Lismore mechanic Bronte loves spinning her spanners

BRONTE Jordan is breaking new ground after being hired as an apprentice female mechanic at Lismore's Poletto's Mechanical Repairs.

Poletta's mechanic apprentice Bronte Jordan, of Casino, is pursuing her dream of working on cars. Picture: Marc Stapelberg

BRONTE Jordan isn't afraid of getting covered in grease or having dirt and grime build up under her fingernails.

After one month as an apprentice at Lismore's Poletto's Mechanical Repairs, the ambitious 16-year-old already has the desire to own her own business where she plans to employ only female mechanics, when she qualifies as a tradeswoman.

As one of three girls growing up on a property at Ellangowan, south of Casino, with a grandfather and an uncle who were both mechanics, her passion for cars was born at a young age.

"We never really got told we had to play with dolls or anything, it was do what you want - ride motorbikes get muddy and what not," Ms Jordan said.

"From about the age of seven my sister and I used to ride motorbikes on the property."

Whenever the family travelled to Casino, Ms Jordan said they would visit her grandfather.

"I spent a lot of time with my pop and he would always be out in his shed working on something," she said.

"So I would be out there working with him and I had my own special little tools I used to work with.

"From a young age I would be out in the shed with pop hitting something with a hammer or pretending to fix something."

With such a mechanical family pedigree and a background in motor sport, becoming a mechanic was a natural progression for Ms Jordan.

"My uncle races speedway, my pop used to race speedway, my nan used to race speedway and one of my uncles had a lot to do with Formula One cars," she said.

"Because I grew up around cars and I was always working on cars I have wanted to be a mechanic for years, its a family thing.

"Because I have spent so much time around cars, I understand cars, they're something that I just get."

Soon, Ms Jordan said she hoped to enter the world of speedway racing as a competitor.

"I hope to start my way in juniors and work my way up the classes," she said.

For now she is happy spinning spanners at Poletto's Mechanical Repairs.

"Sausto Poletto is probably the best boss that anyone could ask for," Ms Jordan said.