Meet IMI Skills Competition Refinishing Gold Medallist 2024, Victoria Steele from Sinclair's Bodyshop:
Competition experience so far:
As a returning silver medalist from 2023, Victoria is hoping to take one step higher on the podium this time around. She said: “The competition this time around has been good, the added confidence definitely helped and the venue was great.”
Career journey so far:
Victoria’s journey in automotive wasn’t initially as smooth as she’d have hoped, however making the switch from mechanics to accident repair was a huge step in the right direction for her. Later, finding a workplace that supported her professional development gave her the platform to unleash her full potential. Having taken part in the Welsh skills competition, and last year’s skills competition she added “I like challenging myself to showcase my skills against other competitors, so I test my abilities against other great painters and push myself further each time.”
Future aspirations:
Victoria’s immediate goal is to win gold, and as for her career goals, she said: “I just want to keep getting better at what I do and aim to be the best painter out there”.
Employer and manager comments:
Manager Daniel Ahern said “As a manager, it’s great to see Victoria doing well in competitions, we can definitely see the boost in confidence it’s given her over the last couple of years and it’s good for us as a business to be able to show our young talent progressing."
Advice for new apprentices:
Victoria’s advice for new apprentices or competitors: “Whatever stress you may feel, just remember that everyone else is in the same situation and is feeling it just as much as you, so don’t worry so much about it affecting your performance just do the best you can and don’t dwell on any mistakes.”
