Mind Over Muscle: A Young Womans Diesel Tech Success Story – Maintenance [Video]

Kaitlynn Aikin’s high-school self probably would be surprised if she had been able to look into the future and see the confident 20-year-old diesel technician working on heavy-duty trucks and acting as an inspiration to bring other young women into the field.

“If I look back. I don’t think I’d ever expect myself to be where I am today. But it’s so amazing how far I’ve come,” she said in an HDT Talks Trucking video podcast interview.

Aikin is a diesel technician at Southeastern Freight Lines‘ Fort Worth service center. Her journey is not just about fixing trucks and engines, but also driven by her desire to break stereotypes and inspire the next generation of female technicians.

How Many Women Are Diesel Technicians?

The American Trucking Associations projects the industry will need about 200,000 diesel techniciansover the next 10 years just to keep up with current truck maintenance demands. According to the U.S. Bureau of Labor Statistics, there are …