Truck
Photo Credit: Supplied

Audrey Thabile is a powerhouse in her industry, empowering women to become truck drivers and working in the male-dominated industry.

 

Johannesburg, South Africa (18 August 2021) – Women are certainly no longer content with being confined solemnly to jobs traditionally associated with their gender. They are also stepping into roles previously occupied by men. Audrey Thabile (36) is one such a woman. She is a driver tester at SA’s largest truck driving academy, in Boksburg Gauteng. She is also fully involved with testing of drivers as the driving academy expands from a focus on Code 8 to Code 14 drivers.

Armed with her CODE 14 license; Professional Driving Permit (PDP) and Dangerous Goods Permit having completed driver training at Innovative Learning Solutions (ILS) in 2020 she was subsequently found to be such a remarkable candidate she was hired to join their training team. Thabile is the man, ahem the woman for the job! Thabile says she is ready to prove her worth by grooming a mostly male audience to tackle the challenges of the road.

“I love trucks. It’s been that way since I was young. When I came across Innovative Learning Solutions’ Introduction to Advanced Driving Techniques course, I knew I had to sign up for it. The training was exactly what I needed because I had already conducted my CODE 14 training and testing with the three-axle truck and the ILS programme uses a Volvo Superlink which requires more skill to handle. Trucking companies want drivers who are competent in the Superlink, and a competency certificate proves you know what you are doing,” says Thabile.

She says beyond the social limitations most women face, another reason not many women are drivers rests on old mindsets of driving being a man’s job.

“Driving is gender-neutral. It is not reserved for a specific sex but many studies have proven that women generally are safer drivers than men, yet there are fewer of us driving professionally,” says Thabile. 

Audrey is an inspiration to women in South Africa. She hopes more women will take up positions that are considered male-dominated. She encourages them to follow their dreams.


Sources: Press Release
Don’t ever miss the Good Things. Download the Good Things Guy App now on Apple or Google
Have something to add to this story? Please share it in the comments or follow GoodThingsGuy on Facebook & Twitter to keep up to date with good news as it happens, or share your good news with us by clicking here
Click the link below to listen to the Good Things Guy Podcast with Brent Lindeque – South Africa’s very own Good Things Guy. He’s on a mission to change what the world pays attention to, and he truly believes that there’s good news all around us. In the Good Things Guy podcast, you’ll meet these everyday heroes & hear their incredible stories:
Or watch an episode of Good Things TV below, a show created to offer South Africans balance in a world with what feels like constant bad news. We’re here to remind you that there are still so many good things happening in South Africa & we’ll leave you feeling a little more proudly South African. 

About the Author

Tyler Leigh Vivier is a writer for Good Things Guy.

Her passion is to spread good news across South Africa with a big focus on environmental issues, animal welfare and social upliftment. Outside of Good Things Guy, she is an avid reader and lover of tea.

Leave a Reply

Your email address will not be published. Required fields are marked *