Automotive Blondie Tylor introducing car classes to Claudy

Claudy girl and accomplished mechanic Tylor Woods is introducing ladies car maintenance classes in the village’s Diamond Centre this Autumn.

Tylor, who started her career as a mechanic at Browne and Day Garage in Claudy, is coming full circle by now teaching her own classes in the village.

Talking about her love for vehicles, Tylor said: “My daddy set up his own haulage company so I was always around lorries and cars. There was always somebody there working away on cars. We just picked it up by watching them work and being around it. The full interest in mechanics for me kicked in around primary six in school. I was really inquisitive as to how everything worked. I had memorised brands of cars and wanted to know what each part did. As I grew older I wanted to get my own car and get on the road as soon as possible. When it came to work experience I was straight to Desmonds in Derry. I loved it and didn’t want to go back to school but I did go back and finish my GCSE’s.”

After school, Tylor started her career at the local garage Browne and Day in Claudy and trained one day a week at TTS training at Nutt’s Corner where she was trained at a Ford dealership. At that time Tylor was the only girl there (apart from the dinner lady) but everyone was so welcoming and she loved the experience.

Following on from her training Tylor worked at Desmonds in Omagh working with bigger vehicles such as vans and pick-ups. During this time Tylor obtained her Level 4 in Advanced Automotive Diagnostic Techniques which led to her getting a job in the MOT centre in Derry.

Tylor's career in mechanics even led her to television when she featured in the BBC show ‘Tricked out Tractors’. The show saw her work with customers to restore their tractors.

ABOVE: Claudy mechanic Tylor Woods in her garage

Nowadays, Tylor works with women to expand their knowledge of mechanics in the hope of inspiring them to enter the industry.

Tylor said this ultimately influenced her to take the course to Claudy.

“I noticed over the years people spoke to women customers differently. Sometimes when I approach a man to talk about mechanics I found they would rather speak to a male. When a woman comes in I feel they would rather talk to a woman as it can be overwhelming,” she said.

“To me it’s unfair that women are expected to know all this. I always had the notion of starting courses to help women with their knowledge or any questions they may have. I was given the opportunity to facilitate courses in Belfast with a company called Women’s Take. They are an amazing group who work to provide courses to women in subjects such as DIY, mechanics, driving theory prep, bricklaying, tiling, and plumbing. It is a way of encouraging young women to get into trade work. We go into schools and deliver a programme called ‘Not just for Boys’ which gives young girls the encouragement to think of these jobs as a career. There is a massive demand for these jobs as there is a dip in people taking up careers in the trades.”

Tylor believes the programme is very rewarding.

“The course that I do that is open to any woman does so well. The feedback is amazing. The questions the ladies ask are amazing. They are burning to ask and get going. There is no such thing as a silly question. I will answer them to the best of my ability, if I don’t know, I will always get back to you on it. The environment of being with other women who probably need the same questions answered is great. That’s the time to ask the questions when you aren’t feeling intimidated in the middle of a garage.

“Women will come from all different backgrounds. I always remember a few, including a wee old lady whose husband had passed away. She had to go and source a new vehicle and mechanic which was a lot but after the course she had the knowledge to take that on. Some women think no I can’t do it. It’s normal to think you can’t do it if you are out of your comfort zone but by the end you will be flying. In the long run it is good knowledge, think about the savings you could have if you knew how to change a tyre yourself.

“I feel local community centres have been lacking in this, people around the area have heard about me doing it in Belfast and asked me to bring it up. This can be a life changing course for some women. I’m really hoping it goes well and women get a lot from it. I hope to expand the course throughout the area and other genders in the future all being well! This is important especially for women in rural areas.”

In the course Tylor covers important topics such as tyre safety, tools for your vehicle, under the bonnet essentials, using jump leads, dash light explanation and car buying tips.

There is a mix of both practical and theory teaching throughout the course. At the end of the course there will be a ‘what have you learned’ quiz and booklet of information for the ladies to take home.

The Ladies Car Maintenance course takes place with Tylor in the Diamond Centre, Claudy on Saturday, October 25 and Saturday, November 8 from 9am to 3pm.

To book, message Tylor Woods on Facebook, email automotiveblondie@gmail.com or text/call 07388912773