Michelle’s at home under the hood

SA’s first female Audi master technician

LIKE Michelle Rodriguez, who plays the role of Letty Ortiz in The Fast and

the Furious, Chelsea van Wyk is eager to learn, always willing to try out new things, and goes the extra mile for her customers.

The 25-year-old car enthusiast is breaking new ground in a male-dominated environment. Van Wyk is South Africa’s first female Audi master technician. The Eerste River mother-of-one’s journey started after she matriculated from Malibu High School in 2011.

She studied physiotherapy at UWC, but after a month she had to make one of the biggest decisions in her life. It was either complete her studies at UWC or grab the opportunity of a lifetime.

“I decided to go for the apprenticeship at Audi Centre Somerset West. After a while, it felt like I did one of the craziest things in the world as I literally knew nothing about cars,” she said.

She started at Audi Centre Somerset West in 2012, and a few years later she completed her trade test and qualified as a motor technician. In 2016, she started her training at Audi Training Academy, and two years later she completed her training and qualified as an Audi master and diagnostic technician.

“It still feels unreal because everything happened so quickly. I always strive to do my best, whether it is helping my fellow colleagues or customers,” she said.

Her love for cars started after she met her mechanic boyfriend, Chester, who is now her husband. The lovebirds would always go to car shows and races together.

“My love for cars grew year by year as I came to understand the mechanics and electronics of motor vehicles. With technology growing, I am enjoying my job more and more as I am discovering new things all the time,” said Van Wyk.

Her favourite car is the Audi 4.0L twin turbo RS7. “It just has everything you could think of: space, speed, looks and the best technology.”

When not busy sharpening her skills in the workshop, Chelsea enjoys spending time with her husband and four-month-old daughter Emma. She also loves watching track and field.

The marketing manager at Audi Centre Somerset West, Werner van Wyk, said Chelsea was a very dedicated employee.

“We’re extremely proud of her on achieving this milestone in her career and thankful to have such a remarkable woman in our team,” he said.

CHELSEA VAN WYK