Ellie Clears The Way For Female Technicians In Automotive Glazing

RAC Auto Windscreens has made history with its latest appointment. Ellie Barrowcliffe, from Bounds Green in North London, has the honour of being the company’s first female glazing technician.

Ellie (43), a former dental receptionist, is amazed to be the first. She explained: "I saw an RAC Auto Windscreens advert for trainee technicians in my local paper and I thought ‘I can do that’. I’m fit and able and have always liked physical work."

She has recently completed her training at RAC Auto Windscreens’ training and development centre and passed with flying colours. Ellie added: "The training was excellent. It showed me that as long as I follow correct health and safety procedures then no aspect of the job, whether it’s lifting, fitting or removing a windscreen, will be a problem for me."

Tim Camm, RAC Auto Windscreens’ Technical Training Officer, who oversaw Ellie’s training programme, agreed: "She coped extremely well in training and was as good as our male recruits. We aim to show all new recruits that if you do the job correctly and follow procedure then any job is possible. We look forward to welcoming more female technicians to the company and hope that they will all be up to Ellie’s standard."

Ellie has now been given her own fully equipped van and joins the company’s fleet of mobile technicians who repair and replace windscreens at the homes and workplaces of customers.

"Being a mobile technician drew me to the job initially. I like to get out and about and really enjoy dealing with people," she added.

RAC Auto Windscreens has 1,100 technicians who undertake nearly one million jobs every year on a full range of vehicles, including cars, vans, trucks, construction equipment, trains and boats.

Ellie now hopes to become one of RAC Auto Windscreens’ top automotive glazing technicians.