DCG Success Stories

Giving talks to thousands of people at automotive industry events across the USA holds no fears for former Derby College motor vehicle apprentice Cat Treanor.

Cat, who is business development manager with Electude UK, a world-leading automotive e-learning company, has spoken at venues in New York, California and Texas to name just a few.

And, as a STEM ambassador, a voluntary role, she also goes into schools and colleges to talk to students about rewarding opportunities in science, technology, engineering and mathematics (STEM) subjects.

Now nearly 27, Cat loves to give talks but is convinced she wouldn’t be doing this had it not been for the lecturers on her motor vehicle engineering level 3 course at the Johnson Building.

She said: “Through my public speaking I’ve been able to reach and inspire thousands of people in one go and last year I won an award for my work promoting diversity in the trade.

Public speaking is the thing I’m most proud of and I’m so thankful to the Derby College lecturers who encouraged me to try it. Without them I wouldn’t have known I was capable of addressing a roomful of people.”

Through STEM and her job, Cat – the 2013 winner of Derby College’s Manufacturing and Engineering Apprenticeship award – remains keen to do all she can to encourage more women into the automotive industry.

She added: “The situation is improving – we’ve seen more girls joining the sector in recent years – but progress is slow.

The measures designed to inspire female students take time to feed through. However, with the electric vehicle revolution the trade is changing and needs a new kind of technician.”