to be a journey she was intended for from a young age, something greatly fostered by her parents’ encouragement.

“During my very early childhood [my parents] always told me I would rather pick up a toy car than a Barbie doll,” said Slack. “On the days when my Dad’s car broke down I would sit with him passing tools or asking questions. I think those experiences gave me reason to start thinking of doing it for a career.”

Photos: Ferrari

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S.J. Bryan

Longtime automotive journalist S.J. Bryan has been covering the automotive industry for over five years and is an editor with Ford Truck Enthusiasts and regular contributor to F-150 Online, Harley-Davidson Forums, and The Mustang Source, among other popular auto sites.

Bryan first discovered her passion for all things automotive while riding in her parent's 1968 Ford Mustang. The automotive expert cut her teeth growing up riding on Harleys, and her first car was a Chevy Nova. Despite her lead foot, Bryan has yet to receive a speeding ticket.

The award-winning former playwright was first published at age 18. She has worked extensively as a writer and editor for a number of lifestyle and pop culture publications. The diehard gearhead is a big fan of American muscle cars, sixth-gen Ford trucks, and Oxford commas.

S.J. can be reached at sherryjbry@gmail.com.